'They were all high-fiving me': Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe says his Puerto Rico joke helped Trump's campaign



Stand-up comedian and host Tony Hinchcliffe said his joke about Puerto Rico last October helped the Donald Trump campaign because it grabbed headlines for more than a week just before the presidential election.

Hinchcliffe made countless news feeds when he joked about Puerto Rico being an "island of garbage" at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally in October.

Democrats reacted as expected and subsequently compared Trump's rally to a Nazi gathering filled with vitriol. For example, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) claimed that's what Republicans "think about you," meaning Republicans believe that Americans are literal garbage.

On an episode of Bill Maher's "Club Random" over the weekend, Hinchcliffe said the Trump team later thanked him for the happy distraction.

"When I was at the inauguration and everything, trust me, they were all high-fiving me and kissing my ass," Hinchcliffe said about Trump's staff. "They look at me doing what I did and accidentally, right — it couldn't have been planned — accidentally being the news for nine godd**n days during an election week."

"Stop pretending you don't love it," Maher teased in response.

Tony Hinchcliffe performs in Austin, Texas, in 2022. Photo by Errich Petersen/Getty Images for SXSW

Hinchcliffe added that while it was a "very stressful" time for him, he managed to "ride that wave" and come out better on the other side.

As for Vice President JD Vance, history will likely look back fondly at his defense of Hinchcliffe's jokes.

During a press conference the day after the rally, Vance fielded a question from a reporter who characterized Hinchcliffe's remarks as "racist" and wanted to know if the Trump campaign supported such a "tone."

Vance explained that he did not believe the proper reaction to the joke was to call Trump supporters "Nazis" and that overall, people needed to "stop getting so offended" by comedy.

"I'm so over it," Vance stated.

'He would nail it every time, day after day.'

Vance further explained the absurdity of the left-leaning reactions on Joe Rogan's podcast, where he noted the excessive amount of coverage Hinchcliffe's jokes got on networks like CNN, MSNBC, CBS, and more.

Hinchcliffe told Maher he was pleased with how Vance handled the backlash and praised the politician for seeing the situation through the lens of comedy.

"He would nail it every time, day after day," Hinchcliffe said of the soon-to-be vice president. "He was just taking the questions like he was a comedian, like he understood the perspective of the mission."

Hinchcliffe revealed that he hoped his appearance at the Trump rally would influence maybe a "thousand" votes in the president's favor and thought it would be "awesome" if the president gave him at least some praise.

Maher then asked if Hinchcliffe actually did get to speak with Trump, to which Hinchcliffe said, "No," causing the two comedians to burst out in laughter.

Hinchcliffe never did apologize for his jokes and has pointed out on his own podcast that there is, indeed, an actual garbage issue in Puerto Rico.

Well before the comedian ever appeared at the Trump rally, environmental websites were covering the island's landfill problem and said the country would soon be at capacity for garbage.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Observer even said that the island's infrastructure was under considerable strain and many of its landfills were over capacity.

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Comedian Bill Burr claims white people are having 'meltdowns' while ignoring the 'truly oppressed people' in America



Stand-up comedian Bill Burr positioned himself as a critic of both sides with remarks stating that liberals are crybabies and white people ignore atrocities.

On his "Monday Morning Podcast," Burr threw insults at conservatives and liberals in his ongoing attempt to secure the status of conscientious objector. He began his rant by saying that one of his favorite things is how "each side thinks the other side is dumb and then each side thinks the other side's a bunch of babies."

"Specifically, the right thinks that liberals are a bunch of f**king snowflakes, whiny entitled a**holes, which I mean, come on, that's pretty f**king true, right?" Burr posited.

Burr then began to target white people, specifically saying they were overly upset about a new Disney movie. Though Burr referred to "Cinderella," he likely meant the new "Snow White" movie.

"My people, whitey, were all f**king upset. There's enough of us to get it going trending anyway. We're upset about the new 'Cinderella' movie. 'The actress playing Cinderella isn't white! There's no prince,'" he mocked. "'They changed the story. What am I going to tell my kids?'"

'I don't like trans people and God only makes real boys.'

The 56-year-old then claimed it should be easy for white people to explain the film's changes to children because they are used to avoiding the history of "genocide" and "slavery" in the United States.

"The s**t that my people get upset about. 'What am I going to tell my kids?' Well, f**king talk around it the way we talk around the real history of this country. I think you could do that. For you to talk around f**king genocide and slavery, you could talk around a stupid f**king movie about some broad who didn't exist."

The comic then brought in a bit more humor, joking that conservatives would even be mad at "Pinocchio" because he "transitions into a real boy."

