No Netflix deals for racism and bigotry—tell the powerful streaming giant to drop Tony Hinchcliffe’s contract.
Dear MoveOn member,
Remember the comedian who got on stage at a Donald Trump rally last year and made such racist, derogatory comments about Puerto Rico that even the Trump campaign distanced themselves from him? That comedian now has a massive Netflix deal.1
Tony Hinchcliffe—whose routines have gone after Latinx, Black, Jewish, Palestinian, and LGBTQ+ communities—has a new contract for multiple comedy specials, the first of which is set to premiere next month.2
Netflix might be trying to appeal to Trump's audience, but they're doing it at the expense of alienating millions of Americans. Sign the petition telling the streaming giant to stop platforming hate.
Other comedians like Michelle Buteau have spoken up about how dangerous it can be when humor is used as a pretense for attacking vulnerable groups—and that it's simply not necessary for great comedy. "We can tell jokes and stories and not disparage a whole community."3
Hinchcliffe's comments have been truly disparaging—so vile we won't even repeat them. Let's be real: No one is owed a comedy special, and of all the countless talented comedians in the world, Hinchcliffe's tired, offensive, and unoriginal comedy should not make the list. But Netflix is rewarding Hinchcliffe's hateful remarks with a platform and a paycheck. It's shameful, and it sets an alarming precedent when this kind of rhetoric gets normalized and boosted to hundreds of millions of subscribers by streaming platforms like Netflix.
Hinchcliffe refused to apologize for his comments, despite considerable backlash.4 Why is Netflix continuing to bolster him? Will you sign the petition telling the streamer to drop Tony Hinchcliffe?
Incendiary rhetoric like the kind we see from Hinchcliffe can create a more tense and unwelcoming political climate. Streaming platforms have a major impact on culture, and they have a responsibility to ensure they're not amplifying racist and bigoted rhetoric—especially at a time when immigrant and LGBTQ+ communities are facing unprecedented attacks. Netflix should not be in the business of promoting hate on its platform, full stop.
Netflix has more than 300 million subscribers worldwide and nearly 5 million in the U.S. and Canada.5 Their viewership is diverse and has significant reach to communities across the country. It is a betrayal to its customers and the general public for Netflix to platform a comedian known for his dehumanizing content just so it can profit off of the controversy. Giving Hinchcliffe FOUR comedy specials is reckless, irresponsible, and exploitative.
Hinchcliffe's first comedy special is scheduled to air next month. Companies like Netflix need to know that their customers are paying attention and don't want to see hateful prejudice on its platform. Add your name to the petition NOW!
This is a watershed moment in American history—vulnerable communities like immigrant families and LGBTQ+ people are facing an onslaught of harmful policies by the Trump administration.6 The last thing we need is additional proliferation of racist commentary that sanctions bigotry and hate.
Sign the petition telling Netflix to drop Tony Hinchcliffe, and share this petition with three of your friends who you know subscribe to Netflix.
Thanks for all you do.
–Corinne, Alex, Amanda R., Alexis, and the rest of the team
1. "Backlash after comedian at Trump rally calls Puerto Rico 'island of garbage,'" BBC, October 29, 2024
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy9jj2g75q4o
2. "Tony Hinchcliffe, the Trump Rally Comedian, Lands a Netflix Deal," The New York Times, March 11, 2025
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/11/arts/television/tony-hinchcliffe-netflix-deal.html
3. "Michelle Buteau calls out Dave Chappelle for his anti-trans comments in new Netflix special: 'It's not funny, it's dangerous,'" Entertainment Weekly, December 31, 2024
https://ew.com/michelle-buteau-dave-chappelle-netflix-special-not-funny-dangerous-8767822
4. "Tony Hinchcliffe 'Apologizes to Absolutely Nobody' for Puerto Rico Joke, Admits a Trump Rally 'Wasn't the Best F—ing Place to Do This Set At,'" Variety, November 12, 2024
https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/tony-hinchcliffe-no-apology-puerto-rico-garbage-joke-trump-rally-1236207519/
5. "Netflix Adds Nearly 19 Million Subscribers to End 2024 With More Than 300 Million Globally," Variety, January 21, 2025
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/netflix-subscribers-300-million-q4-2024-1236280419/
6. "How hateful rhetoric connects to real-world violence," Brookings, April 9, 2021
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-hateful-rhetoric-connects-to-real-world-violence/
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