“After much consideration, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour,” he added, “and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”
At the Tenacious D show in Sydney on Sunday night, Gass was presented with a birthday cake by what appeared to be a robot, according to videos of the event posted to social media. When asked to make a wish, Gass blew out the candles and said, “Don’t miss Trump next time” — a reference to the lone gunman who opened fire on former President Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania the day before. The shooting left one person dead and several injured, including Trump, who was seen with blood on his ear and face.
The Sydney crowd responded with a mix of boos and cheers. Outside the venue, Black’s critics held no back.
Elon Musk called the prank on X “malicious,” while Australian federal senator Ralph Babet called for the heavy rock band to be deported from his country and their visas revoked. “There is no place in Australia for people who want to kill others,” he wrote.
Early Tuesday morning, Frontier Touring, the organizer of the Tenacious D and the Spicy Meatball Tour, announced that Tuesday’s show at the Newcastle Entertainment Center in Australia has been postponed. Black posted his announcement about the tour cancellation shortly after trade publications began reporting on the postponed show.
Gass also apologized for the incident on Tuesday, writing in an Instagram post: “The line I improvised on stage in Sydney on Sunday night was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake.
“I do not condone violence in any form against anyone,” Gass added. “What happened was a tragedy, and I sincerely apologize for my grave lack of judgment. I sincerely apologize to those I have disappointed and am truly sorry for any pain I have caused.”
Before the tour was cancelled, Tenacious D was scheduled to perform a few more shows in Australia, plus a few shows in New Zealand.
The band also has dates scheduled in the United States this fall for the Tenacious D: Rock D Vote Tour. Representatives for Tenacious D declined to comment on Black’s statement.
The attack has prompted widespread sympathy for the victims and strength for Trump. Even some of his fiercest critics have condemned the violence. Musk posted a full statement of support for the former president after the shooting, while Kid Rock aggressively expressed his support for Trump. Jason Aldean dedicated a rendition of “Try That in a Small Town” to Trump during a concert in Nashville on Saturday following the shooting, which took place in Butler, Pa., a city of about 13,000 people. President Biden called the attack “sick” and his campaign quickly pulled the political ads.
Particularly in the early months of his presidency, Trump inspired several comedians and artists to fantasize about his death or other personal tragedies. In 2017, comedian Kathy Griffin sparked outrage by posting a photo of herself holding a mask of Trump’s severed head. CNN subsequently fired Griffin as co-host of New Year’s Eve.
In his 2016 song “Bad Boy on Death Row,” Dave East rapped, “Donald Trump ain’t safe in my neighborhood, get your woman at IHOP.” Punk band Cabbage was a little more direct with their 2016 song “Free Steven Avery (Wrong America),” which features the chorus: “Death to Donald Trump/ Death to Donald Trump/ There’s something about politics in America.”
According to a report from BuzzFeed News, Eminem received a visit from the Secret Service after his 2017 song “Framed” was released with lyrics about Ivanka Trump showing up in the trunk of his car.
And comedian Tim Heidecker released “Too Dumb For Suicide” that same year, with an album cover showing Trump trying to shoot himself in the head with a hair dryer (or something). One track, “Trump’s Private Pilot,” depicted a pilot deliberately crashing into a field with Trump aboard. The same song was covered by Father John Misty.
Trump-themed murder humor seems to be much more scarce in the days since Saturday’s attack. On social media, a few wannabe comedians shared a 50 Cent album cover with Trump’s face superimposed on it (joking about how Trump and the rapper have both been involved in shootings). 50 Cent himself later posted the album cover on X and then used it during a live performance, fueling unsubstantiated rumors that the rapper would endorse Trump at this week’s Republican National Convention.