Why Do People Hate Tony Hinchcliffe? Inside the Comic’s Biggest Controversies

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe knows how to get a reaction. That has basically become his brand. The stand-up star, roast writer, and Kill Tony host built a career on sharp insults, brutal punchlines, and jokes that push the edge. But lately, more people have started asking why Tony gets so much hate online.

Tony’s comedy style, political ties, and controversial jokes have turned him into one of the most divisive names in stand-up. Some fans call him one of the best roast comics working today. Critics argue that his jokes often feel cruel, racist, or designed to punch down.

Tony draws backlash because his comedy depends on insults, shock value, and discomfort. That style works for roast fans, but it also makes him controversial. The biggest controversy came in October 2024, when Tony spoke at Donald Trump’s Madison Square Garden rally and called Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”

According to AP, he also made lewd and racist comments about Latinos, Jewish people, and Black people during the set. The Trump campaign later distanced itself from the joke, and Puerto Rican celebrities, including Ricky Martin, blasted the moment online.

Tony responded by saying critics had “no sense of humor” and argued that people took the joke out of context. During a later conversation with Bill Maher, he said the Puerto Rico line was “part of a bigger joke” from his stand-up act, per Fox News.

Tony’s Puerto Rico joke was not his first major scandal. In 2021, he faced backlash after using a racial slur about Asian American comedian Peng Dang during a show in Austin, Texas. AP reported that WME dropped him after the incident, and several scheduled gigs got canceled. He has also built a reputation for jokes about deeply sensitive subjects. He has made controversial jokes about Sean “Diddy” Combs, George Floyd, and the Baltimore Bridge collapse.

Tony appeared at The Roast of Kevin Hart, which streamed live on Netflix on May 10 as part of Netflix Is a Joke Fest. Shane Gillis hosted the special, while the lineup included Chelsea Handler, Pete Davidson, Jeff Ross, Sheryl Underwood, Lizzo, Draymond Green, Regina Hall, and more.

Chelsea went straight for Tony during her set. She mocked his politics, his friendship with Joe Rogan, and his past Trump rally controversy. One of her sharper lines was, “Tony is what happens when women don’t have safe access to abortion care.” She also joked about his teeth with the phrase “Crest White Supremacist Strips.”

Pete also took aim at him. The former SNL star turned Tony’s own podcast title into a punchline, saying, “‘Kill Tony’! Please someone f--king kill Tony.” Pete also referenced Tony’s Puerto Rico controversy while roasting him onstage.

Tony did not just sit there and take it, though. He fired back at Handler during his own set, calling her a “cold frigid b---h.” He also drew criticism after joking about Sheryl’s late husband, who died by suicide in 1990, a moment several outlets described as especially harsh even for a roast.