GEAR JRNL

Still, we'll take what we can get with a roughly 12 to 14-minute perreo from the 31-year-old artist at halftime. The Puerto Rican superstar, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, will grace the world's biggest stage, theApple Music Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, in Santa Clara, California, Feb. 8, after wrapping three consecutive shows in Medellín, Colombia, in January, andkicking off the month with a historic Grammy win.

Whilesports enthusiasts are taking betson the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots,Bad Bunny fans− and other music lovers − have been dying to know what Benito has up his sleeve since he was announced as the halftime show headliner.

For Bad Bunny, every album, every tour and every day is a new opportunity to reach new career heights.

In November 2025, the Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar kicked off his 24-date DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour with back-to-back nights in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Then, in December, her performed more shows in Mexico City before kicking off the new year in Santiago, Chile, and then making a quit pit stop back in the states to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February.

Scroll through to see some of the best moments from Benito's world tour, which is sponsored in part by Hennessy. In this photo, Bad Bunny performs during the world tour opener at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Nov. 21, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs during his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour at the Atanasio Girardot Stadium in Medellin, Colombia, on Jan. 23, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny is set to hit the Super Bowl halftime show stage in the San Francisco Bay Area in two weeks.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Fans of Bad Bunny await his concert on Jan. 23, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A vendor shows Bad Bunny-themed t-shirts outside the Atanasio Girardot Stadium before the artist's concert in Medellin, Colombia on Jan. 23, 2026.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs during his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour in Colombia.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A street vendor sells Bad Bunny merchandise outside the Atanasio Girardot Stadium.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> A fan wears a Bad Bunny-themed outfit.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs during his DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tour in Colombia.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> During the first act of the night on Dec. 11 in Mexico City, Bad Bunny welcomed Lorén Aldarondo Torres, the lead singer for the band Chuwi for a performance of "WELTiTA."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny and J Balvin found their way back to the "Oasis" of friendship recently. The Latin music superstars, who'd been rumored to be feuding, reconciled during a surprise reunion at Bad Bunny's Mexico City concert on Dec. 21, as seen in social media footage of the pair's performance.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> For the Dec. 11 date, Bad Bunny brought out Colombian singer Feid for the exclusive song of the night "Perro Negro."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> During Bad Bunny's fourth night in Mexico City on Dec. 15, 2025, the Puerto Rican star invited Mexican music group Grupo Frontera as his special guest to perform "un x100to."

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera in Mexico City on Dec. 15, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs on stage during Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour at Estadio GNP Seguros on Dec. 11, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> As he shared Puerto Rico with the world this summer, Bad Bunny's La Casita stage − designed after a traditional home − became one of the hottest celeb destinations of the season.

Week after week, the casita welcomed A-listers, from NBA legend LeBron James to "Mad Men" actor Jon Hamm. Bad Bunny's "Caught Stealing" costar Austin Butler also attended, and singer Becky G, actress Penélope Cruz and her husband Javier Bardem, fellow Boricua Ricky Martin and Mexican pop star Belinda were a few of the many spotted in the VIP section at the shows.

And for the world tour shows, it's no different. Mexican actor Diego Boneta was spotted at the HENNESSY CLúB stationed at GNP Seguros Stadium, an elevated pre-show interactive experience featuring signature cocktails and immersive brand moments.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "Manifest" and "Jurassic World Rebirth" actress Luna Blaise was also spotted at the Hennessy activation.

