Tony Hinchcliffe, a comedian and podcaster who generated controversy with racially charged jokes at an October rally for the then-presidential candidate, has secured a contract with Netflix.
The agreement involves three specials under Hinchcliffe’s “Kill Tony” brand, his weekly live podcast streamed on YouTube. The inaugural special is slated to be filmed at The Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas, and will debut on Netflix on April 7.
“Myself and our entire crew of Austin comedians, peers, and up-and-comers are excited for the opportunity to share our chaotic, insane show with a whole new segment of the globe,” Hinchcliffe said in a press release. “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.’”
The deal also includes a one-hour stand-up special for Hinchcliffe.
Late last October, he received an invitation to open for the then-candidate’s rally at Madison Square Garden. Hinchcliffe initiated his set by criticizing Puerto Rico.
“There’s a lot going on, like, 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,” Hinchcliffe quipped. “I think it’s called Puerto Rico.”
The joke – and other disparaging remarks – resonated with the audience present in the arena, although the political campaign later endeavored to distance itself from the comments.
“This joke does not reflect the views of the candidate or the campaign,” campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez stated to CNN at the time.
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Bad Bunny expresses support for Harris following comedian’s offensive comment about Puerto Rico at campaign rally.
Bad Bunny, Luis Fonsi, and other artists of Puerto Rican heritage voiced their disapproval of Hinchcliffe’s remarks.
“It’s OK to have different views, and I respect those who think differently than me… but going down this racist path ain’t it,” Fonsi posted on social media.
Netflix has a history of not shying away from controversial comedy.
In 2021, Netflix head Ted Sarandos reaffirmed his support for Dave Chappelle and the comedian’s special, “The Closer,” which had been met with criticism from LGBTQ+ advocates, artists, and Netflix employees due to Chappelle’s jokes about the trans community.
Following reports last month that Netflix was pursuing more podcasters, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria informed Puck that the streaming service is open to collaborating with a diverse range of talent.
“Our job is to make sure we know the creators out there doing really cool, interesting things, and what makes sense for Netflix,” Bajaria said. “Some of them may be on YouTube, some of them may be in film school right now, some of them may be at a festival that we’re gonna find.”
