Bill Maher praises pro-Trump comedian for Puerto Rico joke that set off liberal uproar

Bill Maher complimented comedian Tony Hinchcliffe for the viral Puerto Rico joke he made at an October 2024 rally for then-presidential candidate Donald Trump that infuriated some politicians and the media.

During the Trump rally in New York City's Madison Square Garden, Hinchcliffe said, "I don't know if you guys know this, but there's literally a floating island of garbage in the… ocean right now." Hinchcliffe said. "I think it's called Puerto Rico."

Hinchcliffe was a recent guest on Maher's Club Random podcast, where Maher said the comedian made a "great joke."

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Hinchcliffe explained the story behind the joke that set the media ablaze.

He said he went to the rally to discuss free speech and make "those kinds of jokes." 

"That Puerto Rico joke was actually a joke that I had done a bunch in my standup, and it's part of a bigger joke with more front end and a longer back end," said Hinchcliffe.

Hinchcliffe said, "Basically, at the end of the normal joke, I go, you, I'm talking about the problems in the world. And I go, and I don't know if you guys know this, but there's a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. Yeah, I think it's called Puerto Rico," Maher responded with laughter. 

"The point of the joke is that people picture, obviously, in my mind, obviously, the great Pacific garbage," Hinchcliffe said. "I can't believe nobody ever talks about the fact that there's an island of plastic as big as Texas."

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Maher said, "There's no doubt it's insulting to Puerto Ricans, but I have been over the same territory. I mean, I don't think I would do exactly that joke, but I certainly have done many that have been objected to."

Maher defended Hinchcliffe, saying, "My thing was always, you know what? Everybody has to accept, in the framework of comedy, insults… you know, and they're never fair." 

Hinchcliffe explained his thought process going into the rally. 

"When I was going in to do that, that rally, the goal, you know? It wasn't just to swing a few, you know, thousand votes, hopefully, of whatever, whoever listens to my podcast or whoever liked my silly performance on the Tom Brady roast or whatever. It was also to f---ing have the president go, "That was cool. Thanks, man. That's awesome. I liked your set. You got the crowd going." Which, by the way, I did. Of course, that room isn't mic'd for the comedy show."

Maher asked if Trump responded to him that way and Hinchcliffe responded, "No, he didn't, I didn't get to talk to him."

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., who noted that her family is from Puerto Rico, took issue with the comedian's joke.

"That's just what they think about you. It's what they think about anyone who makes less money than them. It's what they think about the people who serve them food in a restaurant. It's what they think about the people who, who fold their clothes in a store," the New York Democrat said at the time.

Republicans also took issue with the joke. Former Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, a Republican from New York, posted, "I'm proud to be Puerto Rican. My mom was born and raised in Puerto Rico. It's a beautiful island with a rich culture and an integral part of the USA. The only thing that's 'garbage' was a bad comedy set. Stay on message."

"This is not a joke. It's completely classless & in poor taste," Rep. Carlos Gimenez, R-Fla., a Cuban American, added online. "Puerto Rico is the crown jewel of the Caribbean & home to many of the most patriotic Americans I know. Tony Hinchcliffe clearly isn't funny & definitely doesn't reflect my values or those of the Republican Party."

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Following this, Trump said, "I have no idea who he is. Somebody said there was a comedian that joked about Puerto Rico or something. And I have no idea who it was. Never saw him. Never heard of him, and don't want to hear of him. But I have no idea," Trump told "Hannity" in October.

The Trump campaign also swiftly distanced itself from the joke. 

"This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign," Trump campaign senior adviser Danielle Alvarez noted in a statement, according to reports.

Hinchcliffe and the Trump campaign were criticized by many in the media for the joke and there were concerns that this would affect Trump's election chances and support within the Hispanic community. 

According to national exit polls, Trump received 45% support from Hispanic voters, an increase from 2020, when he received 32%.

Fox News' Ashley Carnahan, Alex Nitzberg, and Alec Schemmel contributed to this report.