The Mexico City experience brought together creators, tastemakers, media and fans to honor the vibrant spirit of the city while spotlighting Hennessy's ongoing partnership with Bad Bunny and the brand's commitment to championing Latin culture around the world.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Diego Boneta attends Bad Bunny's "DtMF" concert in Mexico City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs on stage during Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour world tour at Estadio GNP Seguros on Dec. 11, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Audience reacts as Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs during a concert of his "DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS World Tour" in Mexico City on Dec. 10, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera on Dec. 15, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> TikTok creator Zack Lugo attends Bad Bunny's "DtMF" concert in Mexico City with Hennessy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Audience use their phones as Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny performs during a concert of his "DeBi TiRAR MaS FOToS World Tour" in Mexico City on Dec. 10, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs on stage at Estadio GNP Seguros on Dec. 10, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs on stage at Estadio GNP Seguros on Dec. 10, 2025, in Mexico City, Mexico.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny is projected on a screen as he performs in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Dec. 5, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny's tour kickoff on Nov. 21, 2025, began with a visualizer showing two boys hearing the news that he didn't want to leave Puerto Rico, a nod to his groundbreaking "No Me Quiero Ir de Aqui" residency.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny's shows will unfold in three acts, with the beginning act taking place on the main stage. 

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> The second act continues in La Casita, where Bad Bunny treats the concert like one big house party. 

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> To close out the night on Nov. 21, 2025, Bad Bunny delivered a heartfelt moment with "DtMF" and projected fan photos on the towering LED screen.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> With Bad Bunny's latest tour, which began with his Puerto Rico residency, he is set to make history as the first Latin act to headline stadiums globally, including Europe, Australia and Latin America.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny's roster of A-list celebs attending his shows has also proved his music transcends language, borders and cultures − and that whoever isn't caught up on his game is losing out on one of the most influential artists of our time.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> "DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS" pays tribute to Bad Bunny's Boricua roots and sees the singer incorporate traditional genres such as Plena, salsa, and jibaro into his signature Latin urbano sound.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> As Bad Bunny continues to make history with his world tour, he also continues to dominate global streaming lists of 2025. For the fourth time, Bad Bunny was named Spotify's Global Top Artist.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> In statistics shared exclusively with USA TODAY, Spotify revealed that if a single person attempted to listen to all the Bad Bunny streams from 2025 back-to-back, it would take 124,620 years or over 1,200 centuries of non-stop music. He has a loyal band of 27 million listeners and every day his music is streamed over 60 million times on the app.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Luna Blaise attends Bad Bunny's "DtMF" concert in Mexico City.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> TikTok creator Zack Lugo attends Bad Bunny's "DtMF" concert in Mexico City with Hennessy.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs on stage during Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Bad Bunny performs onstage with Grupo Frontera on Dec. 15, 2025.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" />

Best moments from Bad Bunny's Debí Tirar Más Fotos world tour

ForBad Bunny, every album, every tour and every day is a new opportunity to reach new career heights.In November 2025, the Puerto Rican reggaeton superstar kicked off his 24-dateDeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS world tourwith back-to-back nights in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Then, in December, her performed more shows in Mexico City before kicking off the new year in Santiago, Chile, and then making a quit pit stop back in the states to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show in February.Scroll through to see some of the best moments from Benito's world tour, which is sponsored in part by Hennessy. In this photo, Bad Bunny performs during the world tour opener at the Felix Sanchez Olympic Stadium in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, on Nov. 21, 2025.

But as hardcore fans already know, the enigmatic singer does exactly what he wants, not what people are expecting. Until then, here are our predictions (and manifestations) forBenito's setlist:

'Nuevayol'

It doesn't get any more patriotic for Bad Bunny than featuring the Puerto Rican flag atop the Statue of Liberty, so why wouldn't he perform this track of resistance to honor his island and its people? The Super Bowl might be on the West Coast, but this upbeat dembow and reggaeton mashup, with a touch of a 1975 salsa sample, would make the perfect nod to the musical influences that inspired his new music.—Pamela Avila

The 411 on Benito Bowl:Bad Bunny at the Super Bowl — Date, time, and how to watch halftime show

'Baile Inolvidable'

The romantic salsa anthem was an immediate standout on Bad Bunny's heritage-heavy sixth album,"Debí Tirar Más Fotos,"with its throwback sound and soulful vocals. The festive track, featured in theofficial teaserfor the halftime show, would also give Benito the chance to show off the suave dance moves he honed in the song's music video.— Edward Segarra

