Who is Tony Hinchcliffe? Comedian’s controversial past resurfaces after Trump rally Puerto Rico joke

If voters didn’t know his name before Sunday night, they will now after Donald Trump’s rally at New York’s Madison Square Garden, where stand-up comedian Tony Hinchcliffe took the stage to deliver a series of jokes, none of which everything went well.

‘I don’t know if you know this, but there is literally a floating waste island in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” said Hinchcliffe, whose set also included lewd and racist comments about Latinos, Jews and black people.

But such content is par for the course for Hinchcliffe, a podcaster and writer known for his sharp, often dark humor and sharp roasts – a comedian willing and able to tackle any subject, no matter how sensitive.

Born in 1984 and originally from Youngstown, Ohio, Hinchcliffe grew up in a rough, tough neighborhood in the city of 40,000 notorious for its high crime rate.

Hinchcliffe, a podcaster and writer known for his sharp, often dark humor and sharp roasts – a comedian who is willing and able to tackle any subject, no matter how sensitive. Pictured above in 2017

At school he would enjoy roasting his classmates and developing his comedic skills.

“It wasn’t just a magical moment; it was almost two decades of constant practice. The boy who roasted everyone at school, grown up, 40 years old, up there, doing what I was made to do,” he told one Pollster profile earlier this year.

After moving to Los Angeles, he slowly rose to fame by cutting his teeth at the legendary Comedy Store after moving to the city in 2007 and becoming a regular at the location.

He gained early recognition on the circuit for his work as a writer and roaster on Comedy Central’s Roast series, where he wrote jokes for celebrity roasts.

During the pandemic, Hinchcliffe left the West Coast and moved to Austin, Texas, where comedy clubs were still open and from where he now records. Kill Tony, a popular live podcast and comedy show.

The podcast, which first started in LA, started in 2013 and sees amateur and professional comedians perform a 60-second set for Hinchcliffe along with a panel of comedians and guests, who then provide feedback and roast the budding comics.

Hinchcliffe’s podcast, Kill Tony, which has been running since 2013, now has millions of listeners and viewers

Hinchcliffe cut his teeth at the legendary Comedy Store in Los Angeles after moving to the city in 2007

Hinchcliffe released a Netflix special titled One Shot on Netflix in 2016 and was also involved in Tom Brady’s Netflix Roast in 2024

The podcast, which is now recorded at Comedy Mothership, Joe Rogan’s Austin-based comedy club, is currently 20th on the Spotify rankings in the United States.

The Kill Tony YouTube channel is hugely popular with 1.9 million subscribers, with the 1 million milestone only reached last April. The channel receives more than 15 to 30 million views every month, with some videos receiving more than 20 million views.

A live stadium version of the podcast at Madison Square Garden earlier this year drew 25,000 people.

Known for his quick wit and often controversial takes, Hinchcliffe has built a strong following among fans of unfiltered, groundbreaking comedy with a dedicated fanbase who appreciate his bold and unfiltered approach.

Hinchcliffe released a Netflix special titled One Shot on Netflix in 2016, which was notable for being filmed in one continuous take – a style choice that contributed to his reputation as an accomplished live performer.

But apart from his success, there have been other insulting comments in the past.

Hinchcliffe was involved in a previous controversy in May 2021, after a clip surfaced of him making racially insensitive comments about Chinese-American comedian Peng Dang.

Hinchcliffe was involved in a previous controversy in May 2021, after a clip surfaced of him making racially insensitive comments about Chinese-American comedian Peng Dang, above

In the offensive clip, Hinchcliffe opened with a series of derogatory comments, making a racist remark, before making jokes about the Asian community which some found offensive and racist.

Hinchcliffe replicated Trump’s famous photo from June 2020 holding up a Bible

At a comedy show in Austin, Peng Dang introduced Hinchcliffe on stage after his own set.

In the offensive clip, Hinchcliffe opened with a series of derogatory comments, using a racial slur, before making jokes about the Asian community which some found offensive and racist.

The video went viral and was widely criticized online, with many condemning his comments as offensive and inappropriate, especially given the rise in anti-Asian hate incidents at the time.

Hinchcliffe’s supporters argued that his comments were intended as satire and were simply a hallmark of his groundbreaking comedic style, while critics felt he had crossed a line.

The comments resulted in Hinchcliffe being dropped by his talent agency, WME, and several of his scheduled appearances being canceled.

Dang shared his perspective afterward, saying he felt Hinchcliffe’s comments were not simply part of an act, but rather entered offensive territory.

Following the backlash, Hinchcliffe faced professional repercussions, including the suspension of some of his comedy appearances and a hiatus in some of his appearances on larger platforms.

Hinchcliffe was largely reluctant to discuss the controversy in detail publicly.

In May this year, Hinchcliffe made a big splash when he took part in Tom Brady’s live Netflix comedy.

But once again he faced backlash for a cruel joke at Kim Kardashian’s expense.

Hinchcliffe says he learned to be funny at school in Ohio. He is pictured here in 2012

During a May 2024 roast of Tom Brady, Hinchcliffe (left) told Kim Kardashian: ‘Kim, advice, close your legs, you have more public beef than Kendrick and Drake’

Hinchcliffe referenced Will Ferrell’s cameo on the comedy show in the role of his Anchorman persona Ron Burgundy, saying in the 2004 film: “Discovered by the Germans in 1904 they called it San Diego, which in German of course means ‘a whale’ means. vagina.”

“A whale’s vagina, which reminds me Kim Kardashian is here, she’s had a lot of black men partying in her end zone,” Hinchcliffe said.

“Kim, advice, close your legs, you have more public power than Kendrick and Drake.”

The camera then panned to Kardashian, who smiled and nodded as the surrounding audience laughed.

Throughout his career, Hinchcliffe’s comedy focuses on observational humor, satire and roasts. He is known for his unapologetic style, which may not be to everyone’s taste.

But it’s that style that was on display on Sunday night as Hinchcliffe once again courted controversy, but probably also won thousands of new fans in the process.