Americans love a good laugh. Or, at least that used to be the case.

In recent years, however, the rise of wokeness and political correctness has cast a long shadow over American discourse. The cultural landscape has shifted so dramatically that many people now find themselves tiptoeing around topics, afraid to voice their true opinions for fear of backlash.

Hinchcliffe’s job is to strip away any pretense and lay bare the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it might be for the contestant — or the audience.

It’s an environment where even the slightest misstep can lead to social or professional exile.

Enter "Kill Tony" — a live podcast that not only laughs in the face of these constructs but bulldozes right through them.

Comedy as combat

"Kill Tony" isn't your ordinary podcast. A cross between a Comedy Central roast battle, a live execution, and WWE’s Royal Rumble, it’s full of loud music, flashing lights, confused faces, and caustic zingers.

Hosted by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, the show combines the unpredictability of live performance with the adrenaline of a high-stakes competition. Each episode features aspiring comedians — some seasoned, others fresh off the open-mic circuit — taking the stage for 60 seconds. Some swim, most sink.

Once the jokes are over, the real fun begins.

This is when the comedians (or deluded chancers) are subjected to a no-holds-barred critique from Hinchcliffe and his panel of guest judges (often big names in comedy).

To be clear, this isn’t your grandma’s feedback session. The criticisms are devastating, the jokes are savage, and the atmosphere is electric. It’s a spectacle that's both entertaining and nerve-racking, with audience members never knowing if they’re about to witness the rise of the next big comedy star or the complete annihilation of someone’s dreams.

It’s usually the latter.

The appeal of "Kill Tony" lies in its rawness and its intense embrace of the taboo. In a time when people are scared to say the wrong thing, this show revels in saying exactly what it wants, when it wants, and how it wants.

Smash hit

And it’s resonating. What started as a niche project in a small comedy club in Austin has grown into the most popular live podcast in the world. This meteoric success was on full display recently when "Kill Tony" sold out not one but two live shows at Madison Square Garden.

Yes, you read that right. Madison Square Garden, the same venue that hosts rock legends and sports icons, was packed to the rafters with fans eager to witness a podcast taping.

But then again, "Kill Tony" isn’t just a podcast; it’s an experience.

Hinchcliffe, the diminutive ringmaster, is not a nice guy — and that’s precisely what makes him perfect for the job. With a cigarette dangling from his mouth and a demeanor that’s as catty as it is camp, Hinchcliffe embodies the spirit of a bona fide mean girl. He doesn’t just host the show; he dominates it.

The 40-year-old’s style is combative. His default mode is to destroy. Whether contestants deliver solid performances or flounder under the bright lights, they’re never safe from his acerbic wit. He’s the kind of host who, even if you’ve just nailed your set, will find something to tear apart — and do it with a grin that suggests he’s enjoying every second.

Hinchcliffe’s job is to strip away any pretense and lay bare the truth, no matter how uncomfortable it might be for the contestant — or the audience. When he looks a contestant up and down, sizing them up like prey, you can almost see the gears turning as he prepares to rip them a new one.

Heel turn

One of the most memorable — and painfully cringeworthy — episodes of "Kill Tony" featured none other than Ric Flair, one of the greatest wrestlers of all time.

But poor Ric had no idea what he was getting himself into. Here was a man whose entire career was built on the larger-than-life theatrics of professional wrestling, stepping into the lion’s den of the cruelest comedy show on the planet.

Flair, with his signature flamboyance, took the stage and began to lecture the audience on the importance of kindness — a message that landed about as well as a vegan sermon at a hot dog-eating contest.

The disconnect was palpable. Flair, clearly lost and out of his element, seemed almost dazed — away with the birds, as they say. It was a surreal moment, a kind of comedic train wreck you couldn’t look away from. Mark Normand, a regular on "Kill Tony," later summed it up perfectly: Flair, he said, now resembled “Joe Biden in tights.”

As for Hinchcliffe, he was visibly uneasy as he watched Flair, his childhood hero and close friend, struggle while the audience laughed in the ex-wrestler’s face. You see, Hinchcliffe’s deep love for wrestling, particularly the WWF — now WWE — has been influential in "Kill Tony's" success.

Consummate showman

If you’ve ever watched a wrestling match, you know it’s about more than just the moves; it’s the entrance music, the rivalries, and the ever-evolving storylines that keep fans hooked. Hinchcliffe took these elements and infused them into his comedy podcast, creating something entirely unique.

Just like The Rock, Stone Cold, and other legends of yesteryear, comedians on "Kill Tony" develop their own personas and storylines.

Take William Montgomery, a.k.a. "Big Red," for example, a character who’s as erratic as he is entertaining. With a penchant for roaring — at the host, the band, the audience, or simply the cosmos — Montgomery doesn't just tell jokes; he unleashes them.

Hinchcliffe’s deep understanding of wrestling’s theatrical elements has paid off in more ways than one. At one point, he was even offered a writing gig by Vince McMahon, the controversial mastermind behind WWE. Hinchcliffe, then in his 20s, turned it down.

That decision turned out to be a wise one. The comedian recently secured a massive Netflix deal, putting him in the same league as Joe Rogan’s $100 million Spotify contract.

Hats off to Hinchcliffe.

He has managed to create a show where kindness is a foreign concept and where the only rule is that there are no rules — except maybe to survive the verbal onslaught and come out the other side with your dignity intact.