'DtMF'

Sorry, butthismight be our national anthem at the Benito Bowl. "DtMF," which translates to "I Should Have Taken More Photos," feels like a no-brainer, and if he doesn't perform it, we'll be floored. A nostalgic and celebratory rumination on living life to the fullest and cherishing your loved ones feels like the perfect set finisher.—Avila

'Un Preview'

It's not a Bad Bunny party without a little perreo. The singer's 2023 reggaeton bop, taken from his chart-topping fifth album "Nadie Sabe Lo Que Va a Pasar Mañana," perfectly captures the lyrical cheekiness and feel-good Latin urban dance style that made him a global superstar.— Segarra

Advertisement

'El Apagon,' 'P FKN R,' 'Café con ron' and 'Acho PR' (Puerto Rico medley)

One thing is for sure: Benito will not walk off that halftime show stage without expressing his intense love and pride for Puerto Rico. Every song in his discography is a nod to his Puerto Rican heritage, one way or another, but"El Apagón,""P FKN R," "Café con ron" and "Acho PR" are our bets for contenders for a Puerto Rico medley of sorts onstage.—Avila

'Tití Me Preguntó'

It would be an absolute crime not to have "Tití Me Preguntó" land somewhere in the setlist. One of the biggest hits from his record-breaking "Un Verano Sin Ti" album, the song's infectious dembow groove and singalong-ready hooks would make for an undeniable crowd-pleaser.— Segarra

'WELTiTA'

This stripped-down and dreamy track, featuring Puerto Rican band Chuwi, is the perfect song to let us catch our breath at home after back-to-back perreo. The song, which reminds us appreciate the mundane, joyous moments in life, will be a necessary reprise from the politicized chatter surrounding Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show performance.—Avila

'Dákiti'

"Dákiti" was a bona fide crossover hit for Bad Bunny and fellow Puerto Rican singerJhaycowhen it was released back in 2020, peaking at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. Aside from a fun throwback for longtime fans, the reggaeton track's understated rhythm and moody lyrics could help slow things down amid his dancier numbers.— Segarra

'Callaíta'

Bad Bunny is truly in his element on "Callaíta" with its classic reggaeton sound and saucy wordplay about a volatile summer love. The singer's warm baritone finds its sweet spot on the song's soaring chorus, which would let Benito do some vocal flexing. And if you weren't already on your feet, he will definitely have you grooving in front of the TV with this one.— Segarra

'La Romana'

His love for the Caribbean sound is perhaps no more evident than on "La Romana," the dembow and bachata-inflected banger featuring Dominican rap heavyweight El Alfa. The song's propulsive beat, mixed with Bad Bunny and El Alfa's fiery bars, makes it the perfect energizer for a game day crowd.— Segarra

'Yo Perreo Sola'

If criticsreallywant to clutch their pearls during his halftime show, then let's hope the 2020 feminist anthem, which translates to "I Dance Alone," is on the setlist, complete with dance moves and fashion looks he featured in the lively music video. In all seriousness, this track off his pre-COVID quarantine released album "YHLQMDLG" deserves the global stage with Ivy Queen right next to him for the remix.− Avila

'Party'

If we're not getting aBad Bunny and J Balvin reunionat the Super Bowl, El Conejo Malo at least has to give usRauw Alejandro. The Puerto Rican singers' 2022 hit seamlessly blends reggaeton and EDM for an irresistible club stomper that will, as the title suggests, keep the party going. Plus, Alejandro's guest appearance would bring an added boost of Boricua power, which squares nicely with Benito's motif of Puerto Rican pride.— Segarra

'Estamos Bien'

We might be asking for too much for Benito to take us back to the "X 100pre" days, but if there's one song he needs to performnowfrom that era, it's "Estamos Bien." At the time of its release, in 2018, the track became synonymous with a message of resilience for Puerto Ricans after thedevastation of Hurricane María. And well, it also serves as mic drop of sorts to his haters.—Avila

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Bad Bunny Super Bowl halftime show — What songs will he perform?

