SYDNEY, AUS (vip-booking) – All remaining dates on Tenacious D’s Spicy Meatball Tour and all future creative projects involving the comedy rock duo have been canceled.
Jack Black announced the decision on social media following an incident during their recent performance in Sydney, Australia, where Kyle Gass made a controversial on-stage comment.
During the show, Gass made a birthday wish, saying, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. While some audience members laughed, the comment sparked outrage, particularly among right-wing politicians in Australia, who called for Gass’ deportation.
Black expressed his dismay over the remark, stating, “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.” In his Instagram post on Tuesday morning, Black added, “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.”
In a separate statement, Gass apologized for his improvised comment, calling it “highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake.” He emphasized, “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.”
Tenacious D’s tour promoter, Frontier Touring, had already postponed their scheduled performance at the Newcastle Entertainment Centre on Tuesday (July 16) before Black’s statement. The duo was slated to tour Australia and New Zealand until July 26, and they had recently announced a five-show run in partnership with Rock the Vote leading up to the U.S. presidential election.
