Jack Black announced on Instagram that he’s cancelled the rest of the Tenacious D world tour and placed future projects on hiatus.
This happened after his bandmate Kyle Gass sparked controversy by commenting on the recent Donald Trump assassination attempt.
At their recent Sydney show, Kyle Gass was given a birthday cake and asked to make a wish for his 64th birthday, to which he said “Don’t miss Trump next time.”
In his later statement, Black said he was “blindsided” by his bandmate’s comment and condemned any calls for political violence.
No matter our politics, hopefully we can all agree with JB about not wanting to get shot by reactionary Christofascist radicals. I assume Black and Gass’s politics are pretty well aligned with each other, and Gass didn’t say anything a lot of people aren’t also feeling. But you can’t say that shit on stage in front of thousands of amped up fans. --not because it’s wrong to say or because it’s not politically correct or even because it’s controversial. You can’t say that shit because some of the people in the audience are unhinged and have already been radicalized by the Right.
Take a stand for the First Amendment, and take a stand against censorship, sure–but while you’re standing, be prepared to duck.
I don’t blame any public figure for not wanting to expose themselves to an outsized risk of violence. That risk is largely Trump’s fault, but notice how I’m blaming him from somewhere other than an elevated, well lit platform in front of a room full of strangers on drugs.
“Don’t take a stand against fascism, because a fascist might get angry” 🙄
And I guess if you’re part of a group already being targeted by angry fascists, it’d be something like “why didn’t you warn us about fascism sooner?”…
I think it’s more like “don’t publicly stand for political violence towards fascists because their base is unhinged and you bring the violence on yourself”. Also, the violence has given the fascists power. Right now, the dems defense has to be damage control. I know many people wish Trump had been taken out (especially by another republican) but it didn’t happen, most likely won’t now, and dems need to put on a “we don’t condone violence” face so they can maybe try to win.
So as long as they’re bringing violence to everyone but you, it’s all good then… 🙄
News flash - they had it long before this joke happened
Laugh my mother fucking ass off.
The fact that you, anyone, still put faith in the democrats to stand up, never mind defeat, fascism, especially after the pathetic display of the last few days where they’ve all literally grovelled to the fascist in chief, is as depressing as it is astounding. And it doesn’t end well.
https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/romeo-kokriatski-respectability-politics-or-you-gotta-be-nice-to-monsters
Okay, then what’s the answer? Because I’m afraid, unless we get some nation-wide support, no one is going to vote 3rd party (and there are no truly leftist candidates anyway). Even if we were to get the support, there’s no guarantee that we have enough or that those who said they would vote 3rd party really will. And even then, we won’t get all the dems on board anyway, which will split the vote. You’re against fascism, but the unfortunate thing is that the dems are the only shot unless you’ve got a revolution or a really game-changing candidate up your sleeve. The problem is, it’s crunch time and we have few options. I’m mad about it too and I agree with you on most points, but what else can we really do?
Edit: Please don’t just downvote. I am serious when asking for the answer. If I can have a viable option, I will take it.
I think standing up to fascism is different from putting yourself on a stage in front of potential cult members looking for retaliation. The guy is a comedian/actor/musician, he’s not looking to take a bullet from some unhinged wacko to somehow prove … fascism bad?
How many here talking shit are planning to do a soapbox tour of the US calling for Trump’s death? Just putting yourself out in front of a crowd of potentially unhinged folks, unarmed, to try and prove some kind of point.
I chose to believe he is being honest about why he cancelled the tour, and it wasn’t because “I agree with my buddy, and we’re going to stay out of the limelight for a short minute to stay safe”, but because “my buddy wants a fascist dead, and I can’t be seen to agree”.
I also find it fucking hilarious that people seriously think anyone is going to target this guy (or that he doesn’t already have/ can’t afford security), when there are significantly bigger targets out ther.
Nutjobs have shot of grocery stores and movie theaters that had no real “targets” other than people to shoot. Now mark yourself as “the enemy” of a cult by just using your first amendment right, and one could follow to a logical conclusion that maybe you would be putting your putting yourself and your whole road crew at risk.
You also have to stop thinking about these people as logical. Nothing they do has logic involved. They are members of a cult, logic was checked at the door long ago. As for being a target, these guys are famous, and people talk shit and threaten stars for far less then wishing death upon the cult leader.
Nah, Xhieron has a point. You don’t want to piss off a radicalized group of gun-toting rednecks. All it takes is one extremist right-wing nutjob and a loaded firearm to end your life.
I mean a 20 year old incel came within inches of killing Trump at a rally, and unlike Donald, Tenacious D and their crew do not have the luxury of secret service protection.
its one thing to willingly make yourself a target, but another to put your friends in the crossfire without their consent. Not just Jack but their crew, fans, venue staff, etc
well firstly, you are the one who just said:
that is what I was responding to.
but whatever, if I respond to your most recent comment you are copying and pasting everywhere, you’re being a bit naive if you think safety didn’t factor into the decision at all, or that any of these people couldn’t be targeted. There are whackos out there who could be targeting anyone for any reason and being on stage is a vulnerable place to be (see dimebag darrel, for example). And if something like that happens, it’s not just the target in danger, but everyone in the vicinity including the entire venue. People are likely to get trampled while fleeing, see just about any active shooter situation with hundreds or thousands of people crammed together.
“don’t stand up for your rights, it might get you hurt” is a very weird take tbh
“don’t invoke violence in an emotionally charged environment with thousands of people, especially when it puts your friends and coworkers in the crossfire.”
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When your masters use violence to oppress you, the only justified action is violence against them in a pursuit of freedom.