A comedian who sparked fury after calling Puerto Rico an ‘island of floating garbage’ at a Trump election rally has just inked a deal with Netflix.
Tony Hinchcliffe will see his popular Kill Tony podcast ‘turned’ into three exclusive comedy specials, the streaming giant said Monday – teasing a ‘one-hour standup’ performance from the comic as well.
The first special will start streaming April 7, Netflix said – as the so-called ‘Trump effect’ continues to set in.
It is unclear how much Netflix is paying Hinchcliffe, but the streamer is known to have very deep pockets and regularly signs up stars for seven, eight or even nine figure deals.
The popular podcaster known for his offensive, less-than-serious jokes released a statement celebrating the news.
In it, he made clear the the same open-floor, stream-of-consciousness format seen on Kill Tony – and at MSG in October – would be present in the specials.
‘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,’ Hinchliffe wrote in a release.
‘It’s the most spontaneous and improvised show that is out there.
‘The creative freedom given to us by Netflix to keep the show in its pure form is a comedian’s dream,’ he went on, before offering a pun. ‘We can’t wait to Netflix and Kill.’
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The statement made no mention of the controversial joke he cracked to nearly 20,000 conservatives, which many at the time had labeled a damning development.
Trump, however, would win big over Harris in November and score big with Latinos in the process – showing how not only his rhetoric, but Hinchcliffe’s as well, had no real negative effect.
‘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 on-stage at the time.
‘I think it’s called Puerto Rico.’
In-person, the jab drew laughs and audible gasps – but online and throughout Hollywood, the backlash was swift.
The Trump campaign quickly tried to distance itself from the remarks, as Hinchcliffe stood by them.
‘This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,’ Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement at the time.
Months later, after Trump’s big win, reports emerged that Netflix was attempting to poach more podcasters. Trump’s success in the 2024 race has often been attributed to Republicans’ reach within the industry.
Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria told Puck last month: ‘Our job is to make sure we know the creators out there doing really cool, interesting things, and what makes sense for Netflix,’
‘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.’
And while the move comes just weeks after Trump’s swearing-in, Netflix is no stranger to scandal-ridden comics.
In 2021, CEO Ted Sarandos stood by Dave Chappelle and the comic’s then-new special, ‘The Closer,’ which itself ignited criticism – albeit from LGBTQ+ advocates.
Netflix staffers also spoke out for Chappelle’s jokes about the trans community as well, but the special was later well-received by critics.
Sarandos, at the time, defended Chappelle’s jokes as artistic expression and nothing more than an example of the comedian’s ‘creative freedom’ – amid pushback that included a staged walkout from employees at Netflix’s LA HQ.
Hinchcliffe, meanwhile, has never apologized for the Puerto Rico rib, but has acknowledged that ‘perhaps that venue at that time wasn’t the best f*cking place to do this set at.’
His planned releases, moreover, comes as part of what can only be described as a post-election red wave now hitting Hollywood – one that a series of television agents and executives described in-depth to the Wall Street Journal this week.
They said studios like Disney, Amazon, and Netflix are scrubbing any hint of programming that could be perceived as ‘ woke ‘ in response to consumer’s shifting opinions – one that prominent executive producer Dan Abrams called ‘a course correction when it comes to entertainment,’
‘There has been a bit of a wake-up call – not just in Trump being elected but in the lead-up as well,’ Abrams, whose show Live PD was pulled in the wake of George Floyd’s death but was recently revived, said.
‘[W]e’re telling stories we hope resonate with the folks in Missouri and trying to put a lens to the country and have them see themselves,’ Greg Henry, co-president of the company behind the new show added.
Eric Schultz – a former Obama aide who has consulted for shows including ‘Succession’- echoed Abrams’ opinion, saying the election served as a shock to the system manned Hollywood executives, who are now trying to figure out a response.
‘That is competing with an instinct to keep your head down and stay out of trouble,’ he said, after figures like Bezos have been seen cozying up to the current administration as of late.
Shifting Gears starring Tim Allen has also become a surprise hit on both ABC and Hulu, new Neilsen numbers show – with Allen being a well known Trump supporter.
Most of the shows launched recently began development during Trump’s campaign, the experts pointed out.
Amazon recently inked a multimillion deal with Melania Trump, for rights to a documentary about her life.
Disney and Paramount reportedly lost out on the streaming rights after a bidding war with Amazon, which is owned by the richest man in the world. Neither Netflix nor Apple took part.