"'I don't like trans people and God only makes real boys. Not some immigrant named Geppetto. What am I supposed to tell my kids?'" Burr stated, from the perspective of an alleged conservative.

Bouncing back to liberals, Burr mocked the idea of leftists having an "absolute f**king meltdown" over being referred to by the wrong pronouns.

In the end, Burr decided to wrap up his point by again referring to white people as being ignorant of oppression in America.

"It's my people having meltdowns while ignoring truly oppressed people in this country."

The respected comedian made headlines recently after he accused reporters of trying to use him for clickbait after he was asked to defend his remarks on a sneaker-shopping show.

"Free Luigi!" Burr said on a show by outlet Complex, referring to Luigi Mangione, a man accused of murdering a health insurance CEO.

"I don't think you should be asking a comedian," he told the reporters in early April. "That’s you guys passing the buck. You guys need to have balls again, which you don't," he added.

Burr also made similar remarks on the "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" show in January.

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Bill Maher's smug stand-up stinks



Want to hear something funny?

Bill Maher recently sat down with Bryan Johnson, the self-proclaimed king of three-hour erections, and confessed to being a perfectionist.

It’s as if he’s recycling the same jokes he’s been telling since the Clinton administration, only now with the self-righteousness dialed up to 11.

The L.A.-loving comic insisted he never, ever stops striving for excellence. Except, apparently, in his stand-up comedy.

Maher’s latest special, “Is Anyone Else Seeing This?” — ironically advertised an HBO "original" — is a tired rehash of overdone clichés: Kids are awful, Trump is worse, and Republican candidates are married to their guns.

Hardly groundbreaking. In truth, these "jokes" wouldn’t even land at a late-night dive bar open mic.

Maher has spent years coasting on the fumes of relevance, serving up material that’s more dull than daring. Every tired take reeks of self-satisfaction, as if a smug smirk is enough to keep critics at bay.

Well, it’s not.

Comedy thrives on risk and originality, but Maher’s specials have become a slow drip of the same reheated takes. His fans, many of whom have stood by him for decades, deserve better than this tedious slog.

Maher loves to talk about holding people accountable. Perhaps it’s time he took his own advice.

Comedy or karaoke?

Billed as "comedy," “Is Anyone Else Seeing This?” is less a performance and more a monologue from the guy at the end of the bar who doesn’t realize everyone’s stopped listening. It’s lazy, uninspired, and rather revealing.

Maher himself admits he doesn’t perform in comedy clubs — a confession as absurd as a chef proudly declaring he's never set foot in a kitchen.

Unsurprisingly, the lack of practice is painfully obvious. I say this as someone who endured the misfortune of watching the special. I also say this as a regular viewer of "Real Time," someone who wants to enjoy Maher’s stand-up. But the sheer laziness on display shouldn’t be tolerated, let alone rewarded.

For someone who brags about being a crusader against echo chambers, Maher seems oddly blind to his own hypocrisy.

Which brings me back to his avoidance of comedy clubs, the place where comedians earn their stripes. In the clubs, the audience owes you nothing. If you’re not funny, you’ll know it right away. But Maher has avoided that challenge, sticking to the safety of his home crowd. They don’t laugh because he’s funny; they clap because they already agree with him.

It’s comedy on autopilot — the stand-up equivalent of singing karaoke at your own birthday party.

A legacy in decline

The gap between Maher and the broader comedy world was exposed when Roseanne Barr appeared on his podcast, "Club Random," last year and mentioned roastmaster par excellence Tony Hinchcliffe.

Maher, either in a bizarre display of ignorance or outright deceit, claimed he didn’t know who Hinchcliffe was.

That’s not just a blind spot; it’s a black hole. Imagine Brad Pitt squinting at you and asking, “Who’s this Matt Damon fella?” or Mick Jagger struggling to place Robert Plant. Hinchcliffe is one of the biggest names in comedy, a figure you don’t have to like to recognize.

While some readers might not know him (he’s the guy who made the Puerto Rico joke at a Trump rally last year), Maher operates in the exact same world. What’s more, Hinchcliffe hosts "Kill Tony," the most popular live comedy podcast in the world — a show where our own Dave Landau absolutely crushed it just a few weeks ago.

This detachment might explain why Maher’s comedy feels less like stand-up and more like a patronizing PowerPoint presentation. Without the grind of the clubs, without the bruises earned from bombing on stage, Maher’s material has expired. It’s a sad decline for someone who, once upon a time in a very different America, could actually land a joke.

Not all bad

Now, to be clear, Maher excels in other areas. The aforementioned "Real Time" continues to showcase his knack for interviews and his ability to provoke without completely alienating.

