Jack Black, actor and frontman of the rock band Tenacious D, has decided to cancel the band’s upcoming tour following a controversial comment made by his bandmate, Kyle Gass, about the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
The remark was made during a Tenacious D concert in Sydney, Australia, where Gass, celebrating his birthday, responded to Black’s invitation to make a wish over a cake by saying, “Don’t miss Trump next time.”
A viral video shows the statement drawing applause from the crowd, with Black thanking them in return.
The Tenacious D concert took place one day after Trump narrowly escaped an attempt on his life at a rally in Pennsylvania. The shooter shot Trump in the ear, killed a 50-year-old retired fire chief, and wounded two other innocent bystanders, as previously covered by The Dallas Express.
Gass’ comment quickly sparked outrage across social media platforms, prompting both Black and Gass to issue public apologies. In a statement, which was shared on Instagram, Black expressed dismay over the incident and disavowed any support for hate speech or political violence.
“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black said. “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.”
Gass acknowledged the recklessness of his comment in his own statement, describing it as a “terrible mistake” and expressing regret for any harm caused.
“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,” Gass said.
Black, known primarily as a comedic actor, has been vocal about his support for President Joe Biden. He recently participated in a high-profile fundraiser in Los Angeles for the Democratic candidate, which reportedly raised $30 million for the 81-year-old’s re-election campaign, according to Fox News.
The fallout from Gass’ remark has not only led to tour cancellations but has also sparked broader discussions on the boundaries of free speech and the responsibilities of public figures in today’s politically charged climate.
Both presidential candidates have been accused of using potentially dangerous or violent rhetoric throughout the campaign, a practice that has drawn intense scrutiny after Saturday’s assassination attempt.
Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a New York University history professor, referred to the 2016 Trump campaign as “a watershed in terms of the beginning of a systematic attempt by Trump and people around him to shift our political culture from a democracy to an authoritarian one. And what that meant was, he was speaking about violence as something positive.”
Biden has recently been the target of scrutiny, as evident in an interview published earlier this week by NBC News. In it, he was asked about a comment he made that some have criticized as violent rhetoric.
In a recent private call with donors detailed in Politico, Biden asserted, “I have one job, and that’s to beat Donald Trump. I’m absolutely certain I’m the best person to be able to do that. So, we’re done talking about the debate. It’s time to put Trump in a bullseye.”
Biden claimed that using the word “bullseye” was a “mistake” and only a figure of speech.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, a source on the call described Biden’s strategy of aggressive confrontation against Trump as “attack, attack, attack.”