Jack Black hints at Tenacious D split as he denounces ‘hate speech’ following Trump shooting joke

Jack Black has hinted at the split of his rock band Tenacious D following criticism over a joke made about Donald Trump’s attempted assassination at a show in Australia.

In a statement released Tuesday (16 July) on is official Instagram, Black said he was “blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday” and that he would “never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form”.

Tenacious D were due to play Newcastle tonight, but that sold-out show was cancelled without notice this afternoon.

“After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold,” Black continued in his statement. “I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”

Black and his Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass were performing at the ICC Sydney Theatre in Australia on Saturday (July 13), after theformer president was shot in the ear at his Pennsylvania rally earlier that day.

In celebration of Gass’s 64th birthday, which fell on Sunday (July 14), Black, 54, presented him with a cake on stage. “Make a wish,” the School of Rock star can be heard telling Gass in footage shared on TikTok. As Gass blew out the candles, he said: “Don’t miss Trump next time.”

The joke drew immediate backlash online, while Senator Ralph Babet, leader of the United Australia Party, released a statement on Monday demanding that Black and Gass be deported from the country.

Babet claimed that Gass’s comment was not a joke, and called upon Australia’s immigration minister Andrew Giles to “revoke their visas”, adding: “Anything less than a deportation is an endorsement of the shooting and the attempted assassination of Donald J Trump.”

Gass on Tuesday also issued his first