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Tenacious D musician Kyle Gass has deleted an Instagram post in which he apologized for his controversial joke about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
Gass, who formed half of the comedy-rock band with actor Jack Black, had referenced the shooting of former President Trump in Pennsylvania over the weekend. The incident has apparently caused a rift between the two band members, with Black publicly condemning Gass’ joke.
“Make a wish,” Black can be heard telling Gass in footage from the performance in Sydney, Australia, shared on TikTok. As Gass blew out the candles, he joked, “Don’t miss Trump next time.”
In a statement released on Tuesday (July 16), Black said he was “surprised by what was said on Sunday’s show,” adding that he “would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.”
“After much consideration, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold,” Black continued. “I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”
Gass initially apologized on Instagram, writing, “I do not condone violence of any kind against anyone. What happened was a tragedy, and I am incredibly sorry for my lack of judgment. I sincerely apologize to those I have disappointed and am truly sorry for any pain I have caused.”
The 64-year-old singer and actor has since removed the apology from his social media page.
Trump was speaking at a political rally when he was shot by a man later identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Crooks, who was shot dead at the scene after hitting Trump in the ear during a failed attempt to assassinate him, was a registered Republican. While Trump escaped with only minor injuries, one person was killed and two others were wounded, in addition to the former president.
Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was among those who criticised Gass for his remarks, telling news.com.au: “It makes me sick when someone jokes about violence. Physically sick. People might think it’s a bit ‘funny haha’ to go and moan about this kind of thing at a concert.
“It’s not. It’s about threats to physical life; it’s about the near-assassination of a former and future president of the United States, dependent on the votes of the American people. It’s about the murder of innocent civilians and two people being seriously injured.”