King Charlesand ex-Prince Andrew'stension has spilled into a rushed exit from Royal Lodge. One royal insider said, "Charles said enough was enough," after more Windsor photos surfaced. Photos of the former Duke of York kept landing on front pages.

Now, the King's younger brother is starting a quieter chapter on the Sandringham estate. Meanwhile, the shift leaves open questions about where Sarah Ferguson lands next.

King Charles couldn't bear sight of Ex-Prince Andrew, it was 'too much,' says source

According tothe Daily Mail'sreport dated February 4, 2026, Andrew was ordered out of Royal Lodge early. However, he had been expected to move the following week. So, under the cover of darkness on Monday night, he traveled to Norfolk. A source said, "Charles said enough was enough and the message was conveyed to Andrew that it was time for him to head to Norfolk immediately." He is now staying at Wood Farm Cottage on the Sandringham estate.

Then the report said his long-term base will be Marsh Farm by early April, after renovations. The estate is privately owned by theKing. In turn, the source said, "He had to be removed from the public eye." The source added, "Questions were being asked in royal circles along the lines of 'what's he still doing here?' each time he appeared out riding." Still, the source said, "Someone less arrogant than Andrew would have read the room and kept his head down for a while, but that's not in his make-up, so something had to be done."

Yet the move also touches his family. He shares daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie withSarah Ferguson, his former wife. The report said Ferguson's whereabouts "remain unknown." At the same time, it suggested Andrew may return to Windsor "from time to time" to clear belongings, since it could take "some time." Meanwhile, Prince William was tight-lipped and said, "I wish I could say more but I can't." Ultimately, King Charles and former Prince Andrew now keep their distance by design.

The postKing Charles Couldn't Handle Seeing Ex-Prince Andrew — Sourceappeared first onReality Tea.

Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it.This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.

Podcasts:True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here

Dana Taylor:

We are now just one day away from the roar of the opening ceremonies of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan in Cortina, Italy. Team USA is on the hunt for gold as figure skater Ilia Malinin, who some have dubbed the quad god, pushes the sport of ice skating to dizzying heights.

Hello and welcome to USA TODAY's The Excerpt. I'm Dana Taylor. Today is Thursday, February 5th, 2026. Joining me now to discuss one of America's favorite events, ice skating, and what else to watch out for at Milan Cortina 2026 is USA TODAY National Sports Columnist Christine Brennan and Olympic Gold Medalist Brian Boitano, the host of USA TODAY's Milan Magic Olympics podcast. Christine and Brian, it is so wonderful to have you here on The Excerpt. Thanks for joining me.

Brian Boitano:

Thank you so much for having us.

Christine Brennan:

Thanks. Yeah, you know what? We're getting a little sick of each other, just the two of us, so it's good to have you join.

Dana Taylor:

Christine, of course, anything can happen at the Olympics, but Team USA is stacked. Who are the mega stars we'll be watching?

Christine Brennan:

You certainly mentioned one right off the bat. Ilia Malinin who is the quad god, as you said, he is two-time world champ, four-time US national champ. He is the prohibitive favorite to win the men's gold medal early in the Olympics, the first week. So in fact, the team competition is beginning on the same day as the opening ceremony. So you'll see Ilia probably quite early in the Olympics. But as Brian knows well, the winter sports by design are ice and snow. And that means that they can be very slippery. It's not like someone swimming in a pool. And yes, something can go wrong for Katie Ledecki, but the odds are it's not going to be the elements. And yet with ice, with snow, that skating is a slippery sport. Ilia Malinin, we're going to be keeping an eye on Amber Glenn, the three-time US Women's Champ, and also Alyssa Liu, the defending world champion on the women's side.

And then of course, there are the other sports, including skiing, two huge names, Michaela Schiffrin and Lindsay Vonn. So this is a stacked, power packed US Olympic team.