Maher’s monologues often land with sharp wit and insight, but that’s likely a testament to his team of writers. The moments of brilliance on his show highlight an obvious truth: Maher is at his best when he’s collaborating, when there’s a structure to temper his self-indulgence.

In stand-up, however, there’s no safety net. Without that collaborative edge, Maher’s comedy devolves into predictable punch lines. It’s as if he’s recycling the same jokes he’s been telling since the Clinton administration, only now with the self-righteousness dialed up to 11.

Watching his specials feels less like comedy and more like being lectured by someone who’s convinced he's the smartest person in the room.

And that’s not funny.

Preaching to the choir

Stand-up comedy demands vulnerability. The best comedians today — Ricky Gervais and Dave Chappelle among them — lay themselves bare, turning their flaws and fears into material that resonates on a deeply human level. More importantly, they’re cerebral without letting their intellect overshadow the one thing that matters most — you know, making people laugh.

George Carlin, one of Maher’s obvious influences, was a master of intellectual comedy. But where Carlin’s wit was razor-sharp, Maher’s often feels blunted by his own self-regard. His comedy doesn’t challenge or surprise; it preaches. And while preaching has its place, it’s not what people come to a comedy special for.

Maher loves to position himself as a contrarian, a truth-teller who doesn’t pander to the crowd. But in his stand-up, he’s doing exactly that. He’s pandering to his base, offering them the comfort of familiarity rather than the challenge of originality. It’s a disservice to his fans and, frankly, to himself.

It’s high time the host of "Real Time" called it quits on his stand-up career.

WATCH: Bud Light pokes fun at marketing missteps in latest Shane Gillis ad



Just when you thought woke weirdness in commercials couldn't get any worse, along comes Jaguar as if to say, "Hold my beer."

Just as the iconic British carmaker drives its brand off a cliff with its latest ad, Bud Light continues to win back customers with its latest effort — its second spot starring stand-up Shane Gillis.

The Gillis campaign returns Bud Light to its pre-woke era, when the brand embraced comedy to appeal to its young, male customer base

As Blaze News reported in February, the beloved beer brand signed a marketing deal with Gillis in an attempt to repair the damage caused by its disastrous partnership with transgender activist Dylan Mulvaney.

The latter caused conservatives to spearhead a boycott, which caused Bud Light to drop from the top-selling beer to the third, while parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev lost roughly $1.4 billion in sales. In a bit of meta-commentary, the spot — entitled "Wrong Commercial" — finds Gillis showing up at what he thinks is the set of his latest Bud Light commercial — only to encounter a snake-handling femme fatale and an existentially depressed guitarist (all shot in black and white).

"I think I'm in the wrong commercial," the flannel-clad Gillis announces, Bud Light in hand. "Yeah dude, this isn't right."

Meanwhile, the actor who is supposed to be in the avant-garde fragrance ad is at the Bud Light set: a raucous sports bar where he has the time of his life drinking beer, eating wings, and watching football.

Gillis' first Bud Light commercial debuted in September.

The Gillis campaign returns Bud Light to its pre-woke era, when the brand embraced comedy to appeal to its young, male customer base in a series of memorable ads, including "Real Men of Genius," "Bud Light Institute," "The Hitchhiker," "Paper or Plastic," "Magic Fridge," "Swear Jar," "Dog Sitter," and "Rock, Paper, Scissors."

This run ended in 2022 when the company promoted Alissa Heinerscheid to vice president of marketing, the first female to fill the role.

From the start, Heinerscheid was outspoken about her intentions to shake things up. During an interview in March 2023, Heinerscheid declared that Bud Light needs to welcome more "inclusivity."

"So I had this super clear mandate. It's like, we need to evolve and elevate this incredibly iconic brand," Heinerscheid proclaimed. "And my ... what I brought to that was a belief in, OK, what does evolve and elevate mean? It means inclusivity. It means shifting the tone. It means having a campaign that's truly inclusive and feels lighter and brighter and different and appeals to women and to men."

Heinerscheid expressed disgust for Bud Light's previous marketing campaigns.

"And we had this hangover. I mean, Bud Light had been kind of a brand of fratty, kind of out-of-touch humor, and it was really important that we had another approach," she stated.

You can watch the Shane Gillis Bud Light commercial below.

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'I apologize to absolutely nobody': Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe says media used Puerto Ricans as 'political fodder'



Stand-up comedian Tony Hinchcliffe refused to apologize for jokes he made about Puerto Rico and many others in his routine at a Donald Trump rally.

Hinchcliffe, who made countless headlines after joking about Puerto Rico being an "island of garbage" at Trump's Madison Square Garden rally late last month, addressed the media outrage in a video posted on Monday.

