Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, host of the “Kill Tony” podcast, sparked bipartisan online outrage on Sunday with a joke at a Donald Trump rally, labeling Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.” The joke came during Trump’s rally at New York City’s Madison Square Garden, fueling Democrat comparisons to the infamous 1939 neo-Nazi rally at the venue.
“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,” Hinchcliffe quipped while opening the rally. “Yeah, I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
Trump rally speaker: “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico” pic.twitter.com/pbw88p5PhI
— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 27, 2024
Elsewhere in his set, Hinchcliffe made other jokes about the Israel-Palestine conflict and compared the Democrats’ lineup of celebrity endorsements to a “Diddy party.”
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe speaks at Trump Rally👇
"The other side's got a lot of crazy endorsements. Swift, Eminem, Leo DiCaprio, Beyonce. Every day the Democratic Party looks more and more like a Diddy party.
— Valuetainment Media (@ValuetainmentTV) October 27, 2024
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The Trump campaign quickly distanced itself from the comments, with spokesperson Danielle Alvarez stating that “this joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
Vice President Kamala Harris criticized the joke, emphasizing Puerto Rico’s resilience and potential and touting a plan to improve quality of life in the territory.
Meanwhile, Puerto Rican celebrities including rapper Bad Bunny and singer Ricky Martin expressed support for Harris.
Hinchcliffe defended his joke, claiming it was misunderstood and not meant to be racist.
“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,” the comedian said in response to remarks from Harris running-mate Tim Walz. “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.”
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… https://t.co/VFxHRcdv5k
— Tony Hinchcliffe (@TonyHinchcliffe) October 27, 2024
The incident has attracted condemnation from various political figures, including Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott and New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
This joke bombed for a reason. It's not funny and it's not true. Puerto Ricans are amazing people and amazing Americans! I’ve been to the island many times. It’s a beautiful place. Everyone should visit! I will always do whatever I can to help any Puerto Rican in Florida or on… https://t.co/b00eYWkx85
— Rick Scott (@ScottforFlorida) October 27, 2024
The Trump campaign’s closing message: ugly, divisive, and racist. https://t.co/QLYopX75fd
— Kathy Hochul (@KathyHochul) October 27, 2024
The rally’s controversial nature reflects broader tensions in the lead-up to the election, with Trump and Harris competing for key voter demographics.
Connor Walcott is the lead writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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