Sydney, Australia – Actor and comedian Jack Black has made the decision to put a halt to his comedic rock band, Tenacious D, following a contentious remark made by his bandmate Kyle Gass. The remark, which alluded to a failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, occurred during a concert in Sydney. Black took to Instagram on Tuesday to express his surprise and disapproval of the comment, making it clear that he does not support hate speech or political violence in any form.
In an Instagram post, Black stated, “The comment made at Sunday’s show took me aback. I would never endorse hate speech or incite political violence in any form. After careful consideration, I no longer believe it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful for the support and understanding from our fans.”
During the Sydney concert, a video captured the moment when Black was singing “Happy Birthday” to Gass on stage, as a birthday cake was presented to him. Black then prompted Gass to “make a wish.” After a brief pause, Gass remarked, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” before blowing out the candles. Black responded with a grateful, “Thank you!”
Although most of the audience reacted with laughter and applause, some expressed disapproval with a few “oohhs,” suggesting that it may have been a “too soon” type of joke. The majority, however, found it humorous. The video of the incident was shared online, where it garnered mostly negative feedback. Many users criticized Gass’ comment, with one wondering if Black supported assassination attempts, while another called for an apology.
The controversy surrounding the comment even reached the political sphere, with an Australian senator advocating for the deportation of Tenacious D, according to Deadline reports. The band had planned to continue their tour in Australia for another week before heading to New Zealand. Furthermore, they were slated to embark on a U.S. tour in October.
Black, a known supporter of the Democrats, had previously endorsed President Biden.
It remains to be seen how the controversy will impact Tenacious D’s future plans, but for now, the comedic rock band has pressed pause on their tour.