You may think Bruno Mars and Nickelback have nothing in common, but you”d be wrong. Remember two years ago when Nickelback haters started a petition to protest the Canadian band performing during halftime at the Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions game on Thanksgiving Day in Detroit in 2011?
A new petition has started asking the NFL to replace Super Bowl XLVIV halftime performer Bruno Mars with heavy metal shock rockers Gwar, who perform in horror film/sci fi costumes and have more than a little fondness for graphic, over-the-top performances. More than 18,000 people have signed the petition, according to NME.
The idea is a hilarious one and maybe Mars can work up a rendition of “Gorilla” that would feature Gwar. “We don”t want another year of sitting around talking through a muted, boring NFL Super Bowl halftime show,” wrote campaign founder Jeff Cantrell, who started the petition on change.org. “We want something different. We want a real spectacle that only Gwar can provide. Doesn’t the NFL want more viewers? Don”t advertisers want more people paying attention? This way everyone wins.” If pearl-clutching Super Bowl watchers still haven’t gotten over Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction,” imagine the fun they’d have with Gwar’s cartoonish gory antics?
The Super Bowl takes place Feb. 2, 2014 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Maybe Mars can respond as Nickelback did with the help of comedian Paul Scheer and Funny Or Die with a similar clip. In the meantime, here’s a little Gwar to get you going this Wednesday. Unlike Mars, Nickelback protesters didn’t have specific act in mind to replace them, although local heroes such as Bob Seger and Kid Rock were suggested, they just wanted Nickelback out.