Tenacious D Aftermath: Jack Black Apologizes and Maybe Breaks Up the Band
Jack Black got smart about the controversy he got himself embroiled in really quickly… although maybe not quickly enough. The comedian, actor, and musician is half of the two-man band Tenacious D with friend Kyle Gass. On Sunday, the day after an attempted assassination of President Donald Trump that led to the murder of a bystander, the duo were performing in Australia, and when asked to make a birthday wish, Gass said, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” It appears the blowback was fast and harsh, with an Australian politician even demanding Black and Gass be deported.
Australian Senator Ralph Babet calls for the immediate deportation of Tenacious D after Kyle Gass called on other would-be assassins not to miss their shots on Trump. pic.twitter.com/uNkD6ZJ5tB
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) July 16, 2024
Today, both members of Tenacious D made apologies on their Instagram accounts, with Black saying the tour will not continue and even indicating that this may be the end of the band:
This is huge, not only because of the apologies – although that’s certainly part of it – but because they are going so far as to dissolve the band (maybe). Can you imagine this being necessary even a week ago? An apology alone would have been a stretch, but ending a tour and breaking up a band over it would’ve been unthinkable. Of course, the fact that someone actually did try to kill President Trump – and did kill another man – changes the discourse considerably, but the entertainment world is not known for caring what the little people think, especially right now. I’ve seen people talk about the insurance problems this created for the concert venues, and that could be the immediate reason why the tour was canceled, but this doesn’t explain breaking up Tenacious D, nor does it account for an Australian politician wanting them kicked out of the country. The response to Gass’ comment and Black’s silence on it must have been massive, an indication that what is socially acceptable has changed drastically enough for left-wing entertainers to run for cover.
Do I think they’re sincere? I don’t know. Jack Black saying he was blindsided could be on the level, although I think it’s more likely that he didn’t realize how many people would be disgusted by it. In the video of the incident, he responds to Gass’ “wish” by saying, “Thank you.” That could be a nervous reaction, or it could be an agreement with the sentiment. That he waited a few days before apologizing is also indicative of this being calculated rather than sincere. You could try to spin it as being a joke, and sure, maybe, although it is, at the very least, extremely ill-timed; Bill Hicks joked about JFK’s assassination, but he waited thirty years and didn’t make it about how he wanted Kennedy to die. And, as I’ve said about similar situations, I’ll be damned if I cry about cancel culture now that the shoe is finally on the other foot. Mark Kern made a very thoughtful X post about the subject, and it’s well worth a read:
Kyle Glass of Tenacious D apologizes.
I can tell you what is happening here, but most aren’t ready to hear it.
The majority of people don’t actually have their own opinions (or rather, convictions). They only express what is deemed popular or acceptable according to the overton… pic.twitter.com/POpB52wJCi
— Grummz (@Grummz) July 16, 2024
Perhaps that’s true, and Hollywood types would certainly fit the mold of people who need to be told what to think. I recall Anthony Hopkins saying that actors aren’t overly bright and shouldn’t wade into politics. Either way, I don’t know these guys, so I have no idea. But what’s more important for Jack Black is how his fans will take this, and I don’t think anyone knows that, either. They may accept his apology right away, or it could take time, or many could be done with him altogether. These have not been normal times for a while, but they got a lot less normal on Saturday, and I believe that decent people from all over are horrified at what happened – which, to be honest, makes me think that these apologies are just damage control. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how more entertainment figures respond to the assassination attempt and murder and, depending on what they say, how the world responds to them. I think a big change might be coming, with Hollywood realizing that they’ve gone too far for too many people and need to keep their mouths shut and their sights squarely on entertaining if they want to remain solvent.
Comments (1)
The mask is slipping. The statements fall very flat because every single shooter fits some kind of emaciated, ghastly, malnourished profile, bordering on tranny.
Not only are TD’s statements empty and vacuous, but so are those of western governments who profit off open borders while subjecting their own populations to replacement, demographic decline and crime.
What you are seeing with comments like theirs about “Don’t Miss” is the fact that ultimately, they always wanted you kneeling in front of the ditch with it pointed at the back of your heads. That’s what the whole “Take a knee” thing was really about. Getting people to accept submission and then, liquidation. It was to break your will and your spirit and accept the Castro treatment. The NFL and NBA and Soccer all tried to get you to kneel to accept your execution. There is something wrong with fans who did not object to this. This is why I turned off Bread & Circuses permanently. Don’t think there’s anything they could do to make up for what they did.
What’s wild about this is Jack Black’s first Kung Fu Panda seemed to be a huge cultural achievement in China. They seemed to really like it. It’s so typical of liberalism that the entire world is pandered to while the actual supportive fans are constantly insulted and demeaned.
I can get thru life without seeing this band. Both of them are fat and ugly. Their music is low class, sloppy and degenerate.