Ever been at a birthday party where someone has made a joke of questionable taste?
Depending on the context, you may or may not have laughed but then you moved on.
Blowing out his candles on a cake for his 64th birthday in Sydney on Sunday, Kyle Gass was asked by Tenacious D bandmate Jack Black to “make a wish”.
“Don’t miss Trump next time,” Gass quipped in front of 9000 fans at a concert by the American comedy rock duo best known for hit single Tribute.
Audience members may or may not have laughed. Many would have, given Tenacious D are gloriously profane.
![Hollywood star Jack Black brings his parody rock act Tenacious D to Perth for the Perth International Comedy Festival (The West is presenting it). