Tony Hinchcliffe, the comedian whose appearance at a New York rally for then-candidate Donald Trump sparked controversy due to his disparaging comments about Puerto Rico, has landed a deal with Netflix, the streaming giant announced on Monday.
As part of the agreement, Hinchliffe is set to host three live comedy show specials, with the first one scheduled to premiere on April 7, along with his own stand-up special.
Expressing his excitement, Hinchcliffe stated, “Myself and our entire crew of Austin comedians, colleagues, and rising stars are thrilled for the chance to showcase our wild and unpredictable show to a whole new audience,” Hinchcliffe shared with the press.
Hinchliffe, known for his YouTube channel Kill Tony, which boasts over 2 million subscribers, gained significant attention last year when he performed at an October rally for Trump at Madison Square Garden. His controversial jokes targeting Puerto Rico, Latinos, and migrants sparked widespread outrage in the days that followed.
During the rally, Hinchcliffe quipped, “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,” eliciting laughter from the audience.
Following the backlash, Trump’s campaign sought to distance itself from Hinchliffe, and prominent Puerto Rican celebrities such as Aubrey Plaza, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, and Nicky Jam condemned his set. Jam, who had previously endorsed Trump and appeared at a campaign rally, retracted his support in response to the incident. Lopez criticized Trump for the performance during a campaign event for Kamala Harris in Las Vegas.
While Hinchliffe did not issue an apology, he later acknowledged that “perhaps that venue at that time wasn’t the best place to deliver that set.”