An episode of Hinchcliffe's incredibly popular podcast "Kill Tony" was filmed the night after his controversial pre-election appearance. The comedian prefaced it with comments about the backlash.

Hinchcliffe explained that the premise for his rally joke had a basis in reality.

"I don't know if you guys know this. In my speech on free speech, I referenced Puerto Rico, which currently has a landfill problem in which all of their landfills are filled to the brim. I guess I'm the only person that knew about this, unfortunately."

Hinchcliffe is right. Well before he made the remarks, environmental websites were bringing up the issue of the island's landfill space, saying the country would soon be at capacity for garbage.

The latest piece came from the St. Kitts and Nevis Observer, which said that the comedian's jokes aside, the island's infrastructure is under considerable strain, as many of its landfills are over capacity.

'That's what I do. I go hard, and that's never going to change.'

Hinchcliffe made it clear that his joke was indeed just a joke and added that he loves Puerto Ricans and believes them to be "very smart people."

"They're street-smart, and they're smart enough to know when they're being used as political fodder, and right now that is happening," Hinchcliffe said at the time.

Taking a page out of UFC legend Conor McGregor's book, Hinchcliffe added that he wanted to apologize to "nobody."

"I apologize to absolutely nobody. Not to the Puerto Ricans, not to the whites, not to the blacks, not to the Palestinians, not to the Jews, and not to my own mother, who I made fun of during the set," the comedian said.

Your browser does not support the video tag. Footage by Alex Wong/Getty Images

Hinchcliffe said he noticed there were no headlines regarding his jokes about his own mother but later admitted that maybe the presidential venue wasn't the best place to deliver his material.

However, the 40-year-old said he doesn't plan on easing up with his jokes.

"That's what I do. I go hard, and that's never going to change."

After the fallout from the rally, several prominent personalities defended Trump and the jokes.

Armin Mizani, the mayor of Keller, Texas, who is Puerto Rican, referred to the ordeal as simply a "bad joke by a comedian" that shouldn't overshadow what Trump could do for Americans.

Puerto Rican NFL player Jon Feliciano said, "The only Puerto Ricans that are mad about Tony Hinchcliffe's joke, are mad because it helps push their agenda."

— (@)

Even left-wing Comedy Central host Jon Stewart defended Hinchcliffe, showing that comedy can be bipartisan.

"Obviously, in retrospect, having a roast comedian come to a political rally a week before Election Day and roasting a key demographic ... probably not the best decision by the campaign politically, but to be fair, the guy's just really doing what he does," Stewart explained.

"I find that guy very funny. I'm sorry, I don't know what to tell you," he told his audience.

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Comedian Andrew Schulz credits podcast circuit for connecting Trump to voters while legacy media sells 'depression pills'



Comedian Andrew Schulz says he thinks Donald Trump's appearances on podcasts helped him build a connection with voters that drove them to the polling stations.

Schulz was speaking with co-host Akaash Singh on his podcast "Flagrant" when he began discussing the now-limited reach of mainstream media.

"Was Kamala [Harris] so bad that even with the influence of legacy media they couldn't get [her] over the hump? For example, if Michelle [Obama] was running or if Barack was running with legacy media in its current state, I think they might be able to still get it over," Schulz speculated.

Schulz then blamed legacy media for convincing Americans that "up until election night" the presidential election was a close race.

"[It's] legacy media that is constantly pushing narratives that not only is it close, 'she might be ahead! Iowa's going to her; she's going to flip all the [swing states]; it's going to be an absolute mauling,' right? That is legacy media pushing a narrative and people believing said narrative."

'It wasn't exactly the free-form speech that we're kind of used to.'

Schulz then went into detail on how Trump, much like popular comedians with podcasts, was able to create an emotional connection with audience members who were then inspired to go out and support him.

"If you look at the biggest touring stand-up comedians in the world, they all have podcasts where they've built this amazing community and connection, and we talk to people every single week," Schulz outlined. "They know intimate details about our life. To me what that's proven is that just because people are famous doesn't mean you go out; connection is actually what makes people go out."

It was that connection with Americans that Schulz explained he felt Vice President Kamala Harris didn't have. She appeared on some podcasts that were more like "short, very contrived interviews."

"It was very controlled. It was things edited out. It wasn't exactly the free-form speech that we're kind of used to," the comedian claimed.

Trump appeared on the "Flagrant" podcast about a month before the election, along with other podcasts with Joe Rogan and Theo Von.

Harris' biggest podcast appearance was on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast, which predominantly focuses on promiscuity and college life. She later appeared on "Club Shay Shay," a podcast with former NFL player Shannon Sharpe. That appearance did not even crack the show's top 50 most viewed episodes, however.

