Jack Black announced he’s cancelling the rest of the Tenacious D world tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass made a joke about the failed assassination of Donald Trump that left him “blindsided.”
The bandmates were performing in Sydney, Australia, Sunday night when a cake was brought out on stage to celebrate Gass’ birthday.
When Black asked Gass to make a wish and blow out the candle, Gass responded with, “Don’t miss Trump next time” — a reference to the assassination attempt of the former president at a Pennsylvania rally a day earlier — as the audience laughed.
While the show continued that night, Black issued a statement Tuesday, nixing the rest of the tour and pausing future work with Gass.
“I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black wrote. “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.”
Tenacious D was supposed to go on to perform further shows in New Zealand and Australia, as well as a series of “Rock D Vote” shows to benefit the nonpartisan organization Rock the Vote ahead of the U.S. presidential election.
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Australian senator Ralph Babet asked that the band be removed from the country in a statement posted to X Monday.
“To advocate and or wish for the assassination of a President is egregious, disgusting, filthy, evil, and not acceptable in any way, shape or form,” wrote Babet. “This was not a joke, he was deadly serious when he wished for the death of the President.”
“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 continued.
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“Anything less than a deportation is an endorsement of the shooting and the attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump,” he said.
Gass apologized for the comment on Instagram, saying it was a “severe lack of judgement.”
He wrote: “The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake.
“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. I profoundly apologize to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.”
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