Who is Tony Hinchcliffe? Comedian sparks racist backlash with Trump rally appearance

Tony Hinchcliffe, who faced backlash from political rivals after making a joke at a Donald Trump rally branding Puerto Rico a “floating island of trash,” is a stand-up comedian and podcast host.

The comedian appeared at the Republican presidential candidate's rally and spoke at Madison Square Garden in New York on Sunday, October 27. Several of his jokes centered on immigrant and Latino voters, drawing mixed reactions from audiences.

Hinchcliffe's most controversial line came when he said: “At the moment there is literally a floating island of rubbish in the middle of the ocean. I think her name is Puerto Rico?”

His comments were immediately criticized by the Harris campaign, with vice presidential candidate Tim Walz describing the comedian as an “idiot” during a streamed event with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Hinchcliffe responded on social media, saying: “These people have no sense of humor. It's 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 this.” Puerto Rico and vacationing there.”

In an email to NewsweekTrump senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said: “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”

Who is Tony Hinchcliffe?

Tony Hinchcliffe is a comedian who hosts and produces the series Kill Tony Podcast. He became known for his “roast comedy” style while working as a writer for Comedy Central. After working on segments for Snoop Dogg and Tom Brady, he had a Netflix special in 2016.

Hinchcliffe continued to focus on roast comedy and launched the Kill Tony Podcast in 2013. The show features both professional and amateur comedians performing in front of a panel of judges. Since 2023, the show has been filmed at Joe Rogan's comedy club in Austin, Texas.

After Hinchcliffe used the anti-Asian racial slur “ch*nk” against fellow comedian Peng Dang in 2021, he was fired by his agency and made several high-profile media appearances, including one booked The Joe Rogan Experience Appearance, canceled.

Hinchcliffe's comedic style was described as aggressive and often left room for more controversial topics and political humor. Kill Tony There are no limits to what topics can be discussed, and Hinchcliffe's background in roast comedy has meant he continues to incorporate takedowns into his routines.

How is Tony Hinchcliffe connected to Donald Trump?

Hinchcliffe supported former President Donald Trump on October 27 when he appeared at the Republican's campaign rally in New York.

However, the Trump campaign distanced itself from comments Hinchcliffe made about Latino voters and Puerto Rico. A campaign spokeswoman said the joke did not reflect the views of Trump or the campaign.

Trump later appeared during the rally but did not appear on stage with Hinchcliffe.

Who else spoke at Trump's New York rally?

Trump and his wife Melania spoke at the event, with Melania introducing her husband, who then urged New Yorkers to get out and vote. Although the state is considered safely Democratic, Trump still has close ties to New York City from his days as a business owner in Manhattan, and New York was the couple's home state until 2019, when Trump declared residency in Florida.

Former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan took the stage to support Trump and responded to criticism leveled at Trump by Democratic rivals: “I don’t see any stinking Nazis here. I don’t see any stinking domestic terrorists here.”

Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also appeared, as did vice presidential candidate JD Vance.

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