Kyle Gass, the less-famous half of the rock duo Tenacious D, admits that joking onstage about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump in 2024 was a bad idea.
The 65-year-old singer, whose bandmate is actor Jack Black, said he made a mistake, speaking in a newly published Rolling Stone <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/tenacious-d-kyle-gass-jack-black-donald-trump-interview-1235501791/">interview</a> tied to the promotion of his upcoming live album.
“It was terrible. It was terrible judgment, obviously,” he said of the incident, which happened in July 2024 shortly after an attempt on Trump’s life at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “I was naive, of course… I thought I was safe in the bubble.”
His controversial remarks came as Gass was presented with the opportunity to make a birthday wish while performing in Australia. He replied in front of the assembled crowd, “Don’t miss Trump next time.”
Gass says that he’s “felt terrible ever since, because it’s such a responsibility to not screw up like that.” He said he didn’t realize how bad things would get.
“I wouldn’t wish it on anybody,” he said of the aftermath. “It’s one of those things, once it was picked up, it just got worse and worse. It was a Defcon 2 for sure in the camp. And I did it. It was hard to take responsibility for it, but it was my f***-up. When you’re in it, it’s hard to even think straight. It’s just this thing flooding and coming at you. We had to take the break. And I got it. Jack has this magnificent career; I can’t even count the franchises now. So as hard as it was, I just had to take the long ride home.”
“I really wasn’t thinking straight through it,” Gass told Rolling Stone. “It is serious business. You never want to fan those flames or be snarky about it. And I touched the stove. But at the time, I was trying to make the band laugh. Trying to be a little outrageous. I wasn’t overthinking it — obviously.”
After the incident went viral, Black canceled the rest of the tour and distanced himself from his singing partner, saying he was “blindsided” by the remarks. But now Gass says he and Black have &#8220;hashed it out&#8221; and will reunite.

Kyle Gass

Tenacious D Singer Admits Onstage Joke About Trump Assassination Attempt Was A Mistake