Dana Taylor:

Brian, let's go in depth on the US skaters. Who are the favorites?

Brian Boitano:

Where do I start? Well, Ilia Malinin, this guy has set the technical bar so high, higher than ever in the history of our sport. He is just phenomenal. But taking that into effect, nothing is for sure. He has some contenders that if he doesn't have a great night, that they'll be able to come in and steal his thunder, but nobody's expecting that. But just having that amount of pressure, imagine going in and wanting to win a gold medal, but at the same time having expectation from everyone that it's a shoe-in. That's a hard, hard amount of pressure to skate under. So he has his country, he has the quad god title. He's set the bar higher than ever. He's literally probably the most favorite for an Olympic gold medal that we've ever had. And that's a lot of pressure. So I like to give him a chance to take a little bit of the pressure off.

So nothing's a given for sure, but he is certainly the most dominant. And then the women, we have three really strong women, Alyssa Liu, Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito. We could really have a sweep of the podium. I don't think it is the most likely chance, but that's how talented our women's team is, is that if there are mistakes by some of the Japanese team and other people who are competitive with them, we could have a sweep of the podium.

Christine Brennan:

Brian, I agree with you on that. And women skating, obviously men's skating is a very big deal, especially in 1988 when a certain guy won the Olympic gold medal in the Battle of the Brian's. And that was my first Olympics, winner Olympics I covered. And men's skating, certainly. I mean, with Scott Hamilton, Brian Boitano, and there have been others most recently, Nathan Chen winning the gold four years ago, and then will Ilia be the one this time? But the women, that's right, that's Peggy Fleming and Dorothy Hamill. And so many of those great names that are iconic cultural names in our country and in the world, not just sports superstars. And the question is, to Brian's point, will there be an American woman who will rise up, or two, or three because it has been 20 years since a US woman has won an Olympic medal.

Sasha Cohen, silver medal, 2006 in Torino, just a few hundred miles from where the Milan Olympics will be. That's a long drought for a country that has just produced gold medalists, silver medalists, Michelle Quon, Tara Lapinski, you name it. And that's the real question and they know it. Amber Glenn told us right away, she said, "We understand there's this drought and we are going to end the drought." One of those three American women, maybe two, maybe three, they're the ones that can do it.

Dana Taylor:

And of course, the games showcase athletic excellence from across the globe. Brian, who are a few of the international Olympians to watch out for?

Brian Boitano:

For the first time in years, we have two of the... They're not Russians. They're representing a neutral country in the men's event and the women's event. And they are touted to give a challenge to our American skaters, not so much Ilia, but in the women's event, Patrushian is touted to give our women a run for their money. There is a talented cast of skaters. For Ilia Malinin, we have Yuma Kagayama from Japan, who is just an incredible... He's probably the generation after Ilia. And we have our American guys that are doing so well. Andrew Torgeshev and Max Namoff, of course, who is well known for a tragic reason because his parents were on flight 5342 in Washington, that tragedy. But the phoenix rising from the ashes is Max being able to make the Olympic team, which was a little bit of a surprise, but he's always had the talent, but he really put it all together to make the Olympic team. And everybody's hearts are going to be with Max as soon as he steps on the ice.

Christine Brennan:

And I'll mention also ice dance because we'd love to talk about bears, but the US pairs last won an Olympic medal in 1988 when Brian won his gold medal. That was the bronze medal. And it's nothing against the pears. They're trying hard, but the US has just not been able to really put together a strong pair team for a long, long time to be on the Olympic stage. A couple world medals and certainly national champs. But ice dance is another story entirely. As Brian knows well, there are five now, last five Olympics there have been medals won by the Americans in ice dance, in part because of the scoring system change. It has made ice dance in particular fairer, and none of the nonsense, or at least less of the nonsense of the judges cheating. And so that has opened up the opportunities for Americans.

