Jack Black is canceling the rest of his Tenacious D tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass made a controversial statement about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
Gass, who comprises half of the satirical rock-comedy duo, sparked outrage when he was asked to make a wish for his 64th birthday during a Sunday show in Sydney. He apparently replied: “Don’t miss Trump next time,” referring to the Saturday shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
The Grammy winning band postponed a gig in Newcastle, New South Wales, on Tuesday in the wake of the controversy. Tenacious D — which developed a cult following in the late 1990s with a handful of short films that ran after episodes of “Mr. Show” — was scheduled to play additional shows in Australia and New Zealand this month before resuming its tour in the United States for a handful of shows in October.
Black said Tuesday that he was “blindsided” by what Gass said onstage on Sunday.
“I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” the “School of Rock” and “Super Mario Bros. Movie” star wrote on Instagram.
“After much reflection,” he continued, “I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold.”
Black also said that he’s “grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”
Gass, who has been an outspoken critic of the Trump family, on Tuesday also apologized for his remark.
“The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake,” he wrote on Instagram about an hour after Black’s statement was posted.
“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.”
