Tony Hinchcliffe’s recent jokes, including one that disparaged Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean,” were bombarded across the Internet — and fellow comics have been among his most vocal critics.

Hinchcliffe, host of the “Kill Tony” podcast, faced a wave of backlash and ridicule after he made the comment during former President Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday. He also made crude jokes about Palestinians and Jews, black voters and Latinos more broadly.

In comments about how Latinos “like to make babies,” Hinchcliffe had said, “There is no backing down. They don’t. They are coming in, just like they did to our country.”

Later, he told a joke about one of his black “buddies” and how they “cut watermelons” together.

Following the swift backlash online, Hinchcliffe defended his comments on Sunday, writing on X that his critics ‘have no sense of humour’. A spokesperson for Hinchcliffe did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

The situation has contributed to an ongoing debate in and around the comedy world about humor and political correctness, which often revolves around understanding when, how and why to push through cultural taboos.

In recent years, a handful of popular comedians have lamented the idea that they can no longer say certain words or make certain jokes for fear of offending people. Jerry Seinfeld this month walked back his previous comments about the “far-left” murder comedy after many online questioned his stance.

While pushing boundaries is still often incorporated into comedy, comedians can’t expect certain jokes to land the same way today as they might have decades ago, according to stand-up comedian Jay Black.

“If you say something racist or sexist or anti-trans or anti-gay, whatever, you don’t go to jail for it. But if people don’t like it and they don’t laugh and they say that’s a bad thing to say, then that’s their right,” said Black, one of those in the comedy industry who criticized the jokes online from Hinchcliffe. “You made a bad joke and you didn’t get away with it because you didn’t present it in a clever or original way or tap into the spirit of the times in a way that would make them laugh.”

When comics complain that modern norms of political correctness prevent them from making certain jokes, Black says, what they really mean is that they can no longer dodge audience pressure.

“The answer is not that the world is too soft,” he said, but rather that previously acceptable forms of racist comedy are now considered “so stupid” that many viewers no longer have an appetite for it.

Some online comics did not specifically mention Hinchcliffe’s jokes during the meeting, but shared broader thoughts about comedians crossing the line.

On Monday, comedian Anthony Jeselnik posted a video on TikTok in which he talked about how good comedy should lead to laughter instead of anger. The video has been widely circulated on social media platforms, where people suggested it was referring to Hinchcliffe. Jeselnik did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Comedian Marc Maron also lambasted his fellow comics in a blog post on Monday, specifically calling out those in the industry who have “invited shameless, self-proclaimed white supremacists and fascists onto their show to make jokes.” Maron, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, did not name anyone in the post.

As part of his campaign, Trump has appeared regularly on podcasts hosted by comedians known for their conservative-leaning — but not overtly right-wing — counterculture appeal. He has recently conducted interviews with Joe Rogan, Andrew Schulz and Theo Von, among others.

Hinchcliffe, who has appeared on Rogan’s podcast several times, is a prominent name in Rogan’s circle of comedian podcasters. Rogan, a former sitcom star and stand-up comedian, has built a strong following as an unlikely political expert. According to public opinion and data company YouGov, the audience for “The Joe Rogan Show” is 81% male.