A comedian’s controversial performance at former President Donald Trump‘s Madison Square Garden (MSG) rally has ignited widespread backlash after he referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” and made a series of racist remarks targeting Latino and Black attendees.
Tony Hinchcliffe, a stand-up comedian known for his provocative “roast” style comedy and hosting the podcast “Kill Tony,” faced swift backlash from prominent Democratic leaders following his Sunday appearance at the world-famous New York City venue, where his routine drew mixed reactions from the crowd.
The controversy erupted when Hinchcliffe asked, “Where are my proud Latinos at tonight?” before launching into a series of jokes about immigration and the Texas-Mexico border. “You guys see what I mean? It’s wide open; there’s so many of them,” he said, receiving scattered responses from the audience.
The comedian’s routine took a sharp turn when he compared Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, to ocean waste. “There is literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico?” Hinchcliffe said, prompting murmurs and silence from the crowd.
Democratic New York Rep. Ritchie Torres condemned the remarks on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Tony Hinchcliffe, who is one of the speakers at Donald Trump’s rally at MSG, felt the need to hurl a racist insult at the people of Puerto Rico. As a Puerto Rican, I am tempted to call Hinchcliffe racist garbage but doing so would be an insult to garbage. When casting their ballots at the voting booth, Latinos should never forget the racism that Donald Trump seems all too willing to platform.”
Newsweek contacted Trump’s campaign via email on Sunday for comment.
The performance continued to draw strong criticism when Hinchcliffe made racist remarks about Latino families, claiming they “love making babies” before delivering a raunchy joke that Vice President Kamala Harris‘ campaign later described as a “vile racist tirade against Latinos.”
The controversy escalated further when Hinchcliffe directed more comments at a Black attendee, making references to “carving watermelons together” at what he claimed was a Halloween party. These remarks were met with audible gasps from the audience, prompting Hinchcliffe to acknowledge the “groany little morning crowd.”
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez urged Puerto Ricans across the country to “see this clip,” emphasizing, “When you have some a-hole calling Puerto Rico ‘floating garbage,’ know that that’s what they think about you. It’s what they think about anyone who makes less money than them.”
Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, also weighed in, referring to Hinchcliffe as a “jackwad” in his social media response to the video.
During his performance, Hinchcliffe also targeted Democratic Party supporters, comparing their endorsements to “a P. Diddy party” while referencing celebrities like Taylor Swift, Eminem, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Beyoncé.
This is not the first time Hinchcliffe has faced controversy over his comedy.
In May 2021, he was dropped by his agent and lost several engagements after using an anti-Asian racial slur during a comedy set directed at another performer.
He has since signed with United Talent Agency and continues to maintain a presence in the comedy world through his Netflix special One Shot and appearances on friend Joe Rogan’s podcast.
Hinchcliffe defended himself against the backlash, taking to social media to dismiss his critics as having “no sense of humor.”
These people have no sense of humor. Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his “busy schedule” to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a… https://t.co/VFxHRcdv5k
— Tony Hinchcliffe (@TonyHinchcliffe) October 27, 2024
In a direct response to the criticism, he wrote, “Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his ‘busy schedule’ to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist.” The comedian added, “I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set.”
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