‘Don’t Miss Trump Next Time’: Jack Black Cancels Tour After Being ‘Blindsided’ by Bandmate’s Assassination Joke

‘I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,’ Jack Black now says.

Amy Harris/Invision/AP
Kyle Gass, left, and Jack Black of Tenacious D perform at the Louder Than Life Music Festival. Amy Harris/Invision/AP

Jack Black’s comedy rock band, Tenacious D, is canceling its tour after one of its members made an assassination joke about President Trump shortly after Mr. Trump survived a shooting at a rally over the weekend.

“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday,” Mr. Black wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday. “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.”

The cancellation comes after the band had a concert in Sydney, Australia on Sunday, where Mr. Black asked his bandmate, Kyle Gass, to make a birthday wish.

“Don’t miss Trump next time,” Mr. Gass replied, to which the audience appeared to go wild with applause, laughter, and cheering. The comments came just hours after Mr. Trump was shot in the ear during an assassination attempt at a Butler, Pennsylvania rally. A former fire chief and father, 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, was killed by the shooter — and two other attendees were critically injured. 

Mr. Gass also said on Tuesday that he didn’t “condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone,” in an apology for his remarks on Instagram. 

“The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake,” he wrote. “What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgment. I profoundly apologize to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.” 

Mr. Gass’ remarks sparked international outrage, with one Australian politician calling for him to be immediately deported. “Anything less than deportation is an endorsement of the shooting and attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump, the 45th and soon-to-be 47th President of the United States,” Australian senator Ralph Babet said in a statement. 

Elon Musk called the comments “ contemptible,” while others on X called the bandmate’s remarks “evil and sick.”


The New York Sun

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