Jack Black announced that Tenacious D’s world tour is canceled due to outrage over a comment made by his bandmate, Kyle Gass, about Donald Trump. Black emphasized that he does not support hate speech or violence. The controversy started when Gass joked on stage in Sydney about an assassination attempt on Trump, which led to significant backlash.
An Australian politician, Senator Ralph Babet, called for Tenacious D to be deported from Australia because of Gass’s comment. Gass made the remark during a birthday celebration on stage, and Babet argued that it wasn’t a joke and demanded their removal from the country to avoid endorsing violence.
Senator Babet, who leads the United Australia Party, has been involved in free speech controversies before. He has been criticized for sharing graphic content online despite court orders, arguing that censorship threatens freedom of speech.
The backlash from Gass’s comment led to the postponement of a sold-out Tenacious D concert in Newcastle, scheduled for July 16. The concert promoter advised ticket holders to keep their tickets for further updates, but no official reason was given for the postponement.
The future of Tenacious D’s remaining tour dates in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Adelaide is now uncertain. The band is facing challenges in continuing their tour due to the fallout from Gass’s controversial comment and the calls for their deportation.