And as of course, Brian knows well, Madison Chalk, Evan Bates, seven time national champions are going to try to finally win their first individual in the sense of ice dance medal. They are the gold medalists in the team competition. They finally got that medal two and a half years after the last Olympics in Beijing. So they are gold medalists, but in the team, they would love to win the gold obviously in the individual ice dance, but there's some tough teams, a French team. The Canadians are good. We'll see how it all plays out, but watch ice dance as well, especially wonderful, great leaders and just terrific veteran skaters, Madison Chalk and Evan Bates.

Dana Taylor:

Christine, we all love a Cinderella story. Which Olympians on the US roster do you think could surprise the world?

Christine Brennan:

Wow. Well, I'll tell you, in figure skating, since we're talking a lot of skating, and why not? Because it is so popular and Americans love it. Brian mentioned her, Isabeau Levito. She is only 18, so she's the youngest of the three. Amber Glenn's 26 and Alyssa Lu's 20. So Isabeau Levita, one-time national champ. So she's been there. She's been at the top. But to me, she looks like she's the ballerina and the jewelry box. It's Audrey Hepburn out there. Just that classic, beautiful look. Could she slide in the way Sarah Hughes did back in 2002 in Salt Lake City where the other skaters, the top ranked ones didn't do as well, made some mistakes, and all of a sudden Sarah Hughes won the Olympic gold medal, deservedly so.

Isabeau Levito, could she have that couple days of competition? I think that's certainly worth watching. And then these Japanese women skaters that Brian referred to, they're good. They're really, really good. And Japan, Russia, and South Korea have dominated the metal podium in women's skating since, again, since the days of Syracuse, Michelle Quon, Tara Lapinski, Sasha Cohen.

Brian Boitano:

And that's what makes it so... Figure skating is so dramatic. You never know. I mean, Christine knows when you go into the building that night, sometimes the energy is there and it's so different. Sometimes it's often you're like, the energy's off in this building. Then how the entire night unfolds, sometimes it's one surprise after another. Sometimes it's not great skating. Sometimes it's fantastic skating. You never know what to expect when you go in the building. And so that's why when we say someone can slip in there, it can be someone that you never even counted on coming in, having a fantastic night and placing right up there on the podium. So that's what's so exciting.

Dana Taylor:

So Brian, if you were to highlight just one, is there an athlete story this year that's compelling to you, perhaps something that goes beyond meddling?

Brian Boitano:

Yeah. I have to say, and I'm directly related to it. So Alyssa Liu, who is world champion from last year, US champion from last year as well, she is the youngest ever to be national champion in our country. And then she retired and came back to skating in full force, and won the world title out of the blue last year, a total surprise to everyone. But she's come with a renewed passion. She decided she wanted to come back with this joie de vivre. She's not going to feel pressure. She's going to have fun. She's going to be a great teammate, and inspire and encourage her other teammates. And she just has this lightheartedness. When you watch her, you smile. She doesn't care about medals. She doesn't care about placement. She cares about that she loves the sport again, and she's doing really well because of it.

Advertisement

And because she doesn't feel this pressure and because she doesn't care so much, she has so much less pressure on herself, because most of the people in the events are like, "I really want to get a medal and I'm nervous." And she's like, "I'm just going to go out there and have fun." So she has all this energy and she has all this love. And when she skates so well, the audience gets totally behind her. She is the energy of the future. And she is starting this sisterhood with the other two teammates that is literally capturing the nation by storm. And we're going to see a lot more of that when we watch the Olympics.

Christine Brennan:

And Dana, Brian has a bird's eye view, as he said, because he's skating with her a couple of times a week. So Brian Boitano is literally on the ice with Alyssa Liu. And Brian, you mentioned something that I actually captured because I was sitting in press row at the nationals a few weeks ago, the US Championships in St. Louis. So this is remarkable. Our country right now, we got people at each other's throats. We've got a lot of controversy out there. We're talking sports here, obviously, right now. And you just refer to it. The cultural significance of Amber Glenn and Isabeau Levito, and Alyssa Liu, the three of them, and they finished each other's sentences. They laugh at each other's jokes. They're just great pals. They're always hugging each other. You don't see that all the time at all. In any sport, a competitive sport, which of course skating is, and what I witnessed was amazing.

