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Jack Black ends Tenacious D tour after bandmate’s Trump assassination joke
By Karl Quinn
Tenacious D, the musical-comedy duo featuring Jack Black and Kyle Gass, has cancelled the rest of their tour after the latter’s remarks about the assassination attempt on former US president Donald Trump.
While onstage at a concert in Sydney on Sunday, Gass was presented with a birthday cake and asked to “make a wish” by Black. Gass responded, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” The video of Gass was widely circulated on social media.
“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black said in a statement on Instagram on Tuesday. “After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”
Following Black’s statement, Gass apologised on Instagram.
“The line I improvised Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake,” he wrote. “I don’t condone violence in any kind, in any form, against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgment.”
The band’s Newcastle concert on Tuesday night was called off without explanation, leaving fans in the queue outside the Newcastle Entertainment Centre demanding answers and others fuming online about wasted airfare and accommodation expenses.
Kyle Gass and Jack Black of Tenacious D perform in 2022.Credit: AP
Tenacious D were due to play at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre on Thursday, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Saturday and the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Monday, before jetting to New Zealand for shows in Auckland and Wellington.
Earlier, Promoter Frontier Touring posted on social media about 3pm on Tuesday that the Newcastle leg of the Spicy Meatball Tour had been postponed, but offered no explanation.
“Frontier Touring regret to advise that Tenacious D’s concert tonight at Newcastle Entertainment Centre has been postponed,” the company posted. “Ticket holders are asked to hold onto their tickets until further information is available.”
When contacted by this masthead, Frontier declined to comment.
Though in keeping with the duo’s anti-authoritarian brand of stoner comedy, the seemingly off-the-cuff comment from Gass was met with an angry response by some on social media who have interpreted it as an expression of support for a would-be assassin.
Some commenters who profess to be fans have vowed to call time on their support of the band.
“I used to love @tenaciousd and thought Jack Black was funny,” wrote one on X. “None of them or their music/movies will ever be played in our home again. Ever. Sickening. Not funny and done in a foreign country is even worse.”
“Calling for the President to get shot again? Shame on you,” wrote another on the band’s Instagram. “I wholeheartedly supported Tenacious D for over 20 years. I am done.”
Controversial right-wing senator Ralph Babet, of the United Australia Party, was quick to denounce Gass’ gag, claiming it was “not a joke” and insisting he was “deadly serious when he wished for the death of the president”. (Former presidents retain that title in the US, though Babet also referred to Trump as “the 45th and soon-to-be 47th president of the United States”.)
“Anything less than deportation is an endorsement of the shooting and attempted assassination of Donald J Trump,” Babet said in a statement posted to social media on Tuesday.
With AP
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