Podcasts are everywhere in 2024, and they’re about everything. Whether it’s a show delving deep into the Roman Empire or a step-by-step series on baking different tasty snacks, there’s something for everybody on the airwaves. Well, Tony Hinchcliffe has carved his own unique space in the comedy podcast community with his popular show, Kill Tony.
Hinchcliffe is best known for his roast-style comedy as seen on things like Netflix’s The Roast of Tom Brady. He pulls no punches with his jokes, which were on full display during former U.S. President Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden this month. So, what’s his show about, anyway?
Hinchcliffe has hosted Kill Tony since 2013. He spent years at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, before eventually moving the show in 2023 to Joe Rogan’s Comedy Mothership in Austin, Texas. Kill Tony has an unorthodox approach to traditional podcasting where there are typically a few people chatting about anything. It’s a live comedy show with a live audience.
Hinchcliffe sits on the stage with his producer, Brian Redban, and typically one or two guests. The guests range from other comedians, like Shane Gillis, to actors, musicians, and public figures, including Post Malone. There’s also the Kill Tony band.
One at a time, amateur comedians are pulled from a bucket. If their name is picked, they head on stage and deliver one minute of an uninterrupted set. Some crush and some fail in emphatic ways. Regardless, Hinchcliffe then interviews the up-and-coming comic while the others chime in. The podcast is inherently a roast-type show, and Hinchcliffe is an expert at picking fun at the willing participant. The show is also fueled by “dark humor” — the off-the-cuff edginess isn’t for everybody, to say the least.
Kill Tony frequently has recurring comics and guests. It’s one of the biggest shows in the space, and Hinchcliffe has taken it on the road and performed it live in front of sold-out crowds, everywhere from New York City to Vancouver, Canada. The audio and video-audio versions of Kill Tony rake in millions of fans a week. For example, Kill Tony No. 689 featuring Harland Williams and Adam Ray as Dr. Phil has already amassed one million views on YouTube. It was posted 17 hours before the time of this writing.
Hinchcliffe views Kill Tony as a sort of farming system for rookie comedians. Someone who has never performed a routine before can land on the show and deliver comedy to millions of potential fans. He has a system where he brings back a handful of comedians as Kill Tony regulars, helping them sharpen their comedic tool kit while being exposed to way more people than they would be without the show’s help. Names like Preacher Lawson jump-started their career on Kill Tony.
For years, Kill Tony was fairly underground. But, it’s clear that it has become one of the biggest podcasts in the space. In fact, Hinchcliffe was at Madison Square Garden earlier this year for a live two-part Kill Tony in front of a packed house. If people live in the Austin area or they plan to visit, tickets are sold for Kill Tony weekly. But, plan accordingly — it’s often sold out.