Schulz went on to point out that podcasts are about connecting people, while legacy media is about selling "depression pills" from sponsors.

The comedian added that voters came out to support Trump because of the "connection" and that people voted for President Biden in 2020 because they didn't have to leave the house.

After Trump's appearance on his podcast, Schulz had a large arena cancel his gig, claiming he was not "the right fit" for the venue.

At the same time, Trump's podcast circuit likely bolstered his status with young men, who voted for Trump in larger numbers than in 2020. Trump garnered 56% of the 2024 vote with men ages 18-29.

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Jerry Seinfeld torches even more anti-Israel hecklers, telling them they 'just gave more money to a Jew'



Jerry Seinfeld torched a group of anti-Israel hecklers at his show Saturday night in Melbourne, Australia — the second time the iconic comedian has done so in the space of a week.

Toward the end of Seinfeld's set, the pro-Palestinian protesters began shouting, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” Variety reported. The well-known chant is an endorsement of the destruction of Israel.

'We’re in the same business. Our business is to get people to see things the way we see it. The problem is, you’re in the wrong place!'

Unfortunately for the hecklers, they didn't seem to know that Seinfeld has a knack for putting such individuals in their place.

“Oh, you’re back! They’re back! The protesters are back! I missed you!” the comedian retorted, as the audience began booing the hecklers.

"Oh, you're not doing well. It's so hard for you," he continued before trying to talk some sense into them. "Listen, you and I are in the same business. We’re in the same business. Our business is to get people to see things the way we see it. The problem is, you’re in the wrong place! Do you hear how well I’m doing? This is what you want! You want to do well like I am. Look at the people here to hear me ... look at what happened to you."

Police escorted the protesters out of Rod Laver Arena, the Daily Mail said.

Seinfeld went on to explain that if he were to try to perform his "little comedy show" at a rugby game, "I would get that same reaction. I would get kicked out on my ass because that's not where I belong."

He added, "I think you need to go back and tell whoever's running your organization: 'We just gave more money to a Jew.' That cannot be a good plan for you. That's not what you want ... you gotta come up with a better plan."

You can view Seinfeld's takedown here.

The scene was much the same in Sydney last Sunday when a heckler dialed up the same "from the river to the sea" chant while Seinfeld was on stage — and of course, he demolished the pro-Palestinian protester.

"Yes! We have a genius, ladies and gentlemen. He's solved the Middle East! He's solved it!" Seinfeld mocked.

"It's the Jewish comedians, that's who we have to get. They're the ones who are doing everything!" he continued. "Yeah, go ahead, keep going! They're going to start punching you in about three seconds, so I would try and get all of your genius out so we can all learn from you."

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Blaze News original: The fall of 'Pride Month': Comedian Thai Rivera explains why Target and the NFL are slowly walking back their activism



With corporations slowly backing off of their yearly tradition of screaming about gay pride from rooftops in order to hock merchandise, many musicians, comedians, and companies alike are noticing that the threat of being canceled by online mobs is diminishing.

Celebrities like Katt Williams and J.K. Rowling powering through attempted cancellations has shown that a temporary wave of online criticism is a storm that can indeed be weathered. This has inspired other comedians to steady the course when offended parties put them in the crosshairs.

This could not be more true than in the case of stand-up comedian Thai Rivera. A self-professed bridge-burner who has dealt with multiple campaigns against him, Rivera openly stated to Blaze News that being a master of his craft gives him the confidence to speak openly about taboo subjects.

It is with this attitude that Rivera often finds himself at odds with the LGBT activist community, despite its propensity to assume he is aligned with them on every issue.

Case in point: Rivera's recent statements on Target's new decision to remove Pride clothing sales from select outlets. This comes a year after the department store was under fire for their "tuck-friendly" bathing suits aimed at transgender people and other Pride products marketed toward children.

"Whenever it comes to LGBT, what happens is the people that are in charge of the marketing just go too crazy at a point and start trying to do things that nobody, even in the community, is really asking for," Rivera explained.

"When it comes to marketing towards kids, nobody is asking for that. Especially when it comes to Pride itself, that's a big thing right now where they say, 'Pride is great for kids,' and it's like, since when?!"

"We've always had kids at Pride because lesbians make mistakes," Rivera joked. "But it was never a push," he continued. Similarly, Rivera said that when Target starting selling "books for kids on gender ideology" and promoting the "tuck-friendly bathing suits," it went too far.

'That's what it is with these people: You tell the truth, and they get mad at you.'

"The marketing was just off, and it seemed weird that they marketed it for years and [didn't market] it to kids, and then all of sudden they were marketing it to kids, and then we end up where we are now."