Donald Trump

Entertainment

Hollywood

Jack Black

Music

Video games pose a very real threat to Hollywood’s box office hopes.
Modern games are more interactive and snazzier than their predecessors, digitally enslaving Gen Z in the process. “Netflix and Chill” doesn’t come close.
Studios surveyed the landscape and said, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” Or, in this case, leverage their IPs for serious coin.
“A Minecraft Movie” earned a <a href="https://variety.com/2025/film/box-office/minecraft-movie-box-office-success-blockbuster-1236361148/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">whopping $313 million</a> across the globe in its opening weekend, pumping life into 2025’s sad theatrical start.
<div id="attachment_906797" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906797" class="size-large wp-image-906797" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585-864x576.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: (L to R) Sebastian Hansen, Jennifer Coolidge, Jack Black and Jason Momoa attend the World Premiere of &quot;A Minecraft Movie&quot; at Cineworld Leicester Square on March 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/WireImage)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207107585.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jed Cullen/Dave Benett/WireImage</div>
The smash comes on the heels of the “Sonic the Hedgehog” series, the burgeoning “Five Nights at Freddy’s” franchise, 2023’s “Super Mario Bros.” animated reboot and 2022’s “Uncharted” with Tom Holland. Let’s not forget 2021’s “Free Guy” with Ryan Reynolds as a lovable NPC (non-player character). The latter wasn’t based on any one video game but sprang from a sensibility gamers understood.
We’ve come a long way from wobbly video game adaptations like “Super Mario Bros.” (1993), “Max Payne” (2008) and “Alone in the Dark” (2005).
What changed? Studios started taking the source material seriously, expending big budgets to recreate the look and feel of the games in question. It helps that CGI advancements make it all possible, visually speaking. The sight of John Leguizamo and Bob Hoskins fleeing rubbery dinosaurs in 1993’s “Super Mario Bros.” still makes us wince.
Studios have hired A-listers like Jack Black, Jim Carrey, Mark Wahlberg and Chris Pratt to bring video games to stunning life.
They also didn’t make them woke or forget the core audience in question – boys and young men. Disney spent years transforming the “Star Wars” saga into a feminist-friendly franchise with shows like “The Acolyte.”
How did that work out again?
<div id="attachment_906779" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906779" class="size-large wp-image-906779" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1024x576.jpg" alt="Jack Black, Jason Momoa, Sebastian Hansen in ‘A Minecraft Movie’. Photo by Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures/Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved. IMDB." width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-1536x865.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-17-PM-8107-2048x1153.jpg 2048w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures. Copyright 2025 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. IMDB.</div>
It’s notable that “A Minecraft Movie” features two key female characters and gives them little to do. The film’s creative team checked those Identity Politics boxes but neglected to give the stars any sense of agency.
Still, the film’s cast and crew didn’t leave longtime fans behind. The new video game movies efficiently work elements of the games into the on-screen adventures. Those blocky swords in “A Minecraft Movie” are just one of many familiar sights for hardcore fans.
That, plus a wave of “easter eggs” make gamers feel seen. And they’re telling their friends all about it.
Black’s performance in “Minecraft” shouldn’t be overlooked. He’s like the Energizer Bunny on screen, but with even more energy. He also promoted the film without going full or even the semi-Zegler. He praised the feature as a fun, upbeat adventure that could heal a <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jason-momoa-jack-black-minecraft-movie-jennifer-coolidge-1236175713/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fractured nation</a>.
<blockquote>We’ve got to work together, my God. There’s so much violence and war and hatred. And that’s what I love about this movie — there’s a lot of love in it and there’s a lot of creativity. There is some anger and violence too, but in the end it’s about friendship and working together to make [the world] a better place.</blockquote>
Black has been a vocal Obama supporter in the past, even shooting a video to support the Democrat’s Iran policies – which haven’t aged well, to say the least.
He hasn’t been as loud about the political scene in recent years. He even <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blindsided-jack-black-axes-tour-after-bandmate-cheers-trump-assassination-attempt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">temporarily shelved his Tenacious D band</a> when fellow rocker Kyle Gass wished for President Donald Trump’s assassination on stage.
<div id="attachment_906787" style="width: 859px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906787" class="size-large wp-image-906787" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384-849x576.jpg" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 30: Jack Black attends the World Premiere of &quot;A Minecraft Movie&quot; at the Cineworld Leicester Square on March 30, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures)" width="849" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384-849x576.jpg 849w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384-300x204.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384-768x521.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207617384.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 849px) 100vw, 849px" />Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Warner Bros. Pictures</div>
Carrey similarly <a href="https://news.artnet.com/art-world/art-industry-news-february-23-2021-1945969" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stopped his barrage of hard-Left, anti-GOP paintings</a> in recent years. Meanwhile, Reynolds and Pratt are known for their upbeat, mostly apolitical personas.
Not every recent video game movie snagged “Minecraft”-sized numbers. Last year’s “Borderlands” debacle got ignored by gamers and torched by film critics.
The smart 2023 drama “Grand Turismo” offered a novel way to bring the driving game to the big screen, but audiences didn’t bite in “Minecraft”-sized numbers ($44 million US).
Still, the recent hits have given Hollywood exactly what it needs – young movie goers eager to share their thoughts on social media. “A Minecraft Movie” became a meme sensation in real time, with users producing “Chicken Jockey” gags on TikTok and elsewhere.
If you have to ask, you either never played the game or don’t have children under the age of 16.
Those memes made “Minecraft” an “event,” much like the 2023 “Barbie” movie. Women gathered their friends together to see the film wearing their best, “Barbie”-like outfits.
Now, teens are devouring “Minecraft” movie memes and celebrating them in theaters en masse. That’s exactly what studios love to see, even if some young fans are getting <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/teen-boys-trashing-theaters-causing-mayhem-at-a-minecraft-movie-showings?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=Entertainment&amp;elementPosition=2&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Teen+Boys+Trashing+Theaters%2C+Causing+Mayhem+At+%E2%80%98A+Minecraft+Movie%E2%80%99+Showings">carried away with their exuberance</a>. Those viral clips, ironically, will only build on the film’s popularity.
<div id="attachment_906791" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-906791" class="size-large wp-image-906791" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332-864x576.jpg" alt="THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON -- Episode 2117 -- Pictured: (l-r) Actor Jack Black and host Jimmy Fallon during the &quot;Minecraft Claw Machine Challenge&quot; on Monday, March 31, 2025 -- (Photo by: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2207397332.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images</div>
There’s another factor here, one that plugs in seamlessly to the “Minecraft” ethos. Many modern video games offer a canvas for inspired young minds. “Fortnite,” for example, allows gamers to choose from any number of “skins” and weapons. Players can team with friends across the street – or the globe – to create their own adventures.
They’re not just part of the action, they’re making the games up as they go. “Minecraft” might be the ultimate example of that ethos. The pixel-friendly game demands creativity from start to finish.
Movies aren’t interactive, at least for now. Films like “A Minecraft Movie” tap into that sense of self-directed adventure, the kind that makes video game adaptations into blockbuster hits.
The only downside for Hollywood? Studios will learn the wrong lessons from “A Minecraft Movie” and we’ll suffer through a few more “Borderlands” in the coming years.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

