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Serena Williams' Husband Has Blunt Response To Halftime Show Criticism

Originally posted on The Spun | By Matt Hladik | Last updated Feb 11, 2025 12:22 PM ET

Serena Williams was one of the biggest surprises of Super Bowl 59, popping up as part of Kendrick Lamar's halftime show.

Williams showed off her crip-walking skills as Kendrick performed "Not Like Us." Many noted the obvious connection; the song is a diss track aimed at Drake, who had been romantically linked to Williams in the past. Some viewers, and even those in media like Stephen A. Smith, criticized Williams for trolling her ex while being married.

Williams' actual husband Alexis Ohanian seemed to have no issue with her appearance though.

"Some of y'all have no idea how criticized Serena was for this same dance at Wimbledon 13 years ago and it shows.... This is bigger than the music," Ohanian wrote on X/Twitter.

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 07: Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian attend the 2018 Brand Genius Awards at Cipriani 25 Broadway on November 7, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images)

When Jason Whitlock, a frequent Williams critic over the years, called Ohanian a "true beta" and "a simp" for his tweet, the Reddit co-founder clapped back in a savage takedown of the former ESPN and Fox Sports personality.

"I get it—you’re 57, and life didn’t turn out the way you imagined. That kind of disappointment must be exhausting," Ohanian said. "You’re the embodiment of peaked in high school, spending decades chasing validation from strangers through Likes and Digital Hugs, only to find that no amount of external approval fills the void. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

"Criticism only fuels your victim complex, reinforcing the comforting delusion that there's some grand conspiracy against you and your 'brave ideas'—when in reality, you've just got terrible takes. It’s a cycle: outrage, backlash, self-pity, repeat.

"This is a lonely road. There’s still time to rewrite the ending — start by working on yourself first. You'll find that if you wake up every morning trying to be a little better, a little more curious, you won't have time for irrational hating — you'll be too busy winning."

Oof. Talk about shots being fired. Good for Ohanian for having his wife's back.

It's obvious that he and Williams are more than okay with her decision to perform and what she did on the stage.

At the end of the day, that's all that really matters.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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