Tony Hinchcliffe is rising to fame amid trash controversy

Tony Hinchcliffe was a relative unknown in the political world before he made a series of absurd jokes about Puerto Rico and Latinos at former President Trump’s headquarters Rally at Madison Square Garden last weekend.

An offensive comic best known for his brutal roasts and sharp personal attacks, Hinchcliffe’s joke referring to Puerto Rico as a floating island of “garbage” put him at the center of a days-long controversy.

Political observers and entertainment industry experts say Hinchcliffe’s high-profile and controversial appearance at a Trump rally and the reaction it sparked will likely have a lasting impact on his career, whether or not it matters on Election Day.

“I think ultimately it’s a great solution for him,” said Matt Sienkiewicz, chairman of the communications department at Boston College who specializes in right-wing comedy. “The economy for a comedian is attention. He introduced himself to a large number of people. And the fact that someone who never knew you doesn’t like you is never a disservice to a comedian.”

An Ohio native who got his start at open mic nights and comedy clubs in Los Angeles, Hinchcliffe specializes in insult-laced stand-up, often roasting the audience and other comedians he performs with. Despite appearing at a Trump rally, he does not market himself as a political or conservative comedian.

Hinchcliffe has cited leading baking comic Jeff Ross as a mentor in interviews, and today he hosts a popular and raunchy podcast called “Kill Tony.”

Hinchcliffe’s ethnically targeted comedy has been controversial and has made headlines in the past. He referenced an Asian comic who featured him one evening in May 2021 in Austin using a slur about Asians, prompting criticism.

An uncompromising shock artist, Hinchcliffe got his big break earlier this year when he was asked to take part in a live roast of former NFL star Tom Brady – a widely watched event broadcast live on Netflix.

But even a live performance for a major comedy purveyor like Netflix can’t compare to the national media boom generated by the “MAGA concert” wave, observers of emerging comics told The Hill this week.

The comedy writers claim that Hinchcliffe did what he did when he took the stage at Madison Square Garden. The problem is that it took place in the context of a political rally, not a comedy club.

“His work would definitely work better in a different environment,” said Jim Mendrinos, a comedy writer, producer and teacher at the Gotham Writers Workshop in New York. “He’s not a villain, they are. “I’m not defending what he said, but what he said at a comedy club or on a special will be perceived very differently than a political rally.”

Jon Stewart, one of the biggest names in political satire, appeared to defend Hinchcliffe on Monday, although he also suggested that Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally wasn’t the best setting for his style of comedy.

“There’s something wrong with me. I think this guy is very funny,” Stewart told his listeners. “Now, of course, in retrospect, inviting a roast comedian to a political rally a week before Election Day and roasting a key demographic is probably not the best decision from a political standpoint.”

The Trump campaign almost immediately distanced itself from Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico. This week, the anti-Trump website The Bulwark reported that the Trump campaign reviewed Hinchcliffe’s script before his appearance at the rally and asked him to remove several jokes from his performance.

A campaign source said the line about Puerto Rico has been pitched.

“I don’t know anything about this comedian,” Trump told reporters on Thursday. “I don’t know who he is. I’ve never seen him. I heard he made a statement, but it was just a statement he made. He’s a comedian, what can I tell you? I don’t know anything about him.

A representative for Hinchcliffe did not respond to The Hill’s interview request this week, but the comedian defended his work at the rally in a social media post as he was widely condemned.

“These people have no sense of humor,” Hinchcliffe wrote on the social media platform X in response to the words of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the Democratic vice presidential candidate.

Walz criticized the comedian’s routine, calling him an “ass…”.

“It’s amazing that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his ‘busy schedule’ to dissect a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist,” Hinchcliffe said. “I love Puerto Rico and the holidays there. I made fun of everyone… watch the whole set. I’m a comedian Tim… maybe it’s time to change your tampon.

Hinchcliffe’s performance made more political waves when President Biden tried to criticize him on Tuesday, but ultimately made it sound like he was calling Trump supporters trash. As the White House argued that Biden’s words were taken out of context, Harris sought to do so clean up the mess and Trump did photo in a garbage truck.

Popular podcaster Joe Rogan, who also does stand-up and recently hosted Trump for a three-hour friendly interview, said he would advise Hinchcliffe against making a joke about Puerto Rico because of the setting.

“It’s just a bad environment for comedy,” Rogan said of the rally on his show. “I would tell him… don’t you dare make that joke. And when I heard yes, I said, “Oh, here we go.”

People familiar with Hinchcliffe’s work say she wasn’t surprised by the content of the Puerto Rican joke, even though delivering it at Madison Square Garden was a poor decision.

“If you hire Tony Hinchcliffe… this is what you expect,” said Jordan Klepper, left-wing comedian and co-host of “The Daily Show,” during an appearance on MSNBC. “It’s not like everyone is shocked. Hulk Hogan ripped his shirt off, that’s what he does. “The shocking thing is that it took place at MSG and it had Trump-Vance written in front of it.”

Beyond the political storm, it remains an open question how this episode will ultimately impact Hinchcliffe’s career behind the microphone.

“The most important thing is that now many more people know who he is,” Sienkiewicz said. “In the long run, telling a joke that offends someone rarely demeans a comedian. Most likely, the more controversy and the more people are terrified, the greater the benefit to him.”

For the latest news, weather, sports and streaming videos, head to The Hill.