After Puerto Rico joke, Tony Hinchcliffe tells Tim Walz to 'change his tampon'

Former President Donald J. Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday began with stand-up comedian Tony Hinchcliffe who described Puerto Rico as an “island of rubbish” and made disparaging remarks about Latinos, African Americans, Palestinians, and Jewish people. While the MAGA crowd claimed they were just jokes, a lot of Democrats took offence.

One line in particular that stood out was: “There’s a lot going on. I don’t know if you 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.”

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

Harris’ VP candidate Tim Walz and New York Rep Alexendria Ocasio-Cortez reacted by discussing it on their Twich while they were playing NFL Madden 25.

Tony Hinchcliffe later responded, saying, “These people have no sense of humour. It’s wild that a vice-presidential candidate would take time out of their ‘busy schedule’ to analyse a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and holiday there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a comedian, Tim…might be time to change your tampon.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hit back saying , “You’re opening for Trump by calling Puerto Rico a floating pile of rubbish. Over 4,000 Puerto Ricans died under him. This isn’t the Comedy Store. You’re using your set to boost neo-Nazis like MTG and drag women’s rights back to the Stone Age. Your ‘sense of humour’ doesn’t change that.”

The crowd was predominantly white, though it included a notable number of Latinos, many of whom reacted with groans to Hinchcliffe’s comment about Puerto Rico. Nevertheless, he went on to make an offensive joke about Hispanic family sizes, reference a black man in the audience with a stereotype involving watermelons, and mock Palestinians as rock-throwers and Jewish people as stingy.

Trump’s rally featured a roster of speakers who veered far beyond conventional political boundaries. Conservative radio host Sid Rosenberg used profanity and a sexist slur when referring to Hillary Clinton, while businessman Grant Cardone, speaking earlier in the programme, insinuated that Harris was akin to a prostitute. Later, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson questioned Harris’s racial identity and intelligence, mocking the idea of her succeeding in November.

Social media reactions have been polarising. Supporters of Hinchcliffe, including some well-known comedians, claim that the joke was typical of his roast style and that the outrage reflects an overly sensitive culture unable to appreciate edgy humour. Some defended the joke as “absurdist” and argued that the audience at the event should understand it as intentionally exaggerated, with one user commenting, “If you aren’t a complete Karen or snowflake, you laugh at it.” Others felt the criticism was misplaced, with some users noting that “in the real world, people joke about way worse,” implying that Hinchcliffe’s joke is being unfairly scrutinised.

In contrast, critics of the joke, including prominent figures like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, denounced it as offensive, particularly in light of Puerto Rico’s ongoing struggles following recent natural disasters. Ocasio-Cortez criticised Hinchcliffe on social media, arguing that the joke not only disrespected Puerto Ricans but also showcased insensitivity to the community’s real suffering under policies by the Trump administration, including inadequate disaster relief following Hurricane Maria. “Over 4,000 Puerto Ricans died under him,” she noted, condemning the joke’s callous tone in the context of these challenges.

Additionally, celebrities like Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez expressed disapproval, with many public figures joining the backlash. Critics saw the joke as emblematic of a wider issue with racially insensitive language, particularly at an event meant to appeal to diverse voter bases in critical election battlegrounds.