Jack Black cancels tour after bandmate jokes about Trump rally shooting

Jack Black abruptly shelved the world tour for his comedy rock band Tenacious D on Tuesday, after bandmate Kyle Gass joked onstage about the assassination attempt on former president Donald Trump.

“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday,” Black wrote in an Instagram post shared Tuesday. “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,” he added, “and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”

During the Tenacious D show in Sydney on Sunday night, Gass was presented with a birthday cake by what appeared to be a robot, according to videos of the event posted to social media. When asked to make a wish, Gass blew out the candles and said, “Don’t miss Trump next time” - a reference to the lone gunman who opened fire at former president Trump at a Pennsylvania rally the previous day. The shooting left one person dead and multiple people injured, including Trump, who was seen with blood on his ear and face.

The Sydney crowd reacted with a mix of boos and cheers. Outside the venue, Black’s critics didn’t hold back.

Elon Musk called the joke “evil” on X, while Australian federal senator Ralph Babet called for the heavy rock band to be deported from his country and to have their visas revoked. “There is no place in Australia for those who wish for the assassination of others,” he wrote.

Early Tuesday morning, Frontier Touring, which is promoting the Tenacious D and the Spicy Meatball Tour, announced that the Tuesday show at the Newcastle Entertainment Center in Australia had been postponed. Black’s post about the tour’s cancellation came shortly after trade publications began reporting on the postponed show.

Gass also apologized for the incident on Tuesday, writing in an Instagram post, “The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake.

“I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone,” Gass added. “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.”

Before canceling the tour, Tenacious D was scheduled to perform several more Australian dates, as well as a pair of shows in New Zealand.

The band also has scheduled dates in the United States this fall for the Tenacious D: Rock D Vote Tour. Representatives for Tenacious D declined to comment beyond Black’s statement.

The attack has generated a wave of sympathy for the victims and well wishes for Trump, and even some of his fiercest critics have condemned the violence. Musk posted a full-on endorsement of the former president in the wake of the shooting, while Kid Rock aggressively aired his support for Trump. Jason Aldean dedicated a performance of “Try That in a Small Town” to Trump during a Nashville concert Saturday following the shooting, which took place in Butler, Pa., a town of roughly 13,000 people. President Biden called the attack “sick,” and his campaign quickly pulled down its political ads.

Especially in the early months of his presidency, Trump inspired several comedians and performers to fantasize about his death, or other personal tragedies. In 2017, comedian Kathy Griffin sparked outrage by posting a photo of herself holding a mask of Trump’s severed head. CNN subsequently fired Griffin as its New Year’s Eve co-host.

In his 2016 song “Bad Boy on Death Row,” Dave East rapped, “Donald Trump ain’t safe on my block, gotcha your wifey at IHOP.” The punk band Cabbage was a little more direct with its 2016 song “Free Steven Avery (Wrong America),” which features the chorus: “Death to Donald Trump/ Death to Donald Trump/ There’s something about politics in America.”

Eminem was paid a visit by the Secret Service, according to a report from BuzzFeed News, after his 2017 track “Framed” released with lyrics about Ivanka Trump turning up in the trunk of his car.

And the comedian Tim Heidecker released “Too Dumb For Suicide” the same year, with album art depicting Trump trying to shoot himself in the head with a blow dryer (or something like that). One track, “Trump’s Private Pilot,” imagined an aviator intentionally crashing into a field with Trump on board. The same song was covered by Father John Misty.

Trump-themed assassination humor seems to be much scarcer in the days since Saturday’s attack. On social media, some would-be comedians shared the cover of a 50 Cent album with Trump’s face imposed on top (joking about how Trump and the rapper both experienced shootings). 50 Cent himself later posted the album cover on X, then used it during a live performance, which fed unfounded rumors that the rapper would support Trump at this week’s Republican National Convention.