Comedy rock duo Tenacious D, comprised of Jack Black and Kyle Gass, are facing significant backlash after a controversial joke made by Gass during a recent performance. The comment, made just hours after an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, has led to professional repercussions for Gass.
On Sunday, July 14 (Australia time), Tenacious D performed at the ICC Sydney Theatre in Australia. The show coincided with Gass’s 64th birthday, and Black celebrated by presenting his bandmate with a cake on stage. In a video shared on TikTok, Black can be heard saying, “Make a wish,” as Gass blew out the candles. Gass then joked, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” referring to the earlier assassination attempt on Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The joke was met with mixed reactions from the audience. However, the response on social media was overwhelmingly negative. Numerous users condemned Gass’s remark as being in poor taste. One person commented on TikTok, “Promoting murder of a political figure is disgusting.” Another wrote, “So sorry we have such disappointment and disrespect for anyone’s life and family. What if it had been your family member shot at?” a third stated, “Not funny.”
In the aftermath of the incident, Gass’s talent agency, Greene Talent, dropped him as a client. The agency’s head, Michael Greene confirmed that he no longer represents the musician. Jack Black, expressed his shock and disappointment. “The comment blindsided me,” Black said in a statement. “All future creative plans for Tenacious D are on hold. I do not condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.”
Gass issued an apology, acknowledging the gravity of his mistake. “I profoundly apologize to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused,” he wrote on social media. “The remark was highly inappropriate, dangerous, and a terrible mistake. I do not condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone.”
The fallout extended beyond social media and professional repercussions. Tenacious D and their Australasian tour producer, Frontier Touring, announced the cancellation of six upcoming shows. Whether the duo will continue their scheduled performances in the United States later this year remains uncertain.
Australian political figures also weighed in on the controversy. Senator Ralph Babet of the United Australia Party called for Tenacious D to be deported. “Anything less than deportation is an endorsement of the shooting and attempted assassination of Trump,” Babet stated. Former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd echoed similar sentiments, expressing that the joke made him “physically sick” and that the band should “grow up and find a decent job.”
The shooting incident itself has been the subject of intense investigation. On the same day as Tenacious D’s performance, former President Donald Trump was speaking at a political rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at him. Crooks fired eight shots, killing one person in the crowd and injuring at least two others, including Trump before a Secret Service sniper killed the shooter.
In an interview with the media, Trump reflected on the incident, saying, “The doctor said he had never encountered anything like this before; he described it as a miracle. According to him, I shouldn’t be alive; I should be dead.”
The FBI is currently investigating the shooting as a possible act of domestic terrorism. Crooks, a registered Republican and recent high school graduate, had no known foreign terrorism ties or significant mental health issues. Authorities are still trying to determine his motive.
Amid the turmoil, Tenacious D’s future remains uncertain. Fans are divided, with some criticizing the backlash as an overreaction and others condemning the joke as inappropriate.