Tony Hinchcliffe’s Controversial Remarks at Trump Rally Ignite Outrage
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe is facing a significant backlash for his incendiary comments made at a recent Trump rally held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The event, which drew approximately 20,000 attendees just nine days before the elections, was marred by Hinchcliffe’s inflammatory jokes that quickly spread across social media on Sunday, October 27.
Opening the rally, Hinchcliffe directed his remarks towards Latinos and Puerto Rico, describing the Republican Party as the “party with a good sense of humor.” He proceeded with a dismissive gesture, saying, “I welcome migrants to the United States with open arms—by open arms, I mean like this,” indicating rejection. He continued with, “It’s wild, and these Latinos love making babies too—just know that; they don’t do that. They come inside, just like they did to our country. Republicans are the party with a good sense of humor.”
His comments about Puerto Rico only escalated the backlash. “There’s a lot going on. There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” he quipped, prompting further outrage. Throughout his set, Hinchcliffe made additional controversial comparisons, likening the Democratic Party to a “Diddy party,” which drew awkward laughter from the crowd. At one point, he mentioned NFL player Travis Kelce, suggesting, “I don’t know about you guys, but I think Travis Kelce might be the next O.J. Simpson.” He also made a cringe-worthy joke about Black people carving watermelons for Halloween.
These remarks coincided with Democratic candidate Kamala Harris’s outreach efforts to the Puerto Rican community in Philadelphia. In a video aimed at Puerto Rican voters, Harris criticized Trump’s leadership during their crisis, saying, “I will never forget what Donald Trump did and what he did not do when Puerto Rico needed a caring and competent leader.” Latin celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Ricky Martin expressed their support for Harris following the rally.
At the rally, other Trump supporters also made derogatory comments about Harris. Republican David Rem called her “the antichrist,” while radio host Sid Rosenberg made disparaging remarks about undocumented immigrants, saying, “You got homeless and veterans—Americans—sleeping on their own feces on a bench in Central Park. But the f**king illegals, they get whatever they want, don’t they?”
In response to Hinchcliffe’s remarks, the official “Kamala HQ” Twitter account shared a contrast between his statements and Harris’s remarks about Puerto Rico. Democratic vice presidential hopeful Tim Walz, during a Twitch gaming session with Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, labeled Hinchcliffe an “a**hole” for his comments, asserting that they reveal a contemptuous attitude toward individuals with less wealth. He urged every Puerto Rican to see Hinchcliffe’s clip as a reflection of how some people think about them.
AOC echoed Walz’s sentiments on social media, condemning Hinchcliffe for calling Puerto Rico a “floating pile of garbage.” She emphasized, “This isn’t the comedy store. You’re using your set to boost neo-Nazis like MTG and stripping women’s rights to the Stone Age.” While acknowledging her appreciation for comedy, she stressed that Hinchcliffe’s support for Trump should be recognized as a serious choice.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, a Puerto Rican congressman, expressed his frustration, saying that calling Hinchcliffe’s remarks “racist garbage” would actually be an affront to garbage itself. He urged Latino voters to remember such racism as they head to the polls. A spokesperson for Harris’s campaign described the comments as “no surprise” and highlighted the stark differences between Hinchcliffe’s rhetoric and Harris’s approach.
Angel Citron, Chairman of the Republican Party of Puerto Rico, characterized Hinchcliffe’s tirade as “unfortunate, ignorant, and entirely reprehensible.”
Online, reactions to Hinchcliffe’s comments were mixed. Some users challenged him to repeat such statements in Puerto Rico, while others criticized Trump supporters as racists. Conversely, a segment defended Hinchcliffe, claiming comedians should be free to joke without fear of reprisal.
In light of the growing criticism, Hinchcliffe took to Twitter to downplay the situation, stating, “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 comedian, Tim… might be time to change your tampon.”
A spokesperson for the Trump campaign, Danielle Alvarez, clarified that Hinchcliffe’s comments do not represent the views of Trump or his campaign. As the fallout continues, the impact of these remarks on the upcoming election and the broader discourse around humor, race, and political discourse remains to be seen.
