Everyone is wondering who Tony Hinchcliffe is after the insult comedian made what many are calling “racist” jokes about Puerto Puerto Ricans, Black Americans, Palestinians and the Jewish community at a weekend Trump rally.
Hinchcliffe was one of the nearly 30 speakers who took the stage at Donald Trump’s New York City campaign rally, which was held at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
And this isn’t the first time Hinchcliffe has been called out over racially insulting jokes. In May 2021, he was dropped by his agent after opening a comedy set with anti-Asian racial slurs targeted at the comedian who was on the stage before him. Since his controversial remarks at the Trump rally, many artists of Latinx/Hispanic heritage have shared that they will be voting for Vice President Kamala Harris, including Jennifer Lopez and Bad Bunny.
Here’s a breakdown of everything about Hinchcliffe, what went down Sunday night and who has had something to say about it.
Who is Tony Hinchcliffe?
Tony Hinchcliffe is a comedian who was born and raised in Youngstown, Ohio, and is well-known for his curt style of comedy that often contains insensitive, racist and/or racially offensive jokes. He got his start in comedy doing open mics at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, California. Comedians Joe Rogan and Jeff Ross helped launch his career as Hinchcliffe opened for them on tour.
He’s roasted several celebrities at Comedy Central’s “Roast” shows, including Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady. Hinchcliff also hosts the comedy showcase podcast “Kill Tony” and had a 2016 Netflix special titled “Tony Hinchcliffe: One Shot.”
He also received blowback this past October when he appeared on ESPN’s College Gameday and made jokes that some viewers said were homophobic.
What did Tony Hinchcliffe say at Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally?
Tony Hinchcliffe joked that Caribbean island and unincorporated U.S. territory, Puerto Rico, was a floating island of trash. The island is predominately populated by Black and Brown people, which is why many have called the joke racially insensitive and/or racist. Here’s the quote below.
“There’s a lot going on. Like, I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. Yeah, I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Hinchcliffe said during his time at the podium at Trump’s Madison Square Garden Rally Sunday night.
He also later said the Latinx/Hispanic community “loves making babies, too.”
“Just know that. They do. They do. There’s no pulling out. They don’t do that. They come inside. Just like they did to our country,” Hinchcliffe said.
He also called out a Black man in the audience making a watermelon reference, called Jews cheap and labeled Palestinians as rock throwers.
Watch his full speech below.
Has Tony Hinchcliffe’s responded after his speech?
Tony Hinchcliffe said Sunday on X that he felt people are taking his joke “out of context to make it seem racist,” mentioning that he loves Puerto Rico and vacations there.
“These people have no sense of humor,” Hinchcliffe wrote over a clip of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s podcast conversation with Democratic Vice President-elect Tim Walz. “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 comedian Tim … might be time to change your tampon.”
Ocasio-Cortez clapped back saying: “Can’t get over this dude telling someone else to change tampons when he’s the one shitting bricks in his Depends after realizing opening for a Trump rally and feeding red-meat racism alongside a throng of other bigots to a frothing crowd does, unironically, make you one of them.”
Has Donald Trump or his campaign responded to Tony Hinchcliffe’s remarks?
Yes, in a statement Trump’s campaign senior adviser, Danielle Alvarez, wrote: “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
Has Kamala Harris said anything about Tony Hinchcliffe’s remarks?
Yes, Vice President Kamala Harris condemned Hinchcliffe’s remarks, calling it “nonsense.”
“I think last night, Donald Trump’s event in Madison Square Garden really highlighted a point that I’ve been making throughout this campaign,” Harris told media.
“[Trump] is focused and actually fixated on his grievances, on himself and on dividing our country. And it is not in any way something that will strengthen the American family, the American worker … It is absolutely something that is intended to and is fanning the fuel of trying to divide us.”
Have celebrities or politicians responed to Tony Hinchcliffe’s remarks?
Yes, take a look at some of the celebrities who responded to Hinchcliffe:
“The View’s” Sunny Hostin: “This Puerto Rican has something to say about the island that I love, where my family is from. Puerto Rico is trash? We are Americans, Donald Trump, Americans,” Hostin said, to applause. “We volunteer disproportionately high in the military while you have bone spurs. And we vote. … We vote Donald Trump. Trash? And by the way, Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Bad Bunny, Luis Fonsi and Marc Anthony have more than 345 million followers on Instagram. I think you only have 26 million, since you care so much about size. And we don’t like what was said about Puerto Rico, and we know how to take the trash out, Donald Trump. Trash that has been collecting since 2016, and that’s you Donald Trump. And finally, my fellow Puerto Ricans, trash collection day is Nov. 5, 2024. Don’t forget it.”
Actor John Leguizamo: “Lame excuse trumpers”
Lame excuse trumpers https://t.co/5ikDQ1mWpB
— John Leguizamo (@JohnLeguizamo) October 28, 2024
New York Congressman Ritchie Torres:
“As a Puerto Rican, I’m tempted to call Tony 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.”
As a Puerto Rican, I'm tempted to call Tony Hinchcliffe racist garbage, but doing so would be an insult to garbage.
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorresNY) October 28, 2024
When casting their ballots at the voting booth, Latinos should never forget the racism that Donald Trump seems all too willing to platform.pic.twitter.com/Wlrulb5ygq
Actor Jon Cryer:
“Hi Tony We’re aware that you’re a comedian. But when you are a featured speaker at a campaign event, what you say reflects on the campaign. If no one from the campaign informed you of that, they screwed you royally.”
Hi Tony
— Jon Cryer (@MrJonCryer) October 27, 2024
We’re aware that you’re a comedian. But when you are a featured speaker at a campaign event, what you say reflects on the campaign.
If no one from the campaign informed you of that, they screwed you royally.
Ricky Martin: “Esto es lo que piensan de nosotros. Vote for @kamalaharris”
Translation via Google Translate: “This is what they think of us. Vote for @kamalaharris”
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