Kyle Gass sparked an outcry with a comment on stage about the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Jack Black announced on Instagram that he's cancelled the rest of the Tenacious D world tour and placed future projects on hiatus.
This happened after his bandmate Kyle Gass sparked controversy by commenting on the recent Donald Trump assassination attempt.
At their recent Sydney show, Kyle Gass was given a birthday cake and asked to make a wish for his 64th birthday, to which he said "Don't miss Trump next time."
In his later statement, Black said he was "blindsided" by his bandmate's comment and condemned any calls for political violence.
Thankfully, it's not the commentary I was afraid he'd offered. JB sounds spineless in this, it was a joke and an honest expression of the very real existential fear people feel towards Trump rule.
I fucking hate this. Trump gets on mic everyday to wish death on some innocent groups of people but we're fucking forbidden from joking about it towards him?
Edit: I hope everyone who downvotes me gets very peacefully and nonviolently re-educated.
I feel like I'm through the fucking looking glass. Trump has called for violence on many individuals/groups, led a goddamn insurrection in which people died, and will certainly be responsible for more bloodshed elected or not, but we're supposed to play this stupid as decency game because he was shot? I lost all respect for Jack Black today. Must be nice to afford this decency bullshit. He won't be put in a camp if these fascists succeed.
Jack Black is trying to use his massive A-list star power to get Biden elected, something that will actually help people. Kyle Gass made an offhanded joke that could jeopardize that. So Jack Black needs to distance himself, and I'll bet you money Kyle Gass agrees with him.
It's an impossible situation to be in, but I kind of agree with Jack Black's move on this. He can do more good as a Hollywood A-lister for Biden than he can as an "edgy" rock star with a guy nobody's ever heard of.
No matter our politics, hopefully we can all agree with JB about not wanting to get shot by reactionary Christofascist radicals. I assume Black and Gass's politics are pretty well aligned with each other, and Gass didn't say anything a lot of people aren't also feeling. But you can't say that shit on stage in front of thousands of amped up fans. --not because it's wrong to say or because it's not politically correct or even because it's controversial. You can't say that shit because some of the people in the audience are unhinged and have already been radicalized by the Right.
Take a stand for the First Amendment, and take a stand against censorship, sure--but while you're standing, be prepared to duck.
I don't blame any public figure for not wanting to expose themselves to an outsized risk of violence. That risk is largely Trump's fault, but notice how I'm blaming him from somewhere other than an elevated, well lit platform in front of a room full of strangers on drugs.
As somebody with experience being on tour and playing shows every night and having a mic in front of you. Maybe a little toasted on stage as well. You tend to say things that you normally wouldn't. High energy, adrenaline, trying to keep the crowd entertained and think on your toes. You can say things right as they come to you without full consideration.
Jack is a Coward. I stand with Kyle. Remember, whenever someone calls for violence, that the head of project 25 said "We are in the midst of a second American revolution., which will remain bloodless, should the left choose it to be."
That sucks, I hadn't had the chance to see them before, but I got tickets for a show they're having near me in a few months. I guess I need to see what getting a refund looks like.
Don't you see? He's the man! Let me hear you applaud! He is more than a man, he's a shiny golden god! ...
He. Is going. To kick your fucking ass! And! You know, his name is Kyle Gass! Rocking and fucking rolling and fucking rocking and fucking rolling and fucking (Jack Black scatting noises)
Most of the western world fought back against the Nazis in WWII for the very reason that fascism is deeply hostile to a healthy democracy and a free society.
Kyle was right: we didn’t teach our soldiers to miss back then, so there is no excuse to miss now.