Reminding the audience that Target exists to make money, Rivera stated that he doesn't put any faith into a company actually sharing his beliefs and neither should folks who consider themselves LGBT.

"If gays, people of different ethnicities ... if you think any corporation or business actually supports what you are, you're stupid. It really is about making money, and are you marketable and are you profitable."

If the product isn't moving, or, even worse, making people turn around and walk out, "then why would you keep it at the front of the store," Rivera asked.

Target recently shared its plan for Pride Month 2024, which included dialing back how many stores it sells gay-themed products in.

But the company did not back off its ideological support, saying, "At Target, we know our business thrives when we create experiences that foster a sense of belonging. That’s why we support and celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride Month and year-round."

Target also stated that it would participate in the Minneapolis Pride parade and support organizations, including the Human Rights Campaign, which explicitly supports sex-change surgeries for children.

— (@)

'I don't think trans-women athletes belong in women's sports, not only for physical reasons but because ... can't women have anything?'

NFL dissidents

The NFL's support for Pride initiatives was a widely-discussed topic at the beginning of June 2024, with all but nine teams (and counting) making front-facing posts or webpages in support of certain sexualities.

When asked why the NFL is taking so long to recognize that its initiatives aren't popular among fans, especially in comparison to the national anthem protests, Rivera replied, "Because a lot of gay people don't have lives."

"If they think you're not supporting them then they'll just start harassing you," he laughed. "I know how all this works because I've been the subject of LGBT 'cancellation' before."

Rivera described a scenario of a "few gay people that really have no lives" who will create 10 different email accounts per person and send messages to a particular company to create the feeling that there is a strong backlash and outrage.

"Sometimes it's as lazy as a copy and paste," he disclosed.

"I think it happens with sports teams, too. The push is kind of ridiculous though, because there are gays that really like sports. There are trans people that do like sports. But, when it comes down to it, I don't think that we're a market that they should specifically cater to."

"I also don't think that there's a lot of us that are expecting that from them," he added.

Thai Rivera on the Fall of Pride Month www.youtube.com

Trans-canceled

"The first time I got canceled by the trans community I don't remember what I said. I'm sure it was something true, though," Rivera said with a smirk. "That's what it is with these people: You tell the truth, and they get mad at you, and they don't realize that I've had life-long trans friends."

With that in mind, Rivera said he will talk to, about, or make jokes at the expense of trans people like any other person and not like "they are made of glass."

The comedian's resolve is firm in that he isn't afraid of causing offense by telling the truth. An example of such was a time Rivera said he was scrolling his social media feed and was intrigued by an article about LGBT Pride.

"I was feeling quite prideful that morning, so I decided to click on the article."

Rivera recalled reading "the whiniest thing" he's ever read about LGBT Pride and shared his thoughts on the article on Facebook. His commentary on the "whiny" articled inevitably ended up offending a few readers. A person dating a transgender individual tried to start an argument with him, Rivera said, but the comedian wasn't impressed by the outrage and reminded the person that their "boyfriend just turned into their girlfriend nine months ago."

After being told several times he was being offensive and not honoring a "trans day of remembrance," Rivera remembered plainly stating the day is "not a thing."

"It's like Kwanzaa, who cares?!"

"I told them," Rivera continued. "You're arguing with a real fag right now, it's not going to be the same situation as when you argue with straight people."

Pro athlete, pro woman

Rivera said he understands why some pro-women's sports groups act like "ambulance chasers," trying to sound the alarm on instances when men impede in women's spaces.

"Unfortunately, I think it is necessary," he admitted.

Rivera revealed that he feels groups like the Independent Council on Women's Sports are fighting a just cause and that women should be able to have their own spaces, which he said definitely includes sports and changing rooms. The comic said he is "100%" on the side of women "putting their foot down and saying 'this is for us.'"

"I don't think trans-women athletes belong in women's sports, not only for physical reasons but because ... can't women have anything? ... I don't know if a lot of people at home have ever seen a trans woman naked, but it is jarring!" he laughed.

In terms of scholarships and athletic records, Rivera said that many women are having opportunities taken from them by trans athletes, therefore he said that groups such as ICONS are definitely necessary, even though he sees ideas like women having their own sports as "common sense."

Rivera referenced other necessary pushback from figures like J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series.

"She's got enough money that she can say f*** it."

Rowling has not backed off from referring to a plethora of transgender women directly as men and quite literally dared Scottish police to arrest her for the violation of hate speech laws.

"I'm currently out of the country, but if what I've written here qualifies as an offence under the terms of the new act, I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment," Rowling said in March 2024.

Rivera reiterated that a college-age woman should be able to express that she's uncomfortable with a man in her changing room and not be reprimanded for speaking up about it.

