Tenacious D, the comedy rock duo comprised of Jack Black and Kyle Gass, postponed their concert in Newcastle, Australia, on Tuesday amid controversy over a comment about an assassination attempt on Donald Trump. The sold-out show, part of their Spicy Meatball Tour, was scheduled for Tuesday evening but was postponed just hours before it was set to begin.
Concert promoter Frontier Touring released a statement regarding the postponement: “Frontier Touring regret to advise that Tenacious D’s concert tonight at Newcastle Entertainment Centre has been postponed. Ticket holders are asked to hold onto their tickets until further information is available.”
The postponement follows a backlash sparked by Australian senator Ralph Babet, who called for the deportation of the band over a joke made about the Trump assassination attempt. During a performance in Sydney on Sunday, Gass was presented with a birthday cake and made a divisive joke after blowing out the candles, saying, “Don’t miss Trump next time.”
The joke came just hours after a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, where a bullet grazed Trump’s ear. The incident resulted in the death of one bystander and serious injuries to two others.
Senator Babet, representing the United Australia Party, demanded that Gass and Black be deported immediately. “Anything less than a deportation is an endorsement of the shooting and the attempted assassination of Donald J Trump,” Babet stated. “Allowing Tenacious D to remain in Australia after calling for the death of a President is unthinkable.”
Tenacious D’s remaining tour dates in Australia include performances in Brisbane on Thursday, Melbourne on Saturday, and Adelaide on July 22. The duo has yet to comment publicly on the controversy or the postponed concert.
