Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, known for his appearance at a New York rally for then-candidate Donald Trump, has signed a lucrative deal with Netflix, the streaming giant revealed on Monday.
As part of the agreement, Hinchcliffe will headline three live comedy specials, the first of which is set to debut on April 7, in addition to his own solo stand-up special.
Embracing the Opportunity
Expressing his excitement, Hinchcliffe stated, “Myself and our entire crew of Austin comedians, peers, and upcomers are thrilled at the chance to showcase our wild and uproarious show to a new segment of the global audience.”
Hinchcliffe garnered widespread attention last year when he served as the opening act for Trump at a rally held at Madison Square Garden in October. His controversial jokes targeting Puerto Rico, Latinos, and migrants sparked a significant backlash in the days that followed.
During the rally, Hinchcliffe remarked, “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 crowd.
Following the event, Trump’s campaign sought to distance itself from Hinchcliffe, while prominent Puerto Rican figures such as Aubrey Plaza, Jennifer Lopez, Bad Bunny, and Nicky Jam condemned the performance. Jam, who had previously appeared at a campaign rally alongside Trump, retracted his endorsement of the then-candidate in response to the set. Lopez also criticized Trump during a campaign event for Kamala Harris in Las Vegas.
Despite the backlash, Hinchcliffe refrained from issuing an apology, although he later acknowledged, “perhaps that venue at that time wasn’t the best place to deliver that set.”
