Let’s delve into the controversy surrounding Tony Hinchcliffe. This self-proclaimed comedian featured as a speaker at Donald Trump’s notorious Madison Square Garden rally, where his offensive remarks may have genuinely jeopardized Trump’s electoral momentum.
The most notorious comment from Hinchcliffe during the rally was: “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. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” Such a statement incited outrage among Puerto Ricans and even led to Republicans criticizing him for his apparent racism. It has become widely recognized that Hinchcliffe has exhibited deeply problematic behavior.
Those who booked him for the rally should have been well aware of his problematic reputation. Hinchcliffe has a history of expressing racist and ableist sentiments on his social media platforms, particularly on X (formerly Twitter). He was also in the spotlight for a cruel outburst against Asian comedian Peng Dang back in 2021, which has been documented by PatriotTakes along with disturbing language.
In 2021, Trump rally speaker Tony Hinchcliffe launched a racist tirade against comedian Peng Dang. Trump knew exactly who Tony was. This isn’t new. pic.twitter.com/xIt8zogCwl
— PatriotTakes? ? (@patriottakes) October 27, 2024
Responding to the incident, Dang expressed his disappointment: “Tony never approached me, nor did he apologize. I don’t believe he sees anything wrong with his actions,” he remarked to USA Today. The incident was indeed offensive and resulted in Hinchcliffe’s removal from the WME agency.
Hinchcliffe epitomizes a particular style of comedy that relies on harsh insults and meanness for humor. One notable tweet from 2011, well before Trump’s presidential campaign, made light of slavery by stating, “Anyone want to go halfsies on a slave?” This so-called joke lacks any punchline or comedic value.
Trump’s Madison Square Garden guest speaker: pic.twitter.com/kNSkrmF8xC
— PatriotTakes? ? (@patriottakes) October 28, 2024
Although the aforementioned tweet has since been deleted, PatriotTakes managed to capture a screenshot and compile a list of Hinchcliffe’s most offensive online remarks. For example, another tweet from 2011 sarcastically stated, “Exciting news guys: If what I just heard is true then all black people are going to be history next month!! #NotRacist.” The post gathered minimal responses, emphasizing that even Twitter users in 2011 found Hinchcliffe lacking in humor. He even made distasteful remarks about the 9/11 tragedy, using it as fodder for his racist humor.
Trump’s guest speaker’s racist joke about people dying in the 9/11 terrorist attacks pic.twitter.com/j5hwILGvIe
— PatriotTakes? ? (@patriottakes) October 28, 2024
Moreover, Hinchcliffe has shown blatant ableism throughout his career. Back in 2010, when ableism in comedy was regrettably more socially accepted, he tweeted: “I bet the best part of having a r*tarded child is not having to buy it Christmas gifts.” This is devoid of humor and solely highlights cruelty. What kind of person reduces a child, even hypothetically, to the term “it”? His ableism didn’t stop there; he infamously claimed Helen Keller, an iconic figure in the disability rights movement, would have made for a “perfect abortion.”
Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally guest said Alabama should have “mandatory” abortions because “we don’t need babies from Alabama” and Helen Keller, a disability rights advocate who lost both her sight and hearing, would have been a “perfect abortion.” pic.twitter.com/Hhz5k8hJqB
— PatriotTakes? ? (@patriottakes) October 28, 2024
Following the uproar from the Madison Square Garden rally, it has become clear to the public just how despicable Hinchcliffe is. Despite this, he continues to assert that he has done nothing wrong. In a response to a video clip featuring Tim Walz and Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez condemning his joke, he expressed on X:
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
His last remarks were particularly vicious, referencing Tim Walz’s initiative to provide menstruation products for students. The rationale behind mocking such an effort remains baffling to those of us with a sense of decency. Moving forward, we can only wish that Hinchcliffe receives the same treatment and respect as he extends to others.
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