Jack Black Cancels Tour; Tenacious D's Future In Jeopardy Over Kyle Gass's Birthday Wish

By Jen Maravegias | Politics | July 16, 2024 |

By Jen Maravegias | Politics | July 16, 2024 |

Tenacious D, the musical mayhem of Jack Black and Kyle Gass, celebrated Gass’ 64th birthday on Sunday during their concert in Sydney, Australia. According to Consequence Of Sound, the musician’s birthday wish was an ill-timed joke about any future assassination attempts on former president Trump being more successful.

The joke didn’t sit well with Australian Senator Ralph Babet (leader of Australia’s right-wing United Australia Party.) The Senator demanded that the band be deported and have their visas revoked. It was a move that would have ended the Australian/New Zealand leg of their tour if Jack Black hadn’t already canceled the rest of the tour himself over Gass’ comment.

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A post shared by Jack Black (@jackblack)

As a country, we’re in a precarious place (again!) Divided not only politically but even within our political tribes. MAGA vs Never Trumpers. Dems who are backing Biden vs those who are calling for him to resign. In that mix, there are folks who believe there’s absolutely no place in our country for political violence and no excuses to make jokes about it. Some believe the United States has always been a place of political violence perpetrated against marginalized people. Some think the Republican party has been responsible for the rise of violent political rhetoric and brought the assassination attempt that claimed the life of a bystander in the crowd on themselves.

It seems clear where Jack Black stands on the issue.

Kyle Gass posted an apology on social media. But it may be too late to save the US leg of the tour. The proceeds from the tour were to go to Rock The Vote, which would support voter registration efforts in five swing states.

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A post shared by Kyle Gass (@theactualkylegass)

The tour page on the Tenacious D website has not yet been updated to reflect the cancelation as of this writing.