Jack Black has taken a break from rock duo Tenacious D after bandmate Kyle Gass made onstage comments that seemed to support the assassination of President Donald Trump.
Gass was celebrating his birthday during a concert in Sydney on Sunday and was presented with a cake onstage. As he blew out the candles, Black asked Gass to make a wish, to which Gass replied, to laughter from the audience, “Just make sure you don’t miss Trump next time,” a reference to the assassination attempt by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks at a Trump rally the previous day.
Black went ahead with the concert following Gass’ comments but has now released a statement.
I was surprised by what was said at Sunday’s show. I do not condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form. After careful consideration, I do not feel it is appropriate for Tenacious D to continue touring, and all future creative plans have been put on hold. I thank my fans for their support and understanding.
Tenacious D were scheduled to play four more shows in Australia before heading to New Zealand.
Australian senator Ralph Babette called for the band to be deported on Tuesday, saying: “I call on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to join me in condemning Tenacious D, Jack Black and band member Kyle Gass, and I call on Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to revoke their visas and deport them immediately. Any action short of deportation would be an endorsement of the shooting and attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump.”
While Tenacious D has been fusing comedy and classic rock for over three decades, Black and Gass’ creative partnership goes back even further, dating back to the mid-1980s when they were both performers with the Actors Gang theater troupe. The two began writing songs together and played their debut show in 1994, earning much love from the rock bands they were somewhat satirizing, opening for Tool, Foo Fighters, and more.
The crossover into television was short-lived, but once Black’s acting career took off, the band signed with a major label and released their self-titled debut album in 2001. The album went on to go platinum in the US (and 2x platinum in the UK), and their second album, The Pick of Destiny, was paired with the film Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, and the band released two more studio albums. 2012’s Rise of the Fenix was their biggest chart hit, reaching number two in the UK and number four in the US.
Ahead of their Australian tour, Tenacious D played arenas across the UK earlier this year. Dave Simpson of The Guardian gave the Manchester show a four star review, calling it “a parody of rock shows, but a great rock show in its own right.”
The Guardian has contacted a representative for Tenacious D for comment from Gass.
