Tenacious D members Kyle Gass and Jack Black have reconciled and will reunite, ending a hiatus that followed outrage over an onstage joke regarding an assassination attempt on former US President Donald Trump.
Background of the Controversy
During a July 2024 performance in Sydney, Australia, Jack Black made a birthday wish while blowing out candles on stage. Kyle Gass responded with, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” referencing a recent assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania.
This comment led to significant public backlash and media coverage globally. Australian Senator Ralph Babet called for the band's deportation. The controversy resulted in Gass and Black canceling their remaining Australian tour dates and announcing a halt to "all future creative plans."
Reconciliation and Reflections
In a recent interview, Gass confirmed that he and Black have "hashed it out," describing their relationship as similar to a marriage with "ups and downs." He stated that the band "will return."
Gass characterized his joke as "terrible judgment," acknowledging his naivety regarding its public reception despite viewing it as a "private moment" within a performance "bubble." He added, "If there was ever a ‘too soon,’ it was this," expressing regret for the timing. He described the public reaction as an "overwhelming" "tsunami," and noted that his 95-year-old mother was targeted as a result.
Statements and Fallout
Amid the initial controversy, Jack Black issued a social media statement saying he was "blindsided" by the comment and would "never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form."
Gass also apologized, stating his improvised line was "highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake" and that he did "not condone violence of any kind." Although his apology was later deleted, Gass clarified to Rolling Stone that he had not recanted it.
Gass explained that he and Black were dealing with the fallout in their "own camps," and he understood Black's need to "protect himself" from his "loose-cannon partner." Black had previously assured fans in August 2024 that the band would eventually return, stating, "Everybody takes a break sometimes."