As a proud Puerto Rican and a fervent admirer of Aubrey Plaza, I wholeheartedly stand with her in denouncing Tony Hinchcliffe’s offensive joke about our beloved island during his appearance at Donald Trump’s rally. The audacity to make light of such a sensitive issue is not only distasteful but also deeply disrespectful towards millions of Puerto Ricans who call the United States home.
Aubrey Plaza has added her voice to the increasing number of people who considered comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s joke about Puerto Rico as highly offensive during his performance at a rally for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Not only did she express her disapproval, but she also invoked the spirit of her grandmother to speak out against it.
At the WSJ Magazine Innovator Awards, as reported by Rolling Stone, Plaza addressed Hinchcliffe’s inappropriate remark about Puerto Rico. His comment, “There is currently a floating island of trash in the ocean; it’s called Puerto Rico,” was met with disapproval by many, including Plaza and others who saw his joke as out of bounds and offensive.
“I felt compelled to swiftly react to the offensive joke about Puerto Rico at the recent Trump rally, since my family hails primarily from there. Fortunately, my beloved grandmother wasn’t present to hear such an appalling comment. However, if she were still alive today, I believe she would express herself quite forcefully by saying something like, ‘Tony Hinchcliffe, you’re despicable’, and yes, The Wall Street Journal is welcome to quote me on that.
Other Puerto Rican Celebrities Came Out Against Tony Hinchcliffe’s Joke
At the Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday, Hinchcliffe’s jokes about Latino voters and immigration drew some attention, but his comment about Puerto Rico being “garbage” caused the most uproar. This remark has ignited stronger advocacy from Puerto Rican celebrities for Kamala Harris as a presidential candidate. Even Jennifer Lopez, who typically avoids political engagement, has utilized her massive social media following of 250 million on Instagram and 44 million on TikTok to express her backing for the Harris campaign. On Thursday, she will publicly endorse Harris, and she recently shared a video where Harris expressed her support for Puerto Rico, stating that Harris said:
His actions in Puerto Rico, particularly during times of crisis, will always be etched in my memory. Instead of stepping up as a compassionate and capable leader, he chose to leave the island, attempted to halt aid following consecutive hurricanes, and only offered flimsy paper towels and derogatory remarks.
Additionally, various Puerto Rican celebrities, such as Bad Bunny, Marc Anthony, Luis Fonsi, and Ricky Martin, expressed similar dismay on their social media platforms. They all shared similar sentiments, and when a few uninformed voices questioned their U.S. citizenship, many social media users promptly clarified that Puerto Rico houses approximately 3.2 million U.S. citizens. As the presidential election approaches, their voices have grown even stronger in this context.
In my perspective, several Republicans have criticized Hinchcliffe’s remarks, yet Trump’s campaign and the former president himself have tried to disassociate themselves from the situation without openly acknowledging that his comments were reprehensible. During an interview with Sean Hannity, the ex-president claimed he didn’t recognize Hinchcliffe or what he said at the MSG rally. Trump stated, “I don’t know him; someone placed him there. I don’t know who he is,” and took no direct steps to denounce the comments. Meanwhile, Hinchcliffe has defended his remark by countering Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz, who also condemned the joke, with a statement saying:
As someone who has traveled extensively and spent many memorable vacations in Puerto Rico, I am utterly baffled by this individual’s response to my joke. It’s mind-boggling that a vice presidential candidate would take the time away from his busy schedule to dissect a joke out of context, attempting to label it as racist. I pride myself on being a comedian who makes lighthearted fun of everyone, regardless of their background, and my stand-up set is a testament to that.
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2024-10-30 20:01