MixCollage-11-Apr-2025-03-09-PM-2616

‘A Minecraft Movie’ Smashes Box Office … And A Few Theaters

'A Minecraft Movie' Smashes Box Office ... And A Few Theaters

Gaming

Jason Momoa

Movie Theaters

Movies

Video Games

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/jack-black">Jack Black’s</a> new movie “Borderlands” struggled at the box office on opening weekend, just weeks after his Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass cheered on the attempted assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. He later apologized after the backlash affected both himself and Black.
The 54-year-old actor’s movie opened on Friday, and as of Monday, it came in fourth place at the box office, earning $8.8 million, behind the likes of the third “Deadpool” movie, “Deadpool and Wolverine,” Blake Lively’s “It Ends With Us,” and “Twisters,” the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/h/charts/#box-office">Hollywood Reporter</a> reported.
Black’s new film reportedly had a production budget of $115 million, according to <a href="https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/box-office-it-ends-with-us-beats-exectations-borderlands-flops-1236103106/">Variety</a>. And that’s not counting another $30 million in distribution and marketing costs, the outlet noted. It earned a 10% on Rotten Tomatoes and “D+” CinemaScore, per the outlet.
In the film, Black is joined by stars such as Kevin Hart, Cate Blanchett, and Jamie Lee Curtis, in an action-adventure that’s based “on the best-selling video game” as it “follows a ragtag team of misfits on a mission to save a missing girl who holds the key to unimaginable power,” a description on <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4978420/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">IMBd</a> read.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Check out an all-new clip from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Borderlands?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Borderlands</a> &#8211; in theaters August 9.
The film stars Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jack Black, Ariana Greenblatt, and Edgar Ramírez. <a href="https://t.co/2JOIOd9wWQ">pic.twitter.com/2JOIOd9wWQ</a>
— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) <a href="https://twitter.com/RottenTomatoes/status/1800234140358324360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
On July 16, Black’s Tenacious D bandmate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood">Gass</a> issued an apology for the “dangerous” comment he made about the assassination attempt on Trump.
The controversy began when the band was performing in Australia when Black brought <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jack-blacks-bandmate-has-a-birthday-wish-dont-miss-trump-next-time">Gass</a> a birthday cake and asked him to make a wish — he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jack-blacks-bandmate-has-a-birthday-wish-dont-miss-trump-next-time">replied</a> from the stage, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” 
Gass made the comment less than 24 hours after a shooter attempted to assassinate the former president at Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting injured Trump and left one of his supporters dead along with injuring two others.
“The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake,” Gass said in a statement, <a href="https://variety.com/2024/music/news/kyle-gass-apologizes-trump-assassination-tenacious-d-1236073585/">Variety </a>noted.  “I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone.”
“What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement,” he added. “I profoundly apologize to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.”
Backlash ensued against Gass and Black, and the “School of Rock” star apologized immediately for what happened and said he was “blindsided” by Gass’ comment, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blindsided-jack-black-axes-tour-after-bandmate-cheers-trump-assassination-attempt">reported</a>.
“I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black said. “After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”
The talent agency, Greene Talent, representing the Gass, told <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/07/16/tenacious-d-kyle-gass-dropped-talent-agency-trump-shooting-comment/">TMZ</a> they had parted ways and were no longer representing him.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blindsided-jack-black-axes-tour-after-bandmate-cheers-trump-assassination-attempt" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘Blindsided’ Jack Black Axes Tour After Bandmate Cheers Trump Assassination Attempt</a>

Tenacious D In Concert – Charlotte, NC

Jack Black’s Movie ‘Borderlands’ Struggling At Box Office After Bandmate Cheered Trump Assassination Attempt

Jack Black's Movie ‘Borderlands’ Struggling At Box Office After Bandmate Cheered Trump Assassination Attempt

