Jack Black, the actor and comedian, has decided to halt of his comedic rock band, Tenacious D, following a controversial comment made by his bandmate, Kyle Gass. The comment, which referenced a failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, was made during a concert in Sydney, Australia. Black took to Instagram on Tuesday to express his shock and disapproval of the comment, stating that he does not support hate speech or political violence in any form.
Black’s Instagram post read, “I was taken aback by the comment made at Sunday’s show. I would never endorse hate speech or incite political violence in any form. After much thought, I no longer believe it is suitable to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am thankful fans for their support and understanding.”
The incident occurred during a concert in Sydney, where a video shows Black singing “Happy Birthday” to Gass on stage as a birthday cake is presented to him. Black then tells Gass to “make.” Gass waits a few seconds before saying, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” before blowing out the candles. Black responds, “Thank you!”
The audience’s reaction was primarily laughter and applause, according to one clip. One noted, “You could hear a few ‘oohhs’ — like ‘too soon’ sort of vibes — but the majority was laughter.” Some fans praised Gass’ comment, while others criticized it as a “bad joke.”
However, the comments under the video, which was posted online, were largely negative. One user wrote, “That’s disgusting @jackblack you support assassination attempts?” Another user commented, “This is too far. I hope he apologizes.”
The controversy even reached political levels, with an Australian senator calling for the deportation of Tenacious D, as reported by Deadline. The band had another week of concerts in Australia and were scheduled to travel to New Zealand. They were also set to embark on a U.S. tour in October.
Black, known for his support of the Democrats, had previously endorsed President Biden. At a fundraiser in June, he expressed his support for the incumbent, stating, “When the president wins in November — yeah! — I’m pretty sure I’m going to get a sweet shoutout in his victory speech for what I gave up to be here. Because when democracy is at stake, Jack Black answers the call. Mr. President, you’re welcome.”