Bruno Mars Talks Super Bowl Halftime Show, Addresses Critics on 'Ellen'

A week after rocking the Super Bowl Halftime Show, Bruno Mars resurfaced on Monday’s “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” where he discussed his historic performance, which became the most-watched halftime show in Super Bowl history with 115.3 million viewers.

“It’s because of performers like Beyoncé and Madonna that the Super Bowl Halftime Show has become this big pop culture thing. I don’t know if I can take all the credit…or can I?” joked Bruno.

When he got the call, he didn’t hesitate to say yes despite his relatively short career. “I’ve only got two albums, so I don’t have like a legacy or anything like that, but tomorrow’s not promised, so I had to go for it,” he said.

Ellen brought up a New York magazine article that criticized Bruno for not being a big enough star for the Super Bowl stage because he wasn’t in the tabloids and didn’t have a fragrance.

“That was by far the most disgusting thing I think I’ve heard,” said Bruno. “I was just thinking about aspiring young musicians who want to do this and even hearing the thought that you need a fragrance or something like that…”

In response to his critics, he delivered an inspiring speech to aspiring musicians, who dream of their big moment. “I promise you, one day you’re gonna have your moment to shine and you’re gonna have a lot of people saying that you can’t do it and you’re not good enough,” said Bruno. “But I promise you, if you go out there and you sing and you put your heart and soul into it, and you follow your dream, one day you’re gonna be sitting next to Ellen DeGeneres.”

He then had Ellen play the triumphant Rocky anthem as he ran through the audience, hugging and kissing women.

Bruno also participated in one of Ellen’s classic hidden camera pranks. She sent a nurse into Bruno’s dressing room for a medical checkup, while she instructed him through an earpiece. Watch the hilarious results below.