Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe is facing criticism after making a series of racially charged jokes at a rally in support of Donald Trump in New York City.
On Sunday, Oct. 27, Hinchcliffe, 40, appeared at Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden — where he was the first speaker of nearly 30 openers ahead of the former president’s remarks — and spoke crudely about Latinos, Black people and others.
“I welcome migrants to the United States of America with open arms. And by open arms I mean like this,” Hinchcliffe said at the event, per Rolling Stone, before waving his hands as if to say “go away.”
“These Latinos, they love making babies, too. Just know that they do,” Hinchcliffe continued, per NBC News. “There’s no pulling out. They don’t do that. They c– inside, just like they did to our country.”
Tony Hinchcliffe speaks during Donald Trump’s campaign rally in New York City on Oct. 27, 2024.
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty
Hinchcliffe, who is known for writing for several of Comedy Central’s celebrity roasts, also made jokes about Puerto Rico.
“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. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” he said.
The Kill Tony podcast host also joked that he “carved watermelons” with a Black “buddy,” while pointing to a Black audience member.
The comedian, who has opened for stars such as Joe Rogan and has a special on Netflix, immediately drew criticism over the jokes. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and vice presidential nominee and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz watched a clip of the stand-up routine while livestreaming on Twitch on Sunday.
“Who is this jackwad?” Walz said of Hinchcliffe, before criticizing Trump’s response to Hurricane Maria, which devastated Puerto Rico in 2017. “People in Puerto Rico are citizens. They pay taxes and serve in the military, almost at a higher rate than anybody else.”
Donald Trump speaks at his rally in New York City on Oct. 27, 2024.
“It’s super upsetting to me,” Ocasio-Cortez said in part. “My family is from Puerto Rico, I’m Puerto Rican. The thing that is so messed up that I wish more people understood is that the things that they do in Puerto Rico are a testing ground for the policies and the horrors that they unveil in working class communities across the United States.”
“When you have some a-hole calling Puerto Rico ‘floating garbage,’ know that that’s what they think about you,” she added.
Soon after Hinchcliffe’s comments began to make the rounds online, Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny endorsed Kamala Harrisby posting a video of her plan for Puerto Rico on his Instagram Stories, and then editing the video to cut to Harris saying: “I will never forget what Donald Trump did.”
Singer Ricky Martin, who is also Puerto Rican, shared a clip of Hinchcliffe’s jokes on his Instagram Stories and wrote in Spanish: “This is what they think of us.”
In 2021, Hinchcliffe drew further controversy and was dropped by his talent agency after he called Asian American comedian Peng Dang a racial slur, according to Rolling Stone.
Later on Sunday, Hinchcliffe wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that he loves Puerto Rico and has vacationed there.
“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,” Hinchcliffe wrote. “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.”