He concluded by pointing out the unsettling reality of how much a person's livelihood can determine how vocal he or she is about his or her beliefs.

A lot of people who take issue with men encroaching in women's' territory "have to keep their mouth shut because they don't want to lose their jobs," he stated.

Rivera routinely posts portions of his stand-up comedy on his YouTube channel and is active on his Patreon page.

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Rob Schneider removed from charity event for 'offensive' jokes about trans people that allegedly made audience members cry



Comedian Rob Schneider was reportedly removed from the stage of a fundraising event for a charity after he made jokes about vaccines and transgender people, which offended audience members.

Schneider was allegedly asked to end his set early during an event for the Hospitals of Regina Foundation in Saskatchewan, Canada, at a Four Seasons hotel.

The comic's jokes and commentary apparently offended several audience members, with one person in attendance claiming that Schneider's words even made some audience members cry.

"I really felt strongly after seeing many people ... some were in tears, some were incredibly upset, people were leaving the room, that I just said to myself [that] I can't sit by and do nothing," said attendee Tynan Allan. Schneider was saying things that were "very anti-vaccinations" and "very against trans folks," Allan told CBC News, Canada's state broadcaster.

'We do not condone, accept, endorse or share Mr. Schneider's positions, as expressed during his comedy set.'

Described by the outlet as a "diversity expert," Allan also claimed he heard "misogynistic things" before he decided to complain to event organizers.

"I went up and and asked to speak to the organizers of the event, at first they were incredibly dejective [sic] and sort of saying 'well, we're not going to do anything and we hired this guy and lots of people are laughing, so why would we shut him down?'"

Allan said he complained to organizers that Schneider's content was "completely inappropriate and offensive and really filled with hatred."

"We have to recognize what [Pride] day means to people, especially in a hospital setting where people go through gender-affirming care and reproductive care and fertility treatments," Allan continued. Eventually, the foundation acquiesced and asked Schneider to leave the stage, with the activist alleging that security was "waiting to escort him out."

The foundation later released statements on Schneider's appearance, apologizing and saying that organizers did not agree with the comedian's statements.

"While we recognize that in a free and democratic society individuals are entitled to their views and opinions and that comedy is intended to be edgy, the content, positions and opinions expressed during Mr. Schneider's set do not align with the values of our Foundation and team," the foundation said in a statement, according to Global News.

"We do not condone, accept, endorse or share Mr. Schneider's positions, as expressed during his comedy set and acknowledge that in this instance the performance did not meet the expectations of our audience and our team," the group continued. "An unconditional apology was offered right after to our guests and our community. We reiterate this sincere and unconditional apology today, for any offense caused by Mr. Schneider's recent comedy set, at the Four Seasons Ball."

The foundation reportedly stated that Schneider calmly left the stage when he was asked.

Schneider has not yet made public remarks about the event, and his representation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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Blaze News original: Arson and death threats: How a roast battle joke about a government hoax sparked cancellations and protests of a comedian
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Blaze News original: Arson and death threats: How a roast battle joke about a government hoax sparked cancellations and protests of a comedian



Comedian Brendan Blacquier never thought that a random, throwaway joke from a roast battle would be what launched him into international headlines, all for the wrong reasons.

Blacquier's comedy group, the Danger Cats, has been growing in popularity ever since a viral video about Canadian accents was posted to YouTube in 2018. This was followed by popular sketches about vaccines and the Bud Light marketing fiasco.

For years, the group has been touring across Canada before breaking into the United States with its down-to-earth, uncensored comedy. Group member Brett Forte has performed with Joe Rogan alumnus Brendan Schaub, and the group recently paired up with Comedy Store legend Brian Holtzman.

As the roast of Tom Brady was dominating social media and edgy comedy was seeing a massive resurgence, a slew of cancellations rocked the the Danger Cats as they came into the crosshairs of left-wing media. It all started when a vertical video of Blacquier reading a roast joke off his phone was posted to Facebook.

The joke from Blacquier, who goes by the nickname Uncle Hack, mocked a female comedian and compared her number of sexual encounters to the number of unmarked graves under a Canadian residential school.

The unmarked graves referenced the alleged discovery of the remains of native children near or underneath residential schools, which were operated by the Catholic Church in Canada until the 1990s. The news of the sites led to the burnings of Catholic churches across the country, protests, and demands that the Justin Trudeau administration get to the bottom of the claims.

As of the time of this writing, the Canadian federal government has spent years and more than $8 million on the search for bodies at the alleged unmarked grave sites. Zero bodies have been found.

However, this did not stop complaints about Blacquier's stand-up, with upset activists demanding that comedy clubs cancel the Danger Cat performances.