assasination

Celebrities

You never forget your first cancellation.
Jack Black, comic actor and part-time rock star, is getting a crash course in Cancel Culture after a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jack-blacks-bandmate-apologizes-for-dangerous-comment-about-trump-assassination-attempt-dropped-by-talent-agency" target="_blank" rel="noopener">regrettable gig</a> Down Under.
Except his band Tenacious D’s cancellation didn’t follow the punitive blueprint. Plus, he and bandmate Kyle Gass said something worthy of recrimination, even for the most unwoke among us.
Not all cancellations are created equal.
The trouble started a day after the July 13 assassination attempt on President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pa. Tenacious D interrupted its concert in Sydney, Australia to celebrate Gass’ birthday. The “Elf” alum was turning 64, and longtime music partner Black presented him with a cake on stage.
Black asked Gass to make a wish before blowing out the candles. Gass did as told and shared it with the adoring Tenacious D fans in attendance.
“Don’t miss Trump next time,” Gass said. Black took a beat and said, “Thank you.”
And the show went on.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Jack Black went on stage with his band over the weekend and his bandmate said &quot;don&#39;t miss Trump next time&quot; to laughs from the audience.
A month ago, he was a featured speaker at Biden&#39;s fundraiser in Los Angeles.
&quot;We must come together&quot; indeed. <a href="https://t.co/HGlNTlzure">pic.twitter.com/HGlNTlzure</a>
&mdash; Greg Price (@greg_price11) <a href="https://twitter.com/greg_price11/status/1812870638580687142?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Except somebody recorded the moment and shared it on social media. In that way, this cancellation began precisely as many others have before it. As expected, condemnation was swift and digital.
Black’s reputation as a Democratic stooge didn’t help. He previously promoted President <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/jul/29/morgan-freeman-and-jack-black-back-iran-nuclear-deal-for-fear-of-becoming-super-dead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barack Obama’s Iranian deal</a> and appeared mere weeks ago at a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-arrives-in-l-a-for-celebrity-fundraiser-after-trumps-massive-hauls-in-ca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Joe Biden fundraiser</a>, pretending as if Biden wasn’t compromised by age and a yet-unknown ailment.
Those partisan ties made the moment look even worse.
Local politicians joined the fray, condemning their concert comments. One, Australian Senator Ralph Babet, <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jack-black-tenacious-d-tour-canceled-kyle-gass-trump-shooting-comment-deported-from-australia/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded Gass and Black be deported</a> for their words.
Black, to his credit, apologized in swift fashion, and it didn’t sound like his PR team penned it.
&#8220;I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black shared on his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9e5msPpC3y/">Instagram feed</a>.
What happened next proved how different this Cancel Culture event would be.
&#8220;After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_766663" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-766663" class="size-large wp-image-766663" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316-864x576.jpg" alt="CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 06: Kyle Gass (L) and Jack Black of Tenacious D perform at PNC Music Pavilion on September 06, 2023 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jeff Hahne/Getty Images)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-1664790316.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Jeff Hahne/Getty Images</div>
Black didn’t wait for press outrage to reach critical mass. Nor did he let the incident die down to see how much professional blowback he might receive.
He canceled himself.
More importantly, he embraced consequences for his actions. Suspending the Tenacious D tour likely cost him plenty, not just with fan loyalty but dollars and cents.
The news cycle moves fast these days. He could have laid low and hoped another news event took people’s attention away from the comments.
Heck, fellow actors Mark Hamill and John Leguizamo are doing their best to make us forget all about Tenacious D via Twitter. Hamill is <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/star-wars-mark-hamill-donald-trump-message-under-fire-1925735" target="_blank" rel="noopener">mocking President Trump’s ear bandages</a> while Leguizamo falsely claimed Trump <a href="https://x.com/JohnLeguizamo/status/1813068113883353431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1813068113883353431%7Ctwgr%5Ef295f6657497c475e3474b3500449d91152a655e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.breitbart.com%2Fentertainment%2F2024%2F07%2F16%2Factor-john-leguizamo-spreads-fake-news-trump-wasnt-injured-in-assassination-attempt%2F" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wasn’t injured in the attack.</a> Chances are we’ll hear more unhinged Hollywood comments that will make Gass’ quip seem tame in comparison.
Black also vowed to shut down indefinitely on the creative front. While he may not be as in-demand as he once was, last year&#8217;s &#8220;The Super Mario Bros. Movie&#8221; was a blockbuster and this year’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” proves he’s still a viable commodity in Hollywood.
Black did something else few could have expected. He threw Gass, who also apologized via Instagram, under the tour bus. He said Gass “blindsided” him with the comment. The duo have worked together for two decades under the Tenacious D banner.
That couldn’t have been an easy decision to make.
Accountability is in short supply in western culture of late. Just ask Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who has yet to resign for overseeing the worst possible breach in her line of work via the July 13 shooting.
Black, to his credit, held himself accountable.
What didn’t happen in this Cancel Culture-style moment? Conservatives didn’t demand their censorship en masse or reach out to the tour’s sponsors to suspend their ties to the duo. The band’s Hollywood peers neither defended nor attacked them for their comments.
They may not have faced any repercussions back in La La Land. Wishing death on Trump is considered normal behavior in celebrity circles. Just ask Charlie Sheen, Madonna, Johnny Depp, Snoop Dogg and other stars who have shared variations of that sick theme.
Black and Gass may have enhanced their careers with their Sydney shtick, as warped as that sounds.
Kathy Griffin’s infamous snapshot holding Trump’s bloody head showed there are still cultural limits when it comes to GOP-based rage. While the aforementioned stars suffered no professional blowback for their assassination fetish, Griffin’s career cratered following her image’s release.
The final difference between &#8220;TenaciousD-Gate&#8221; and your garden variety cancellation is clear. Author J.K. Rowling endured a brutal cancellation for thoughts many sane souls share regarding trans issues.
Shane Gillis watched his “Saturday Night Live” dreams disappear when old, crude jokes resurfaced.
Gina Carano’s Disney career died because she refused to self-censor her common sense views.
They didn’t deserve their cancellations. We can still have different opinions.
Black and Gass cheered on the assassination of a U.S. president. There’s no nuance there. It’s just wrong. Any sane soul understands wishing death on a president is beyond the pale.
Even in our increasingly coarse culture many realize just that.
Every few years a Hollywood star learns that sharing the ugliest views possible about their political opponents has real-world consequences.
That may explain why Black and Gass canceled themselves before someone beat them to it.
* * *
Christian Toto is an award-winning journalist, movie critic and editor of <a href="http://www.hollywoodintoto.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">HollywoodInToto.com</a>. He previously served as associate editor with Breitbart News’ Big Hollywood. Follow him at <a href="https://twitter.com/HollywoodInToto?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">@HollywoodInToto</a>.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Jack Black Upends The Cancel Culture Blueprint

