Puerto Rican Celebrities Support Kamala Harris After Racist Jokes at Trump Rally
Art by Stephany Torres for Remezcla
After comedian Tony Hinchcliffe insulted Puerto Rico during a rally held by the Republican candidate, referring to it as a “floating island of garbage,” numerous Puerto Rican celebrities came out in support of Donald Trump’s opponent, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.
Speaking from a Madison Square Garden Trump rally in New York on Sunday, October 27, Hinchcliffe said: “I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico.” Hinchcliffe is better known for hosting the live comedy podcast Kill Tony.
Hinchcliffe also made disparaging comments about Latines in general and Black people, as well.
In response, notable celebrities like Bad Bunny shared Kamala Harris’ Puerto Rican proposal, which had coincidentally been shared by the Harris campaign earlier in the day. In the part of the video Bad Bunny focused on, Harris says: “I will never forget what Donald Trump did and what he did not do when Puerto Rico needed a caring and competent leader.”
Some, like Martin, went further, with the singer also sharing a video of the insulting remarks, saying: “This is what they think of us.”
JLo joined both of them and shared the video as well, all three having over 315 million followers on Instagram alone.
Luis Fonsi shared the clip of the comedian in his stories and followed it up with, “It’s ok to have different views, and I respect those who think different than me…but going down this RACIST path ain’t it. I’m so proud to be PUERTORRIQUEÑO, to be LATINO!”
Other Puerto Rican celebrities then joined in and shared various messages of support for Kamala Harris after Hinchcliffe’s racist jokes. That included Ariana DeBose, Geraldo Rivera, Lin Manuel Miranda, Rosario Dawson, Luis Guzmán, and Rosie Pérez.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also joined Vice-President nominee Tim Walz in reacting to the joke. AOC said, “The thing that is so messed up, that I wish more people understood, is that the things that they do in Puerto Rico are a testing ground for the policies and the horrors that they wish to and that they do unveil in working class communities across the United States.”
After the backlash hit fever pitch Senior Trump adviser Danielle Alvarez said that “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
Hinchcliffe himself later said on X that he loved Puerto Rico and vacations there.”
Clearly, Puerto Ricans did not take either of them at their word.
