"Rickles’ sets were actually funny" - Internet divided as Tony Hinchcliffe reposts Don Rickels jokes at Reagan event amid Puerto Rico remarks backlash

Tony Hinchcliffe (Image via Instagram / @tonyhinchcliffe)
Tony Hinchcliffe (Image via Instagram / @tonyhinchcliffe)

Tony Hinchcliffe, a comedian, is facing mixed reactions for reposting an old video of comedian Don Rickles making jokes at a Reagan event. He reposted the video after facing backlash for directing comments at the Latino community at a Donald Trump rally on Sunday.

Since Hinchcliffe reposted the tweet, people in the comments section have shared mixed reactions.

One X user called Magills wrote:

Huge fan of Tony Hincliffe, just to be clear.

Another user also liked that Tony Hinchcliffe shared the video and wrote:

"This is legendary. Laughter is the best cure."

Some people in the comments section were unhappy that Tony Hinchcliffe tried to draw a comparison to Don Rickles. An X user wrote:

"Horrible comparison. Rickles had talent. Timing, delivery, stage presence. Reagan loved him. The guy today has none of that. That’s why he bombed."

Another user wrote:

"I love that Trump’s opener retweeted this. There’s a world of difference between him and Don Rickles - starting with the fact that Rickles’ sets were actually funny"

What prompted Tony Hinchcliffe to repost the video?

During former President Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe was one of the speakers. He directed comments at Puerto Rican communities, which have sparked mixed reactions on social media platforms.

Hinchcliffe made remarks regarding Latinos, suggesting they are especially eager to have children, which implied a lack of family planning, and he drew a comparison to the experiences of immigrants coming to the U.S.

In response to the controversy, Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser for the Trump campaign, emphasized that Hinchcliffe's:

“Joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”

Tony Hinchcliffe is facing backlash from both Democrats and Republicans for his comments against the Latino community and Puerto Ricans at the rally. A Republican representative, Ritchie Torres, a Puerto Rican by descent, took to his Instagram account to share his frustration at Hinchcliffe's comments. He wrote:

"A piece of garbage like Tony Hinchcliffe has no business vacationing in the gorgeous paradise of Puerto Rico. Tony: The problem is not that we have no sense of humor. The problem is that your sense of Puerto Rico is as lacking as your comedic talent. Both are nonexistent."

Kamala Harris's social media camp called Kamala HQ has also reshared a video on their official X account saying:

“When you have some a-h*le calling Puerto Rico ‘floating garbage,’ know that that's what they think about you. It's what they think about anyone who makes less money than them… I want every Puerto Rican in Philadelphia and Reading and across the country to see this clip”

Tony Hinchcliffe's response

Hinchcliffe quickly responded to remarks made by Kamala HQ and Gov. Tim Waltz by voicing how his joke was taken out of context. He shared via his X account:

"These people have no sense of humor. Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his “busy schedule” to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a comedian Tim…might be time to change your tampon."

While the internet is divided on Tony Hinchcliffe's comments and actions, it will be interesting to see how he navigates and responds to these mixed reactions.

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Edited by Priscillah Mueni