Getty Image
Earlier this summer, Jack Black — seemingly unilaterally — made the decision to cancel the rest of Tenacious D’s summer tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass made a joke about the failed assassination attempt against convicted felon and former President Donald Trump.
Jack Black’s decision earned him heavy criticism from fans of both his movies and his music, as many believed he threw his longtime friend and collaborator under the bus for something that wasn’t even a big story until he made it one.
Speaking at the premiere of Eli Roth’s surely disastrous Borderlands movie, Black addressed his decision, claiming that they haven’t broken up but needed a break.
“We need to take a break. Everybody needs a break sometime. And we’ll be back,” Black told Variety. “We’re friends. That hasn’t changed. These things take time sometimes… And we’ll be back when it feels right.”
“Look what I wore today: I wore the Pick of Destiny,” Black said. “I love Tenacious D. It’s probably my favorite job, if you can call it that. It’s a work of art, it’s my baby.”
The joke at the heart of Tenacious D’s indefinite hiatus came on Sunday, August 14, while the band was playing a show in Australia. Gass — whose birthday is July 14 — was presented a birthday cake by Jack Black while on stage. Black asked Gass to make a wish, prompting him to say “Don’t miss Trump next time,” referencing the failed attempt on his life that occurred the day before.
Black addressed the incident in a statement on Instagram, throwing Gass under the bus by saying he was “blindsided” and that all future creative plans the band had were being put on hold.
“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. 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.”
While Gass also posted an apology to Instagram, he deleted it shortly thereafter.