Eminem boldly wielded his hometown pride with unwavering confidence. The rapper behind the hit "Love the Way You Lie" surprised the fans at the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers' Thanksgiving Day game when he made an unannounced appearance during Jack White's halftime performance in the Motor City on November 27th.
Midway through the half-time show, which Eminem and his manager Paul Rosenberg had executive produced, the rock star warmly welcomed his fellow Detroit native to the stage for a rendition of the rapper's 2002 song "Till I Collapse." The crowd erupted in cheers as he took to the stage, Marshall Mathers III looking sharp in a blue Lions varsity jacket over his signature hoodie and ball cap, making it clear which team he was rooting for.
The Grammy winner's surprise performance was extra special as his 8-month-old grandson Elliot Marshall McClintock, born to daughter Hailie Jade and husband Evan McClintock in March, watched on from the stands while wearing noise-cancelling ear muffs. A video shared on the Instagram page of Just a Little Shady, the podcast host, captured the adorable moment.
Eminem's unwavering loyalty to the Lions is well-documented. In 2024, he narrated an intro video for NBC's Sunday Night Football broadcast as the Lions took on the Los Angeles Rams, sharing his passionate take on the team's legacy. "For far too long, Detroit has been on the receiving end of losing seasons and bad punch lines," he said in the video package. "You try to shut out the noise, but after a while, that starts to live in your head." He continued, "Detroit don't get a whole lot of Hollywood endings, but tonight, we have a shot. And when we get our shot, you know what comes after that."
Football wasn't the only TV staple on Turkey Day. Earlier in the day, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade marked its 99th iteration in New York City, featuring performances from stars like Cynthia Erivo, Ciara, and Jewel. The annual broadcast, hosted by Today's Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, and returning Hoda Kotb, also had its own unexpected highlight when Al gave a young spectator tickets to see the Radio City Rockettes live in concert. The young fan hilariously responded, "I did that yesterday!"
