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Jack Black and Kyle Glass.
Jack Black has canceled his tour after controversy erupted when his bandmate was captured on viral video joking about former President Donald Trump being shot in an assassination attempt.
The video shows Black’s bandmate Kyle Gass telling the audience, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” The comment came after they sang Happy Birthday on stage. People in the audience laughed and applauded, and the video, which went viral on X, shows.
“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday,” Black wrote on his Instagram page on July 16. “I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.” He then revealed that he was canceling his tour.
The joke came the day after Trump revealed in a Truth Social post that he had been shot in the ear during the assassination attempt at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The FBI has named the gunman as Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, and confirmed that a spectator was killed and two others were critically wounded in the shooting.
Jack Black Wrote on Instagram That He Feels It’s Not Appropriate to Continue With His Tour
Black wrote that he decided to stop the tour.
“After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour and all future creative plans on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding,” he wrote.
According to BBC, Gass, who is part of Black’s “comedy rock group” made the comment on stage in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday, July 14. The comment came when Gass was asked “to make a wish after being presented with a cake for his 64th birthday,” BBC reported.
Despite Black’s comments, people on X wrote that he appeared to laugh in the video.
“Jack Black just canceled the rest of his Tenacious D tour after serious blowback from the violent rhetoric he allowed on stage following the J13 ass*ssin*tion attempt on President Trump,” wrote one person on X. “@jackblack could’ve done something when his band’s evil incident occurred but he didn’t.”
Another person wrote on X, “I’ll tell you what happened I find it disturbing that he had to wait for the backlash to condemn this. He doesn’t condemn it he just condemns it might cost him money.”
Jack Black’s Bandmate Kyle Gass Called the Comment a ‘Terrible Mistake’ After Controversy Erupted
GettyJack Black (L) and Kyle Glass of Tenacious D.
Gass also wrote a statement on Instagram after controversy erupted.
“The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous, and a terrible mistake,” he wrote.
“I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone. 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.”
Some people defended Gass on Instagram. “You are one of the BEST. An ally, no better friend. We know you don’t condone violence you’ve got a heart of gold,” one person wrote in the comments.
“Every single one of us has said something out of turn at some point in our lives. Let alone being on-stage celebrating our birthday in an exciting foreign land in front of a huge crowd,” wrote another.
Jessica McBride is a news, sports, and entertainment reporter covering breaking news, politics sports, entertainment, and crime for Heavy. She is a former reporter for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Waukesha Freeman newspapers in Wisconsin and is a senior journalism instructor at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. More about Jessica McBride
