Former president Donald Trump's rally on Sunday at Madison Square Garden has made headlines after an infamous joke by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, in which he called Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage" took social media by storm. The remarks has prompted endless discourse online, resulting in the Trump campaign distancing itself from the comedian. However, a new report shows this wasn't the first time the entertainer made that joke.
In fact, the joke was practiced the night before, on Saturday, at The Stand comedy club in New York City, where he made a surprise appearance, according to an NBC News producer and three other people who happened to be in attendance.
The performance was not met with many laughs from the audience, aside from a few awkward chuckles, according to NBC News. When this happened, he reassured the audience, and perhaps even himself, that the his routine would be better met at the rally in Madison Square Garden the next day.
"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," he said, later including lewd and racist comments about Latinos, Jewish and Black people.
The joke quickly drew criticism from audiences all over the country, including the island, which is territory of the United States. The remarks also inspired Puerto Rican global superstars like Bad Bunny, Jennifer Lopez and Luis Fonsi to show their support for Vice President Kamala Harris, who they deem, will be more beneficial for the island.
"This is what they think of us," musician Ricky Martin said, sharing a clip on social media of Hinchliffe's set.
Hinchcliffe's statements also coincidentally coincided with Harris' unveiling of her plan for the island, which was released earlier on Sunday.
The Vice President says she would focus on the "opportunity economy" and creating a task force that would focus on the island's specific needs, including addressing the deteriorated electrical grid and improving public-private partnerships, if she wins the White House.
Harris' goals stand in sharp contrast to Trump's, who has a tumultuous relationship with the island.
After the 2017 Hurricane Maria, a destructive natural disaster that led to almost 3,000 deaths in the island, then-President Trump repeatedly opposed disaster funding for Puerto Rico. he also drew attention for disparaging statements about Puerto Rico after Maria, including "they want everything to be done for them," and for tossing paper towels in a visit to the island after the hurricane, which is categorized as the deadliest in the U.S. in 100 years.
Since the rally, the Trump campaign has distanced themselves from the comedian. Vianca Rodriguez, the deputy director of Hispanic communications for the Republican National Committee and the Trump campaign, told Noticias Telemundo in Spanish that "they don't have absolute control" over what speakers say at the rally, though she was asked about the fact that Hinchcliffe was reading from a teleprompter.
As per Trump himself, he denied knowing the controversial comedian, saying he didn't hear him speak.
"I don't know him; someone put him there. I don't know who he is," Trump told ABC News's Rachel Scott in an interview published Tuesday.
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