Jack Black apologizes, calls off tour after Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass makes Trump shooting joke

[Samori Toure]

Jack Black, the band's lead singer, apologized for his bandmate's comment.

ByMark Osborne
July 16, 2024

Tenacious D, the band led by actor Jack Black, is calling off its tour and putting "all future creative plans on hold" after band member Kyle Gass made a joke about the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump on Saturday.

Gass joked, "Don't miss Trump next time," on stage during a show on the Australia leg of their tour in Sydney after he was told to make a wish while blowing out candles on a birthday cake.

Black said on Instagram Tuesday morning he 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 wrote on social media. "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."

Black formed Tenacious D alongside Gass after the two young comedic actors met in Los Angeles in the 1990s. They released their self-titled debut album in September 2001, just after Black's breakout role in the cult classic film "High Fidelity."

The debut album went platinum in the U.S. and U.K. The group released the movie "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny" in 2006.

The group released three more albums after their debut: "The Pick of Destiny" (2006), "Rize of the Fenix" (2012) and "Post-Apocalypto" (2018).

Tenacious D had five more shows in Australia and New Zealand before returning to the U.S. for five shows in Ohio, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania.

Black is a big supporter of President Joe Biden and has taken part in fundraisers for the current president.

Australian Sen. Ralph Babet, a fervent Trump supporter, even pushed Tuesday for the prime minister to deport Black and Gass after the comment.

"I call on the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese to join me in denouncing Tenacious D, Jack Black and band member Kyle Gass, and I call on the immigration Minister Andrew Giles to revoke their visas and deport them immediately," Babet wrote in a letter.

Jack Black apologizes, calls off tour after Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass makes Trump shooting joke

Tenacious D, the band led by Jack Black, is calling off its tour and putting "all future creative plans on hold" after Kyle Gass joked about Donald Trump being shot.

abcnews.go.com

 

[RamsayBolton]

a trump crazy probably would have and still might clap back at those dudes

edit: they need to stop calling it political violence tho. it was attempted teamkilling. what you dont support is team killing.

 

[Dchris14]

I get that Jack Black has stuff like the Mario movie and other things to protect, but how quick he moved to just throw a 30 year friendship under the bus feels very lame and out of character.

 

[Doobie Doo]

I get that Jack Black has stuff like the Mario movie and other things to protect, but how quick he moved to just throw a 30 year friendship under the bus feels very lame and out of character.

Who said they were falling out? Dude did some dumb shyt that put a spotlight on his much more popular homeboy and Jack has to damage control to save both their careers.

 

[2 one 3]

I fukks with Mr. Schneeblee

 

[Matt504]

I get that Jack Black has stuff like the Mario movie and other things to protect, but how quick he moved to just throw a 30 year friendship under the bus feels very lame and out of character.

His friend of 30 years said something that could literally get both of them killed by some zealot. The financial concerns while valid, pale in comparison.

 

[Dchris14]

Who said they were falling out? Dude did some dumb shyt that put a spotlight on his much more popular homeboy and Jack has to damage control to save both their careers.

Fair actually, I may have misinterpreted what it meant for them. It absolutely was a dumb comment and if this is just them laying low for a bit to avoid the heat then I can understand it. Would be wild if this was just it for the band, but the implications of what was said definitely require damage control

 

[Luke Cage]

I get that Jack Black has stuff like the Mario movie and other things to protect, but how quick he moved to just throw a 30 year friendship under the bus feels very lame and out of character.

Nah,
Seth Rogan refusing to do anymore movies with his longtime friend and partner James Franco because he got in trouble with some shyt that had nothing to do with Seth, was lame imo. He essentially cancelled his homie. Should've supported his rehabilitation and while making a point to show he did not approve of his behaviour.
But this is just damage control. If he decided that tenacious D is done after this, and will no longer work together, than that would be lame.

 

[Fiji Water]

Smart move but I would have fukked with it either way. One of the side effects of the fame game is social responsibility and condoning violence is never pretty or good for your image. Let alone your spirit.

Ahem...

However...

What's wrong with what he said? Trump has said way worse.

 

[FukkaPaidEmail]

How jack wrong ?

Buddy crashed out and said something that coulda had them both in a jam .

 

[VertigoKnight]

Like him or not making jokes about a presidential candidate getting shot so close to the event is not a good look. Especially in the social media age. Even though Trump would have no qualms of saying something similar or worse.

But Trump is a pos, nobody should try and be like him

fact of the mattter is we all know Jack Black even though he didn't say anything would take the brunt of the heat for this.

 

[Samori Toure]

Like him or not making jokes about a presidential candidate getting shot so close to the event is not a good look. Especially in the social media age. Even though Trump would have no qualms of saying something similar or worse.

But Trump is a pos, nobody should try and be like him

fact of the mattter is we all know Jack Black even though he didn't say anything would take the brunt of the heat for this.

Dump makes jokes about people misfortune all the time. Remember what he said about Paul Pelosi?

 

[RageKage]

My man

 

[Roger king]

When a right wing goon broke into nancy pelosi house looking for her to murder and smashed her husbands skull with a hammer injuring him severely, trump joked about it, his sons posted memes about it, it was a running joke in republican and conservative circles. Never let these devils gaslight you, they love violence and blood shed when its used against their opponents and people who oppose their fascist white supremacist agenda. Recall that trump supporter that sent pipe bombs to obama house and other democrats? This is a pattern, trump and the republicans are responsible for the violence in politics

 

[Geek Nasty]

Who said they were falling out? Dude did some dumb shyt that put a spotlight on his much more popular homeboy and Jack has to damage control to save both their careers.

Yep this is easily the smart move. Lay low and let the drama blow over. Damn we live in the social media cancel culture era brehs need to learn this lesson and protect yourselves.

Your homeboy can be mad for a couple months or be unemployed