Tony Hinchcliffe is facing heat from recent jokes in his appearance at the Madison Square Garden Trump rally held Sunday. The jokes involved racist and distasteful remarks. The reactions ranged from  “I’m livid”  Trump stated, claimed by a close source, to  “There’s something wrong with me — I find that guy very funny,” from comedy host Jon Stewart. 

Hinchcliffe is a 40-year-old comedian who has been sharing his humor with the world since 2007,  doing open mics at the comedy store in West Hollywood California.  He was later hired at the store and found his career taking a step working with people like Joe Rogen and Jeff Ross. Hinchcliffe’s comedy intrigued people with his style, roasting the people in the audience and dropping close to controversial takes. This is not the first time Hinchcliffe has been stuck in hot water because of his takes; he was previously let go of his agency and all endorsements after opening a comedy special with an anti-Asian racial slur. 

Hinchcliffe’s performance was so head-turning that people like Jon Stewart, Aubrey Plaza, Marc Anthony, and other Puerto Rican celebs and leaders spoke out about the act and shared their thoughts.

“I just wanted to very quickly respond to the racist joke that was made at that Trump rally about Puerto Rico, where most of my family is from,” actress Aubrey Plaza shared, expressing the opinion of many Puerto Ricans who are surprised and outraged by the commentary.  

Hinchcliffe’s invitation on stage was a problem waiting to happen. People exclaimed, “Having a roast comedian come to a political rally.” Stewart shared, claiming it was no one’s fault but the rally for allowing him to come on stage. One of the many untasteful jokes shared by Hinchcliffe:   “There’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,”, With mixed reactions from the crowd, his jokes immediately made headlines. 

Some believe this Hinchcliffe appearance was a reflection of the campaign, as some believe it is “just doing what he does” as Stewart described it.

Trump rallies are described as having the same energy but that night people described the mood as shifted. “does not reflect the views” Trump campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said in response to the joke. Aswell as “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.” Danielle Alvarez Trump’s campaign senior adviser stated.  

Jasmine Rivas a close by resident who attended the rally stated “They expected the comedic segment to be lighthearted but left dismayed”

With election day approaching, voters and leaders in Puerto Rico believe Trump will experience backlash and can shift undecided voters’ perspectives. “I think it will have an impact on folks who were not so sure about going out to vote,” said Colón Dr. Frances Colón, a climate scientist and Puerto Rican advocate. “In the Puerto Rican community, we are very proud—proud of our values, our identity, our contributions. To call us a pile of floating garbage will likely move a lot of undecided and low-propensity voters to come out,” he added.