Kyle Gass's comment arrived less than a day after the assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Tenacious D (Credit: Travis Shinn)
In case you missed it: on Saturday (13 July), there was an assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
As NBC News reported, Trump’s shooter was identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed at the scene by the Secret Service.
Since then, many American musicians have voiced their thoughts on the matter. John Rich and Travis Tritt claimed that the former President’s political opponents were behind the shooting, while elsewhere in the world of country music, Dave Matthews Band, Cody Johnson, Carly Pearce, and more condemned the violence and harm to democracy that took place.
Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass, instead, thought of telling a joke. The Tribute group are in Australia on their highly anticipated Spicy Meatball tour, starting the run with two dates at ICC Sydney Theatre.
On Sunday (14 July), Tenacious D were performing a sold-out show in Sydney on guitarist Kyle Gass’s 64th birthday. Singer Jack Black kicked off the festivities, presenting a birthday cake carried by a giant robot and leading a “Happy Birthday” singalong with the audience.
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Upon Black asking Gass to make a wish, the guitarist quipped, “Don’t miss Trump next time.”
His comment has been met with criticism from Trump supporters in the U.S., while others have responded by calling out the dangers of gun violence in the U.S. However, as the band were playing in Australia, Gass’s comment was met with laughs from the audience.
Tenacious D fans who laughed have been described as “shameful” and Gass’s comment as “disgusting” by one pundit, but the incident has been divisive across the board. Those who criticised the band have been called “sad little snowflakes”, while the joke has been described as “sick,” “vile,” and “twisted”.
You can watch the video below.
Jack Black is trending. Apparently, the "cancel culture bad" crowd is trying to cancel him for a birthday wish that Kyle Gass made on stage which consisted of "Don't miss Trump next time".
— Ashleigh's Paradigm Shift🦖🏳️⚧️🦕 (@ParadigmPins) July 15, 2024
If a Republican said the same about Biden they'd be laughing.🙄
Sad little snowflakes.
Jack Black went on stage with his band over the weekend and his bandmate said "don't miss Trump next time" to laughs from the audience.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) July 15, 2024
A month ago, he was a featured speaker at Biden's fundraiser in Los Angeles.
"We must come together" indeed. pic.twitter.com/HGlNTlzure
I know these guys are elite Hollywood Libtards, jokes are jokes. But for Kyle Gass from Tenacious D to think it’s funny to wish another person shot no matter what side of the politic’s you are on is Disgusting, so was the Audience on Sunday night in Sydney for cheering. Shameful pic.twitter.com/XFM1o4wU03
— D G (@DG22190959) July 15, 2024
his name is kyle gass show some respect pic.twitter.com/zX1BNDuT9Q
— Logan Rees (@JLRees) July 15, 2024
Tenacious D band member Kyle Gass received a birthday cake from Jack Black and made a wish about Trump's shooting
— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) July 15, 2024
Jack Black: "Make a wish"
Gass said: "Don’t miss Trump next time"!
And the crowd cheers?
This is the rhetoric that caused the attempted assassination.
Sick! pic.twitter.com/mkj9Jsc2kI
guy who thinks jack black and kyle gass share some responsibility for the trump assassination attempt lol https://t.co/ab9kpP0RmR
— googling 'kiedis point break' during tinder date (@irishloubega) July 15, 2024
Tenacious D’s Spicy Meatball tour continues in Newcastle tonight, followed by gigs in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide, before they head to New Zealand for shows in Wellington and Auckland. The tour ends next Friday (26 July).
Announced in February, the official tour news arrived just days after Frontier Touring, the tour promoters, hinted at a 2024 Tenacious D Australian tour.
The tour promoters teased a tour announcement featuring an animated meatball bounding toward a man wearing a hat. The caption, “The greatest and best band in the world...” referencing the band’s beloved 2006 single Tribute.
@dark_hive Comedian Jack Black's bandmate makes a "birthday wish" during a performance in Sydney, says he wishes they "don't miss Trump next time." Black was videoed giving Tenacious D band member Kyle Gass a birthday cake. "Make a wish," Black said. Gass then responded: "Don’t miss Trump next time." The crowd seemed to think the "joke" was funny. Maybe, just maybe, these people are actually the evil ones. #jackblack #donaldtrump #trump #rally #DJT #news #foryou
♬ original sound - Dark💔Hive