Tenacious D aren't going anywhere, but it could take some time for the satirical comedy-rock duo to return, says Jack Black.
Black, who forms Tenacious D with actor Kyle Gass, clarified this week that the “Wonderboy” and “Kickapoo” band will “be back” after canceling their tour in July. “Everyone needs a break at some point,” the actor told Variety at the “Borderlands” premiere on Tuesday.
The “School of Rock” comedian announced last month that Tenacious D would be suspending its summer tour after Gass made a controversial comment about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. On July 13, Trump was injured in a shooting at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting left one rally-goer dead and two critically injured, and the gunman was killed by the Secret Service.
A day after the shooting, Gass took the news onstage. When asked to make a wish for his 64th birthday during a show in Sydney, Gass replied, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” The comment quickly sparked outrage, and the group postponed a show in Newcastle, Australia, amid the controversy. Black later canceled the tour, which was also scheduled to go to New Zealand and the United States.
“What was said on Sunday’s show left me stunned,” the “Kung Fu Panda” star said in a statement on Instagram last month. “I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.”
He continued at the time: “I no longer believe it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour and all future creative plans are on hold.”
Gass, who has a history of criticizing the Trump family, also apologized for his comment on Instagram, but as of Wednesday, that post has been removed from his profile. In his July apology, Gass wrote that his comment was “highly inappropriate” and apologized for his “serious lack of judgment.” Amid the controversy, Gass also faced backlash from X owner Elon Musk and conservative Australian lawmaker Ralph Babet.
Nearly a month after Gass' comment, Black told Variety that his friendship with his bandmate “hasn't changed.”
“These things sometimes take time,” he told the outlet, “and we’ll come back when the time is right.”
Black and Gass formed Tenacious D in 1994 and became a cult band thanks to the band’s short films and songs, including “Tribute” and “Rize of the Fenix.” The duo recently released “…Baby One More Time,” the fourth chapter in Black’s “Kung Fu Panda” franchise.
Time writer Nardine Saad contributed to this report.
