Rock duo Tenacious D (Jack Black and Kyle Gass) are in crisis mode following backlash to a joke about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally over the weekend. “After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold,” Black wrote in a statement on Instagram.
The actor who stole the show as Bowser in last year’s hit Mario movie, as well as playing the sardonic robot Claptrap in this summer’s upcoming Borderlands adaptation, made the statement following a July 14 performance in Sydney, Australia as part of the current Tenacious D rock comedy tour. Gass, his longtime musical partner, was being presented with a birthday cake on stage as everyone sang. When asked to make a wish, Gass said, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” The crowd, including Black, broke out in laugher.
The comment was made just a day after a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, PA, killing one attendee, critically wounding two others, and appearing to graze the Republican presidential candidate’s right ear. Australian Senator Ralph Babet, an international backer of Trump’s, called on the country’s prime minister to deport Tenacious D as a result of Gass’ joke. The band was set to perform half a dozen more shows across Australia and New Zealand before Black announced they were cancelled today. The about-face has taken many fans by surprise given the duo’s penchant for speaking their minds and not holding back in the past.
Formed back in 1994, Tenacious D has been releasing new albums and performing live on and off for decades. The band performed its song “Video Games” at the Game Awards 10-year anniversary concert last year. The group has long been open about its politics, trashing President George W. Bush in the 2000s as “the worst fucking president in the history of time,” and performing their song “The Government Totally Sucks” in 2017 in protest of Trump. “Fuck that bullshit,” Black said about respecting the then newly inaugurated president. “He blew that with that racist fucking sexist, misogynistic, hateful campaign of his.” The Hollywood star went on to defend the 2017 performance against critics citing freedom of speech.
“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday,” Black wrote in his statement. “I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.” Gass issued a similar apology on Instagram. “The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake,” he wrote.” I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement.”
Black has been open about his support for President Joe Biden, and Tenacious D was set to hold a series of Rock the Vote concerts in battleground states in October leading up to the election. Following the failed assassination attempt, Biden delivered a national address condemning political violence and violent rhetoric, and had his political campaign temporarily halt its attack ads against Trump, who he’s called a threat to democracy.