Tenacious D Returns: Kyle Gass Addresses Trump Joke Fallout and Reunion with Jack Black

In July 2024, the mighty Tenacious D abruptly halted their tour and shelved future projects after Kyle Gass made a controversial joke about the attempted assassination of former President Donald J. Trump. The comedic rock duo’s future was uncertain, but now, Gass has revealed that the D is indeed rising again.

"We hashed it out. And it was hard. It is like a marriage. You go through these ups and downs, and try to understand your partner,” Gass told Rolling Stone in a recent interview. “We will serve no D-wine, before it’s D-time — but we will be back. We will return.”

The incident occurred in Sydney, Australia, during Gass's birthday celebration. Following a rendition of "Happy Birthday" led by Black, Gass, prompted to make a wish, quipped, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” referencing the attempted shooting of Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.
Kyle Gass

Immediately following the backlash, Gass issued a public apology, stating, “The line I improvised onstage Sunday night in Sydney was highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake... I profoundly apologize to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.”

In the Rolling Stone interview, Gass reflected on the incident, admitting, “It was terrible judgment, obviously. I’ve felt terrible ever since, because it’s such a responsibility to not screw up like that... I was naive, of course — people are gonna pick that up. But I just felt it was kind of a private moment. I thought I was safe in the bubble. And it was so fast.” He also revealed that the decision to cancel the tour came after a threat was made against his 95-year-old mother.

Despite the controversy, Gass clarified that deleting his apology from Instagram wasn't a sign of retracting his statement. "If I would have recanted, I would have said that."

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