Jack Black has announced that Tenacious D will “be back” following the cancellation of their tour due to controversy surrounding a joke made by bandmate Kyle Gass about shooting Donald Trump.
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“These things take time sometimes… And we’ll be back when it feels right,” the actor and musician told Variety after canceling Tenacious D’s tour last month.
Jack Black remains optimistic about Tenacious D’s future despite their recent hiatus. Last month, the actor and musician canceled the band’s tour after a controversial joke made by bandmate Kyle Gass about a shooting incident at a Trump rally.
On August 6, Black told Entertainment Tonight that he is not giving up on the band. At the Borderlands premiere in Los Angeles, he shared, “I love Tenacious D… We had to take a break, but I love the D. Everybody takes a break sometimes. We’ll be back.”
Speaking to Variety on the red carpet, Jack Black confirmed that he and bandmate Kyle Gass, 64, remain “friends” despite the controversy surrounding Gass’s comment about Donald Trump. Black stated, “That hasn’t changed,” and added, “These things take time sometimes… And we’ll be back when it feels right.”
Black had previously addressed the band’s situation on Instagram on July 16, expressing that he felt “blindsided” by Gass’s remarks made during a show in Sydney. Fan-recorded footage on X (formerly Twitter) showed Gass joking about the July assassination attempt against Trump, saying his 64th birthday “wish” would be to “don’t miss Trump next time.”
In his Instagram post, Jack Black stated, “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, and all future creative plans are on hold.” He also expressed his gratitude to fans, saying, “I am grateful to fans for their support and understanding.”
In a now-deleted Instagram post, Kyle Gass apologized for his joke, stating, “The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous, and a terrible mistake.”
He added, “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.”
Before the incident, Black and Gass had planned a short fall tour to benefit Rock the Vote, marking their second collaboration with the nonpartisan nonprofit, according to Rolling Stone. The duo, who have been friends for nearly 40 years and formed Tenacious D in 1994, had five shows scheduled for October in states like Ohio, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, leading up to the 2024 presidential election on November 5.