The Controversy That Caused Tenacious D To Take A Break Explained

In the wake of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, plenty of folks have been mouthing off online, while others have been advising caution and respect — not the least for those who were injured and actually died from the attempt. Unfortunately for music, comedy, and general societal happiness, rock duo Tenacious D have gotten roped into the mix. During a show in Sydney, Australia less than 24 hours after Trump got shot in the ear, Kyle Gass — one half of Tenacious D along with comedian Jack Black — made a birthday wish into his mic onstage, as ABC News shows: "Don't miss Trump next time." The thing is, it's precisely because the shooter missed that volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore got hit by a bullet and died when he dove onto his family to protect them. 

No matter Tenacious D's musical cred, no matter Jack Black's celebrity, no matter that the band was in the middle of their Spicy Meatball Tour: Retribution came swiftly. Gass' talent agency dropped him on the spot, saying to Rolling Stone via email simply, "We have parted ways after what happened in Sydney. Thank you." Gass was quick to jump on Instagram and apologize, and Black was equally quick to jump on Instagram to express surprise and sadness at the whole thing. He also canned the band's current tour and said that "all future creative plans are on hold." Thus ends, at least for now, the epic musical journeys of the "greatest band on Earth."

Kyle Gass and Jack Black met way back in 1989 at the Edinburgh Fringe musical festival. Even though they initially didn't get along because Gass found Black intimidating, they wound up working together and sharing their musical and theatrical talents. Tenacious D — aka, "The D" — and it's silly, bombastic, often juvenile "mock rock" stylings were born from this fusion. Over 30 years the two made crass genitalia jokes, gags about Satan and sexual prowess, did the most gloriously bananas music videos like 2001's "Tribute," and more. And now? All it took was five impetuous words to break the whole venture.

As the clip of the incident on ABC News shows, Jack Black escorted a robot-looking dude carrying a cake with candles to Gass onstage because it really was Gass' birthday. Black sang the "Happy Birthday" song to Gass, who blew out the candles and made the wish that crippled his career. On Instagram Gass framed the gaffe as botched improv comedy, calling the decision a "highly inappropriate, dangerous, and terrible mistake." He said he was "incredibly sorry for [his] severe lack of judgement" and that he "profoundly apologize[s]" to anyone he's harmed. 

Nonetheless, Gass now faces consequences. Aside from general online condemnation, NME explains that Australian Senator Ralph Babet called for Tenacious D's immediate deportation from the country. "To advocate and or wish for the assassination of a President is egregious, disgusting, filthy, evil," he wrote in a letter, "and not acceptable in any way, shape or form." 

If said in private, Kyle Gass' words might have gotten nothing more than a "Dude, that's messed up" from Jack Black or anyone else, and maybe caused a little dust-up. But when things turn public they get complicated, and words carry far weightier consequences. So it is that Black made the decision to ax Tenacious D for a while, if not permanently. Black's response on Instagram does leave room for a potential Tenacious D reunion simply by saying that the band's future creative plans are "on hold." 

Black started his response not by condemning friend and bandmate Gass — or even citing Gass by name — but by saying he was "blindsided by what was said on Sunday." Those who've seen the footage can attest to the actor looking taken aback and very uncharacteristically not knowing what to say. Black also started his Instagram response by saying that he would "never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form." While we don't know how any other Tenacious D band member feels about the situation — speaking of either session artists or touring musicians — we can assume that no one is uproariously supporting Gass' birthday wish, at least for fear of career consequences. In a broader sense, Black's response serves as a reminder of the very real fallout facing those who don't twice before uttering words into our permanent public record.