Journalist Andrew Callaghan claimed that George Clooney pushed Jack Black to end Tenacious D after Kyle Gass made a controversial remark about President Donald Trump's assassination attempt in July last year.
He made the comments during a conversation with Hunter Biden, while discussing allegations that Amal Clooney played a role in a public call for the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu through a full-page advertisement. Callaghan shared his story during the discussion.
"My only really famous Hollywood friend is actor Jack Black, we used to be neighbors in [Los Angeles], and Tenancious D did a concert in Sydney, Australia, and, this is the day after they tried to assassinate Trump, and I guess Jack Black's guitarist or whatever jumps up on stage, and he yells something into the effect of 'Hey, next time you try to shoot Trump, aim a little bit closer,'" he said, according to Variety.
"George Clooney is blowing his phone up, being like, "If you don't kick your bandmember out of the band and, like, publicly denounce this guy — like I don't know what the consequences were, but it was kind of like, 'You're out!' Out of what, we don't know," he continued. "And so his hand was basically forced to be like, 'Oh, sorry, my bandmember has serious mental-health problems. We're breaking up the band for now. The tour is canceled.'"
Backlash first erupted soon after Tenacious D's July 14, 2024, concert at the ICC Sydney Theatre, which took place a day after the shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where the president was grazed in the ear by a bullet.
During the show, Black brought out a birthday cake for Gass to celebrate his 64th birthday. When Black asked Gass to make a wish, Gass joked, "Don't miss Trump next time."
"I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday," Black said in a statement at the time, according to Variety. "I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form."
He continued, "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."
Black later told Variety that the band needed to take a break.
"Everybody needs a break sometime," he said. "And we'll be back."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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