'To try and dictate what somebody should laugh at and should not laugh at is control, and what it seems like right now with the powers that be, is that control ... there's a thirst for it.'

The video clip in question was posted by Sherry Lynn Mckay, who has described herself as an "Indigenous content creator, stand up comedian, motivational speaker," and "influencer," along with being a "mom of 4" and a "tiktokker."

Mckay gave an interview to CBC Radio's "Up to Speed," which is broadcast by Canada's state-owned media.

"I first seen [sic] the video in 2022. ... I was absolutely disgusted, and it was actually at the beginning of my stand-up comedy career," she told the radio host. When asked why she thought the joke was so hurtful, Mckay said that it was because of "how easy it was for some one to say those things in a public setting and make light of a really dark situation."

"We as indigenous people, we are still doing a lot of healing. ... It's just one of those things," she added. "It really hurt me and hurt a lot people who watched it ... indigenous people and our allies, too,' she added.

Comedian Forte soon got word of a cancellation from a Winnipeg comedy club, which told him over the phone that the group's shows were being removed immediately due to controversies surrounding the event.

"They took it upon themselves to run to the media and their social media following to protest the show," Blacquier told Blaze News. "They forced the hand of the venue to cancel the show. Then after that happened, and it seemed like the folks that were against us got a win, they moved on to more."

— (@)

The same activists then took issue with the third member of the comedy group, Sam Walker, who was promoting a T-shirt that joked about convicted serial murderer Robert Pickton. This led to "national attention and protesters showing up outside the venue that we had in Vancouver," Blacquier recalled.

Strangely, activists who said Walker was making light of the crimes either didn't seem to notice or didn't care that his opinion on the matter was that not enough investigation had gone into the murders. Walker emphasized that there were still families who deserved more justice.

Protests at the comedy club led to threats of arson, vandalism, and bodily harm to the group and venues, should they dare to host the group. In the end, eight venues canceled Danger Cat shows.

'I asked "did you hear the joke?" and he was like "no." So I said "so you don't even know what you're mad at me for?!"'

Government spotlight

The Danger Cats found themselves as the subject of scathing news reports from Canada's biggest media companies, most of which have received government funding. This of course included the government broadcaster itself, CBC, which has repeatedly brought up the conversation about whether or not the trio should be allowed to perform.

"I don't think I've really had much faith in the media to begin with," Uncle Hack said when asked if he expected the sheer number of hit pieces the group received.

"The person behind the pen or whoever's writing those articles has a certain objective to accomplish with with their piece ... but this is not any form of activism," he said about his comedy.

"I guess in some jokes you're provoking thought, if you want to call that activism, you can; who am I to stop you from that? But the intent of being on that stage is for us to deliver laughter, and comedy is subjective, so it's tough. To try and dictate what somebody should laugh at and should not laugh at is control, and what it seems like right now with the powers that be is, that control ... there's a thirst for it."

Blacquier said he has made peace with the mainstream media, saying that the outlets have "made it clear that they won't be attending the same dinner parties any time soon."

Joke misinformation

Perhaps most irritating about the ordeal for Blacquier was the fact that so many shows were canceled or had to be moved based on a misunderstanding. Meaning, the reality was that his joke was not a carefully plotted, insensitive jab at native Canadian history.

"I don't have a single joke in my act about residential schools, but the media portrayed it as if I go up and do a half-hour on residential schools, and the outcomes, and the victims, and all this. They made it seem like I have a whole act based upon residential schools, which is not true."

Despite the government not finding any evidence of buried bodies, the comic said that if you listen to his joke, it was actually alluding to the fact that there were a lot of bodies.

"I don't agree with what happened inside those schools," he added. But the comedian's true feelings certainly did not stop the protests that led to cancellations, nor did it stop the comedians from being accosted whenever angry activists got the chance.

However, Uncle Hack did get the opportunity to change someone's mind when he was confronted at a venue.

"I had a discussion with one gentleman in public who pulled me aside. I let him speak on behalf of attending one of those schools and how I shouldn't joke about it, and then once I let him speak, I asked 'did you hear the joke?' and he was like 'no.' So I said 'so you don't even know what you're mad at me for?!'" the comedian recalled.

The man replied that he was bothered that the Taber, Alberta, comedian was making fun of residential schools at all; Blacquier corrected him.

"No, I just found a really wild way to call a woman a whore."

"Really?" the man replied. "That's f***ing hilarious," the man added before laughing and walking away.

The sensitivity of the subject makes it "almost fun and dangerous to try and weave through," Blacquier continued. "I think that if we're not willing to talk about it, we're never going to uncover the truth."

— (@)

The Danger Cats are currently touring across Canada and California, with tickets available through October 2024.

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