So Alyssa Liu is the second to last skater in the long program, the final night of competition for the women a few weeks ago, the US Nationals. She's in first place. There's one skater left. That's the only skater who can beat her. It's Amber Glenn. Now, a lot of times skaters will leave the ice, go back behind the curtains, not want to watch. It makes sense. You're sweating, you're huffing and puffing and you just want to get away from it. You're not going to watch the last person. No. Alyssa Liu just literally crouches down right in front of us on the press row, right at the ice. And she's there cheering for Amber Glenn, the woman who can beat her. And sure enough, Amber Glenn did beat Alyssa Liu. I've covered sports a long time, lots of sports, football, golf, you name it. That's one of those stories you go, "Wow, I cannot believe I'm just watching this."

And that's Brian, the woman that you know so well.

Brian Boitano:

Dana Taylor:

Brian, you uniquely understand the immense pressure athletes from around the globe are feeling right at this moment. What does the mental preparation look like and feel like for the athletes we'll be watching?

Brian Boitano:

Well, I've explained it to Christine before that it's like the layers of an onion. We, from childhood, getting used to different layers of pressure, and expectation, and all these layers of onion keep building on top of you, on top of you, on top of you. And you know what the pressure's going to be like. You know what it's like to defend a national title, which is one level of pressure. You know what it's like to defend a world title, which is another level of pressure. Well, the level of pressure when you get into an Olympics and there's a possibility that you can win a gold medal is times seven. So all these athletes have prepared for this. They have done their mental exercises. They have done as much mental training as they have done triple lutz's. And that's the most important part, is having that at your availability whenever you need it.

It's your toolbox of things that you will use right when the competition starts. Because when things go down on the ice during competition, it unravels really quickly. And it can unravel in a good way and it can unravel in a bad way. So the tools that you have in your toolbox that you deal with pressure are literally 97% of your work, and the 97% of the most important things that you can have going into the Olympics when there's that pressure involved.

Dana Taylor:

I'll never look at an onion the same way again. Christine, can you share with us something about the backdrop, the venues, the Italian winter scape that I'll be watching on my screen and the two of you will be experiencing on the ground?

Christine Brennan:

This is a unique setup. For the first time ever, you have at least first time... Well, I think it is the first time ever. I've covered every Olympics, as I said, since Calgary in 1988, where I met Brian Boitano, who then of course won the incredible gold medal. But in general, Calgary, the skiing, which I covered some of that, was a half hour drive and you'd go in back and forth, maybe 45 minutes if you were in traffic. Vancouver, 2010, hour and a half on the media shuttle to Whistler, and then you come back and you're back in time for dinner. Well, this is different. This is six, seven, eight hour drive away. So Cortina is absolutely gorgeous. This is going to look terrific on your TV set. It's going to look terrific as you look at the incredible photos being shot by USA TODAY photographers and all of the things that will be part of our stories.

But Brian and I are going to be in Milan and among many of the other journalists, and we're not going to be able to just, oh, wander over and watch Lindsey Vonn. No, no. And that's different. I actually love it because there's three or four smaller towns, including Cortina, but that they are going to have a big role to play because they're hosting some of the events. But hockey, men's and women's hockey, and let's not forget the US Canada, women's hockey, guaranteed they're going to be playing for the gold medal and that's all they... Either Canada or the US has won all of them. But hockey will be in Milan. The speed skating, Jordan Stolls from Milwaukee, great speed skater, among others, that will also be in Milan. And then of course, figure skating. So that's where the big base of support will be and we're going to be based.

Although again, there'll be a lot of different venues with a lot of really cool things going on.

Dana Taylor:

I do want to talk about the podcast, because we have been following your coverage leading up to the games. It's USA TODAY's Milan Magic podcast. What do you have in store for us now that competition is underway?

