Kyle Gass and Jack Black met way back in 1989 at the Edinburgh Fringe musical festival. Even though they initially didn’t get along because Gass found Black intimidating, they wound up working together and sharing their musical and theatrical talents. Tenacious D — aka, “The D” — and it’s silly, bombastic, often juvenile “mock rock” stylings were born from this fusion. Over 30 years the two made crass genitalia jokes, gags about Satan and sexual prowess, did the most gloriously bananas music videos like 2001’s “Tribute,” and more. And now? All it took was five impetuous words to break the whole venture.
As the clip of the incident on ABC News shows, Jack Black escorted a robot-looking dude carrying a cake with candles to Gass onstage because it really was Gass’ birthday. Black sang the “Happy Birthday” song to Gass, who blew out the candles and made the wish that crippled his career. On Instagram Gass framed the gaffe as botched improv comedy, calling the decision a “highly inappropriate, dangerous, and terrible mistake.” He said he was “incredibly sorry for [his] severe lack of judgement” and that he “profoundly apologize[s]” to anyone he’s harmed.
Nonetheless, Gass now faces consequences. Aside from general online condemnation, NME explains that Australian Senator Ralph Babet called for Tenacious D’s immediate deportation from the country. “To advocate and or wish for the assassination of a President is egregious, disgusting, filthy, evil,” he wrote in a letter, “and not acceptable in any way, shape or form.”
