It was not the first time Hinchcliffe had used the Puerto Rico line — he practiced it at The Stand comedy club in New York City, where he made a surprise appearance Saturday night, according to an NBC News producer and three other people who happened to be in the audience.
The joke did not draw laughs, just a handful of awkward chuckles. Hinchcliffe told the audience that he would be performing at the Madison Square Garden rally the next day and said multiple times during his routine that he would get a better reaction “tomorrow at the rally.”
Honestly even the "awkward chuckles" are a shameful thing, that not one person had the decency nor dignity to call that shit out. Pretty sure any non-white person has been there (seeing others, if not joining in the racism directly, awkwardly chuckling or playing neutral to the racism). In truth probably we all have also been amongst those silent before, towards even ourselves- I know I have- as a kid and in decreasing amounts as an adult (now I just don't take it).
It's a betrayal of decency, a betrayal of their humanity, that by the sounds of it not one single person stepped up. Not like I'd expect more from most western audiences, much less the typical "comedy" audiences, but it's some wretched shit.
During a stand-up set in May 2021, Hinchcliffe was videotaped insulting Peng Dang, an Asian American comedian who had introduced Hinchcliffe after performing the previous set at Vulcan Gas Company in Austin. Hinchcliffe said Dang was a "filthy little fucking ch**k", followed with a series of Asian stereotypes in a mock Chinese accent, and lashed out at audience members who laughed at Dang's jokes, branding them as "race traitors".
It's fucking insane, I looked it up and Peng Dang published it in video form where Tony just says the most racist shit possible, and then the entire comment section is people mad at Peng Dang for bringing attention to it! If you need ragebait today look at the comments here
Trump repeatedly denied disaster funds for puerto rico in the deadliest tornado in...like a hundred years in the USA. I'd be more surprised if they didn't say racist shit
Had a bad vibe about this fucker when he made the cotton picking joke during the Brady roast but at least that one had some cleverness not “hurrrhurrr Puerto Rico garbage!!”
usually I don't mind Tony, although he is sometimes irritating. This however was just racist. Shockingly so. And it wasn't just thoughtless racism - it came off as super racist BECAUSE it wasn't at all funny.
Shane Gillis' 'burger cuts you off in traffic' joke is a good example of how to get that sort of thing right (near enough).
Clearly Tony is a much better host than he is a standup comedian.
I feel so weird about Shane Gillis. Like he hangs out with all those chuds, his comedy is just on the line. Maybe it is over it, it's just... I dunno, maybe it's just cause I like some of his jokes. stuff like church on vacation is either coming from a place of love and funny or it's coming from a place of exoticism and racist. But then again he is on all those podcasts and killtony and the like.
On the other hand I see him dunk on those same chuds. It seems like he just found an "in" and used it. Like I feel like his sketches shows an awareness chuds don't really have. I'm thinking of things like uncle daycare, The last white football team and the floor. I dunno, I feel like I'm waiting for him to fall thru a thin sheet of ice and show his ass like that Kramer guy.
I think he already had that moment - when his SNL got cancelled. Listening to the old podcasts too you can tell he was quite reactionary. I think some of it still boils under the surface.
In all though, like a lot of the American comedians who have 'alright' moments, they tend to skew 'apolitical' libertarian but with free healthcare opinions. The types that Bernie could get to vote for him rather than Trump, when ordinarily they wouldnt support a different democrat demon like Clinton/Biden/Harris.
I went through a big phase of listening to MSSP. I think a big part of what they've got going is a feeling of authenticity, and security in themselves. I think that goes a long way in stopping true weirdo brainworms from taking hold - because so much of the Right especially is wrapped up in weird masculinity complexes and WASP self worth problems.
Hinchcliffe, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, posted Sunday after the controversy that the joke was "taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and vacation there."
Hence why several prominent Republicans are now going out and distancing themselves and Trump from the "joke" in question. Clearly they also think everyone should lighten up.