How did Tony Hinchcliffe get famous? Opening for Joe Rogan to viral Puerto Rico joke, comedian’s rise to fame explored

Tony Hinchcliffe is set to tape a one-hour stand-up show as part of his fresh deal with Netflix. The streaming giant shared on Instagram that Kill Tony will be added to its list.

Hinchcliffe is an American comedian who performs roast comedy. At The Comedy Store, Hinchcliffe gained notoriety for making fun of other performers and patrons while performing. He received attention for making a joke about Puerto Rico during his appearance at Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden last year, which infuriated many. Additionally, he also used to open for touring comedians Jeff Ross and Joe Rogan.

The live comedy show created and run by Tony Hinchcliffe consistently ranks at the top of Apple Podcasts and Spotify. The deal has three special episodes, exclusive to Netflix, with the first one coming out on April 7.

---

"Kill Tony's" role in Tony Hinchcliffe's rise to fame

Kill Tony streams and episodes uploaded on YouTube and other online platforms have achieved around 2 million downloads per episode, playing a significant part in making Tony Hinchcliffe famous.

Tony Hinchcliffe and Brian Redban, with a mix of star guest hosts, run a fun comedy night. They pick names of new comedians from a bucket by chance, and each comedian has just one minute to show their top jokes.

After their quick set, they’re interviewed by the panel in front of a live audience. Some who impress the hosts get invited back and become regulars on the show. Joe Rogan, Bill Burr, Russell Peters, and Whitney Cummings are some of the comedians who have been on the panel across the show’s 11-year-long run. Hinchcliffe shared in a press statement.

“Myself and our entire crew of Austin comedians, peers, and upcomers are excited for the opportunity to share our chaotic, insane show with a whole new chunk of the globe.”

He continued,

"It all started in a room at The Comedy Store with 12 audience members and barely anyone watching in 2013, after world tours and 700+ Monday releases on YouTube it seems the persistence has paid off and now to think that I can pull a name out of a bucket and that person will be performing standup and an improvised interview on the largest streaming service in the world is both exciting and frightening. It’s the most spontaneous and improvised show that is out there and the creative freedom given to us by Netflix to keep the show in its pure form is a comedian’s dream and we can’t wait to Netflix and Kill.”

---

Hinchcliffe under fire for a controversial joke about Puerto Rico

Late last October, Hinchcliffe was invited to open then-candidate Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden. His joke sparked a furious backlash and received fierce criticism from Democrats. He joked at the rally,

“There’s a lot going on. I don’t know if you 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.”

He received criticism online, as users felt that such jokes delivered during a campaign stop might not have been a good move, considering Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory with millions of its people living across different American states.

"This joke bombed for a reason. It's not funny and it's not true" wrote US Senator Rick Scott on X.

Hinchcliffe defended his performance on X, formerly known as Twitter, in response to criticism from Democratic lawmaker Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Democratic vice-presidential candidate Tim Walz.

“These people have no sense of humour,” he shared

He then stated that he loved Puerto Rico, saying

“I love Puerto Rico and vacation there.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez replied to the comedian saying

You don’t “love Puerto Rico.” You like drinking piña coladas. There’s a difference

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said in a statement.

The pushback came fast. Democrats soon slammed the jokes, but the disapproval didn't end there. Some Republicans — even those part of the Trump team — voiced their upset too.