He flew across the country for an $18-an-hour ‘mystery Super Bowl job’ — then his bizarre role in Bad Bunny's Halftime Show left him dumbfounded
Imagine signing up for a job but not being told exactly what the work would involve. That's exactly what hundreds of performers were told when they accepted a role at Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Halftime Show. A participant named Andrew Athias flew from the other side of the country and paid his own travel expenses to be part of the mystery job. Promised $18 an hour, he was excited to take up the role until he learned what he was actually going to do, which left him speechless. Reported by NBCLA (@nbcla) on February 11, 2026, the mystery job required participants to wear heavy suits and safety goggles.
@nbcla A mysterious job posting led to hundreds of performers taking part in Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime performance. The listing called for a height requirement and for those selected for the role to wear 40-to-60-pound grass suits for the show. #badbunny #superbowl ♬ original sound - NBC Los Angeles
The unusual part was the job posting itself. It did not specify the role, but it warned the applicants of being exposed to "natural fibers" and extremely heavy costumes. People with marching experience were also preferred, with a pay of $18.17 per hour. However, upon reaching the venue, he learned what he was actually supposed to do. Hundreds of participants were asked to be bushes! The stadium was transformed into Puerto Rico sugarcane fields, which required hundreds of participants to wear suits made of grass that weighed around 40 pounds.
Athias was thrilled enough about the role to fund his own trip across the country to participate. "I got it easy. They told me where to stand and 'Don't move. Stay there and be one with the grass," he revealed. Another participant named José Villanova, who had also applied for the role, assumed that he was going to be dressed up as a shark; however, he was later told that he would be portraying a tree instead. The participants who were selected had to go through eight rehearsals while wearing the costumes, along with several 14-hour practice sessions, before the game. Villanova told NBCLA that he felt like he was carrying 50 to 60 pounds of weight on his shoulders for four straight hours.
Interestingly, the suit only allowed forward vision, and the participants were provided with safety goggles to prevent the grass from poking their eyes. According to Vogue, the producers also expected participants to be not shorter than 5'7 in height. Puerto Rico's sugarcane plantations were largely destroyed after the exploitation of colonization, which continues to affect the region. For many participants, it was a matter of pride to represent the plant and honor Bad Bunny's heritage and culture. While wearing heavy suits and standing amidst the long bushes may sound uncomfortable, the participants were excited to be part of a historical performance.
Internet users were clearly amused by the job offer, with some even expressing their disappointment over missing the opportunity. @ilikebleachandalsopochita mentioned, "My dad's friend somehow got his hand on two of the suits, and he's selling them." @Stacy remarked, "I didn't even notice there were people under there." @GUNZER21 expressed, "For being part of history and adding the experience to my profile, I will do it for free."
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