Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe is facing criticism after making a controversial joke about Puerto Rico during his appearance at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday. The comedian, known for pushing boundaries in his sets, took the stage before the former president and made jokes targeting people of various races and backgrounds.
While many of Hinchcliffe’s jokes drew mixed reactions from the crowd, one in particular sparked outrage. The comedian referred to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” in the ocean, causing the audience to react with uncertainty. Even Hinchcliffe acknowledged that he had crossed a line with the crowd.
Public figures quickly condemned Hinchcliffe’s remarks. Tim Walz, who ran as Kamala Harris’ vice presidential candidate, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who were on a Twitch stream together at the time, both spoke out against the joke. Walz emphasized that Puerto Ricans are American citizens who pay taxes and serve in the military, and that putting them down in such a manner was unacceptable.
Hinchcliffe responded to Walz, defending his role as a comedian and stating that if Walz had watched the entire set, he would have seen that Hinchcliffe targeted a variety of people, not just Puerto Ricans.
Numerous other public figures, including singer Ricky Martin, rapper Bad Bunny, Congressman Ritchie Torres, and Puerto Rico Republican Party Chairman Ángel Cintrón, have also expressed their disapproval of Hinchcliffe’s joke in the aftermath of the rally.
This is not the first time Hinchcliffe has stirred controversy with his comedy. He previously made headlines for his wild barbs directed at Kim Kardashian during the Roast of Tom Brady.
As the backlash continues to grow, it is expected that more celebrities and public figures will speak out against Hinchcliffe’s comments in the coming days. The incident has reignited discussions about the boundaries of comedy and the impact of offensive jokes targeting specific communities.
Hinchcliffe’s representatives have not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the controversy surrounding his performance at the Madison Square Garden rally.
