According to Front Office Sports sources, a recent pro-Trump rally that saw an appearance from comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who endorsed the presidential candidate and delivered a series of tasteless jokes, has triggered an internal response by DraftKings, with the company now reevaluating its collaboration with its ambassador.
DraftKings Begins Erasing Ties with Ambassador – No Final Decision
Although it seldom pays off to bring politics into business, DraftKings may find the appearance of Hinchcliffe at the Trump rally as a redline that should not have been crossed. Yet, the company is not necessarily taking issue with Hinchcliffe’s political preferences, as it is with the fact that the comedian’s routine involved “racist jokes” meant to appeal to his audience.
Front Office Sports has confirmed with its sources that Hinchcliffe’s future with the company is now being reviewed. Hinchcliffe’s jokes were indeed harsh, likening Puerto Rico to a “floating island of garbage” and similarly suggesting that people of Latin American origin were only good for making babies.
They “love making babies,” Hinchcliffe explained to an enraptured crowd. Hinchcliffe however has been adamant in his defense of his comedy bit. He acknowledged that taken out of context, the jokes might have looked bad, but then again – he insisted that people should watch his entire performance and make up their own minds.
He did make fun of “everyone,” the comedian insisted. However, another outlet – The Bulwark said that Hinchcliffe had reportedly intended to call Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party nominee for the White House, the c-word. The draft was reviewed by the Trump campaign, however, and the joke was found to be crude to the credit of the Republican nominee’s campaign managers.
Hinchcliffe’s Views Not Those of DraftKings’
DraftKings may be only considering severing ties as of right now, but there are already signs that a rapture may be inevitable after all. For starters, previous social media activations and promotional messages were removed from the operator’s accounts.
If anything, DraftKings has made it official that it has taken some issue with the jokes that Hinchcliffe said during the rally. “The commentary made by Tony Hinchcliffe does not reflect the views of DraftKings,” the company said in a statement.
Hinchcliffe may have adjusted his jokes to play to an audience, but so is DraftKings.