On Tuesday, Jack Black broke his silence on the comments made by Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass during their show in Sydney, Australia on Sunday. Just hours after a gunman attempted to assassinate Donald Trump, lead guitarist and birthday boy Kyle Gass was asked to make a "wish," and told the audience he wanted to see the former president killed.
In a post on Instagram which has since received over 200,000 likes, Black said he was "blindsided" by the incident, and condemned the violent comment. He also noted that he had since decided to put the tour, and future projects with Gass, on hold.
"I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday," he wrote. "I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form. 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."
As the New York Post reports, following the show in Sydney, Australian Senator Ralph Babet called for the duo to be "deported immediately" over the comment. "I condemn in the strongest possible way the call to political violence by Tenacious D in Sydney," he said. "To advocate or wish for the assassination of a president is egregious, disgusting, filthy, evil, and not acceptable in any way, shape, or form." Babet claimed Gass had been "deadly serious," and that "anything less than deportation is an endorsement of the shooting and attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump."
After singing Happy Birthday, Black asked Gass to make a wish, at which point he paused, then uttered, "Don't miss Trump next time." Cheers could be heard erupting from the stands, though some members of the audience appeared to be taken aback. Black said into the microphone after the comment "thank you."
His comments were widely criticized on social media, with many suggesting his joke was in bad taste. Some criticized Black for having gone along with it and failing to push back.
"I used to love [Tenacious D] and thought Jack Black was funny," Dana Loesch's husband, Chris, wrote. "None of them or their music/movies will ever be played in our home again. Ever. Sickening. Not funny and done in a foreign country is even worse. If you think it's OK, unfollow and block me."
"Jack laughed and endorsed it and he's the more well known figure," Loesch added. "He should have condemned it."
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