I am Puerto Rican, and my country is no “floating island of garbage.” But the people who think that sure are — even if it’s disguised as humor.
When comedian Tony Hinchcliffe took the stage at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday for a MAGA rally in support of Donald Trump‘s presidential campaign, he didn’t just cross a line — he fully erased it. What he called “humor” was a continuous stream of racist insults and dangerous conspiracy theories, from stereotypes about Latinos making multiple babies, to the “great replacement theory,” the ideology behind violent hate crimes committed by white men against communities of color. This isn’t a joke. It’s a weapon, and I’m fucking tired of being the target, and so are the rest of my people.
Growing up as a Puerto Rican and Black American, I was aware early on that I stood out among many of my classmates and neighbors. I’ve learned to take pride in my roots, believing that America was a place where everyone, despite their differences, belonged. But that notion has shifted sharply as I grew older and witnessed the rise of Trump and the MAGA movement, which cast people who look like me as the villains in a story we’d never written. This shift has forced me, and countless other Latinos, to confront a painful reality: in today’s America, we’ve become the scapegoats in a narrative of fear, blamed and vilified to suit a political agenda.
Being labeled “an invader” or “an alien” is more than just an insult. It’s a form of dehumanization that chips away at one’s sense of belonging. Hearing those words echoed in speeches, on social media and in public policy doesn’t just hurt — it frightens. It’s one thing when the words come from a stranger, but it’s something else when it comes from a podium, wrapped in an alleged seal of patriotism.
When Hinchcliffe responded to the criticism of his performance on X, addressing Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz, he wrote: “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 comedian, Tim…might be time to change your tampon.”
You vacation in Puerto Rico? Might as well say you can’t be racist because you have a Black friend. And context? Hinchcliffe firmly placed himself firmly in the center of this “context.” This wasn’t “jokes.” It was hostility veiled as comedy, delivered with the arrogance of someone who doesn’t understand — or care — how these words impact real lives.These words don’t only hurt Latinos; they ripple through every marginalized community. When one group is vilified, it sets a precedent that any group can be targeted. The anti-immigrant sentiment championed by Trump and echoed by his followers delivers the message loud and clear: when people show you who they are, believe them.
Today, it’s Puerto Ricans. Tomorrow, it will be Mexicans again. A few weeks ago, it was Haitians eating dogs and cats. America’s strength, at least the version of America i thought I knew, has always come from the diversity of its people. We are allowing hate disguised as comedy, or hate straight up, to take the reins. I’m begging for us to reject it.
And here’s a stark reminder for you, Tony: Over 4,000 Puerto Ricans died in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria due to the failed response under the Trump administration. That wasn’t a punchline. It was negligence that morphed into a tragedy. Your so-called “comedy” does not absolve you from the harm caused by your message tonight that you normalize and perpetuate. It will be played on loop in every MAGA party (I’m sure you’ll be attending), and we don’t expect you to apologize. You never do.
People who know “Kill Tony” may recall May 2021. Hinchcliffe found his way into the eye of the “cancel culture” storm. A racial slur hurled at fellow comedian and Asian American Peng Dang during a gig in Austin, Texas, catapulted him into a whirlwind of backlash. The incident, caught on video and circulated widely on Twitter, resulted in Hinchcliffe being dropped by his talent agency, WME.
He doubled down further in October 2023, when he stirred the pot further by appearing on the controversial far-right YouTube show “TRIGGERnometry,” where conspiracy theories are tossed around like popcorn. This time, he painted Dang as “a Chinese spy,” claiming the incident was “an orchestrated attack by the Chinese media.”
When hate is celebrated under the guise of humor, its roots only deepen.
It doesn’t have to be this way. If we refuse to accept this hate as “just politics” or “just jokes,” we can find a way back to one another. No one is trying to stifle comedy. I’m an advocate of the art form but we must hold leaders, entertainers, and everyday people accountable for their words and actions.
In the upcoming election, we have a choice. We can let Tony feel “vindicated” and be right about the picture he painted so erroneously tonight, allowing hate to shape decisions. Or we can choose compassion, understanding and unity. We can reject the politics of division and work to bridge the gaps between us rather than building walls that tear us apart.
I’m reminded of something comedian Anthony Jeselnik said last year on Theo Von’s podcast “This Past Weekend,” when he said, “All these comics now think, almost the point of it is to get in trouble. ‘I’m a comic. I’m allowed to say whatever I want.’ That’s wrong.”
Jeselnik then quotes Andy Warhol: “Art is getting away with it.” If people are mad, then you didn’t get away with it.
So no, Tony, I don’t think you’re getting away with this one.
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