Australia

Cancel Culture

Opinion

Readers Pass

Jack Black’s Tenacious D bandmate <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/hollywood" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kyle Gass</a> issued an apology for the “dangerous” comment he made about the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.
On Sunday, the band was performing in Australia when Black asked <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jack-blacks-bandmate-has-a-birthday-wish-dont-miss-trump-next-time">Gass</a> to make a birthday wish and he <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jack-blacks-bandmate-has-a-birthday-wish-dont-miss-trump-next-time">replied</a> from the stage, “Don’t miss Trump next time.” Gass made the comment less than 24 hours after a shooter attempted to assassinate the former president on Saturday during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The shooting injured Trump and left one of his supporters dead along with injuring two others.
“The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake,” Gass said in statement, <a href="https://variety.com/2024/music/news/kyle-gass-apologizes-trump-assassination-tenacious-d-1236073585/">Variety reported</a>.  “I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone.”
“What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement,” he added. “I profoundly apologize to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.”
A backlash ensued against Gass and Black, and the “School of Rock” star apologized for what happened and said he was “blindsided” by Gass’ comment, as previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/blindsided-jack-black-axes-tour-after-bandmate-cheers-trump-assassination-attempt">reported</a>.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass axed by talent agency after ‘inappropriate’ Trump shooting remarks <a href="https://t.co/VD1f7YVzAU">https://t.co/VD1f7YVzAU</a> <a href="https://t.co/44Jy8H2Toc">pic.twitter.com/44Jy8H2Toc</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/1813256563185926560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2024</a></blockquote>
“I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,&#8221; Black said. &#8220;After much reflection, I no longer feel it is appropriate to continue the Tenacious D tour, and all future creative plans are on hold. I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding.”
The talent agency, Greene Talent, representing the musician/actor, told <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2024/07/16/tenacious-d-kyle-gass-dropped-talent-agency-trump-shooting-comment/">TMZ</a> they had parted ways and were no longer representing him.
<a href="https://onelink.to/dwapp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" aria-describedby="sk-tooltip-9096" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://onelink.to/dwapp&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1712932862202000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0plT8RRdMy9XUpIhocnjQS">CLICK HERE TO GET THE DAILYWIRE+ APP</a>
On Sunday, Trump published a <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112784638860095397">post</a> to Truth Social that said: “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families. We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.”
In the same message, the former president emphasized that “it is more important than ever that we stand United, and show our True Character as Americans, remaining Strong and Determined, and not allowing Evil to Win.”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/jack-blacks-bandmate-has-a-birthday-wish-dont-miss-trump-next-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jack Black’s Bandmate Has A Birthday Wish: ‘Don’t Miss Trump Next Time’</a>

Jack Black and Tenacious D

Jack Black’s Bandmate Apologizes For ‘Dangerous’ Comment About Trump Assassination Attempt; Dropped By Talent Agency

Jack Black's Bandmate Apologizes For ‘Dangerous’ Comment About Trump Assassination Attempt; Dropped By Talent Agency

2024 Election

Joe Biden

Music Industry