Brian Boitano:

We're going to talk about everything. We're talking to legends. We're talking to current skaters. We're going to talk judging system, costumes, and that's just the figure skating part. We're going to get into other events as well. I know Lindsay Vaughn will be a big topic and Michaela Shiffrin for us. Jordan Sultz, like you said, in speed skating. Yeah, we're going to be talking about pretty much everything, but we want to surprise you a little bit. We don't want to tell you everything that we have up our sleeves, so keep listening.

Christine Brennan:

Yeah. And what's fun for me is, so I'm the journalist and Brian's the skater, and we do. We've known each other since '88. So just great friendship and respect. But I think, and I've heard this from people already, we're very honored that people listen and watch, and we already had several, obviously, episodes that we're very proud of. A great team, as you do, Dana at USA TODAY, getting this out to everyone. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts, of course, and on the YouTube channels. But the idea being that we come at things from a different point of view. And if there's news to break, I'm going to be breaking it. And Brian will probably in many cases then comment on that. And his view commenting, Brian, as you are as an athlete, obviously as a personality, as an icon in the sport, I don't think anyone else is giving all of the fans, the thousands, millions of fans that are going to be watching these Olympics that care about it, maybe don't care right now.

And here's the opening ceremony. Now you're going to now, oh wow, it's happening the next three or four weeks. Come to us, because I think we figured this out, your first Olympics was 1984, Brian, mine was 1984. Mine was summer, yours winter. So if we just do quick math here, that's 42 years of Olympics for me and 42 years of Olympics for Brian, which if we get a calculator out, we can say that that is 84 years of Olympics

Brian Boitano:

Christine Brennan:

Almost. Well, a couple more and then we'll add it up. But we're having a ball. We love to have smiles on our faces and tell really positive, happy stories. And if there's stuff that we have to get into that's a little negative, absolutely we will. We will tell you the truth. You're going to get stories here and information that you're not going to get anywhere else, with 84 years, my gosh, of experience on this exact topic over the next three weeks.

Brian Boitano:

Christine and I really dive into it, and we talk about what's important, and we answer people's questions like what are they thinking? So it's really fun and satisfying for us to even be able to talk at depth about everything.

Dana Taylor:

And Christine, I hear that USA TODAY has a new book out called Chasing Gold. What can you tell me about that?

Christine Brennan:

Yeah, it's a unique thing, a book, USA TODAY with a children's book for these Olympics, Chasing Gold. A kid's guide to the 2026 Winner Olympics, a complete breakdown of winter Olympians and Paralympians for kids and adults of all ages to enjoy, while they learn about the stars heading to Milan and Cortina. It's a hardcover book, includes 40 full color pages with photos of the biggest athletes preparing to compete. There are fun facts, but there's also crafts to create your own Olympic medals and torch, and even a bingo game for when you're watching the games as a family. So with so much to look forward to with the 2026 Winter Olympics, Chasing Gold, that's the name of it. Chasing Gold is the perfect asset to get the family together for the biggest sports event in the world. Head to usatoday.com to place an order as the 2026 Winter Olympics take off.

Dana Taylor:

And you can join Christine and Brian in Milan on their series, Milan Magic airing in the Sport Seriously podcast feed. Find it wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch their show on USA TODAY's Sport Seriously YouTube channel. Christine Brennan is a national sports columnist for USA TODAY, and Brian Boitano is a US Olympic gold medalist. Thank you both so much for taking the time and being on the excerpt.

Brian Boitano:

Thank you. Thank you so much. Cheers.

Dana Taylor:

Thanks to our senior producer, Kayely Monahan, for her production assistance. Our executive producer is Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts at usatoday.com. Thanks for listening. I'm Dana Taylor. I'll be back Monday morning with another episode of USA TODAY's The Excerpt.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:The Olympics are here! Which athletes will USA TODAY be watching? | The Excerpt