Tenacious D fans are completely stunned by the shock that the band members, good friends and bandmates Jack Black and Kyle Gass, caused.
The comedy duo had been touring Australia with their Spicy Meatball tour, but shockingly cancelled their final six shows after Gass made a divisive joke about the Donald Trump shooting.
Gass caused controversy at Sydney’s ICC Theatre on Sunday when Black brought him a birthday cake and asked him to make a wish. The singer replied: “Don’t miss Trump next time.”
The comment was a reference to the shooting in which 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks missed Trump’s head and pierced his ear, killing a spectator at a campaign rally at the Butler Farm Showgrounds in Pennsylvania.
Following backlash over the comment, the duo postponed their Newcastle concert on Tuesday. Black subsequently condemned his bandmate’s remarks and cancelled the remainder of their Australasian tour.
Black’s abrupt decision and blunt statement have left fans stunned, as he effectively ended his long-running 30-year relationship with Gass by announcing that “all future creative plans” were “on hold.”
Confused fans took to social media to wonder if there was ‘more to it’ after Black’s ‘extreme’ decision to end their partnership over the comment, despite them having been friends since the ’80s.
“There HAS to be more to this Tenacious D thing. You don’t end a relationship like that and ruin your crew’s lives over a joke. Like what is tea?” wrote one fan on X – formerly known as Twitter.
Tenacious D fans are completely stunned by the shock that band members Jack Black and Kyle Gass caused.
Another said: ‘From what Jack Black said, I think this goes beyond just public opinion. It’s a Persistent D story bow.’
A third commented: ‘Is Tenacious D getting ‘cancelled’ by the mafia, or is Jack Black pulling the plug himself because he doesn’t want to deal with the negative attention/fallout?’
A fourth wrote: ‘Jack Black is the Persistent D precipitation stopping the tour stuff a joke or what? You can’t be that sensitive in the comedy industry, and show business? One joke can’t stop the D?’
‘The Persistent D precipitation “Feels a bit extreme don’t we think,” a fifth tweeted, while another added: “Jack Black being afraid of upsetting white people wasn’t on my wish list.”
Other fans also specifically criticized Hollywood actor Black for his decision, calling him a “coward” for turning against Gass during the controversy.
“I find Jack Black attacking Kyle Gass really annoying. I need to take a long walk,” one person wrote.
“You’re mad at Jack Black for what Kyle Gass said. I’m mad at Jack Black for turning his back on a 30 year partnership to maintain his celebrity status,” another responded.
Another unimpressed fan said: ‘Not Jack Black throwing Kyle Gass under the bus for making a joke about Trump. What an absolute coward.’
“Jack Black should not be praised. Kyle Gass was the sacrificial lamb,” wrote another.
Black cancelled their Australian tour and slammed Gass (both pictured in September) after his bandmate caused controversy with a divisive onstage joke about Donald Trump
Confused fans wondered if there was ‘more to it’ after Black’s ‘extreme’ decision to end their partnership over the comment, despite them being friends since the ’80s
On Tuesday, Black distanced himself from Gass in a blunt statement, condemning his friend’s Trump joke and canceling the remainder of Tenacious D’s Australia and New Zealand tour.
He told Ny Breaking Australia: ‘I was surprised by what was said on the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.
“After much consideration, 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.”
Black’s decision comes just a month after he delivered a speech at a popular Los Angeles fundraiser for President Joe Biden in which he said “democracy was at stake” in the November election.
Less than an hour after Black’s statement, Gass apologized on his own Instagram, describing his joke as “inappropriate” and a “terrible mistake.”
He wrote: ‘The sentence I improvised on stage [on] Sunday night was a very inappropriate, dangerous and terrible mistake.
“I do not condone violence in any form against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I sincerely apologize for my serious lack of judgment.
“I sincerely apologize to those I have let down and I am truly sorry for any pain I have caused.”
Black simply liked Gass’ apology message, in what seemed like a small gesture of support for his longtime friend and bandmate after his own blunt statement.
Gass’ onstage joke referenced the attempted assassination of Trump at a rally in Milwaukee, Pennsylvania, in which Trump’s right ear was pierced and an audience member was killed
All six remaining shows were cancelled after Frontier Touring confirmed three hours before opening that Tuesday’s show in Newcastle had been called off.
The comedy duo were not scheduled to wrap up their Spicy Meatball Tour until July 26. Fans are outraged by the sudden cancellation, as tickets are due to be refunded.
The implosion of the Australian tour comes after Gass and Black were widely criticized in Australia for a divisive joke about the Trump shooting, with some local politicians reacting strongly to the comment.
Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who is now Australia’s ambassador to the United States, claimed the joke made him “physically ill”.
Meanwhile, Senator Ralph Babet, a staunch Trump supporter, called for Tenacious D to be deported from Australia over Gass’s comment.
Radio presenter Kyle Sandilands has also banned Tenacious D from his radio show for life following the comment.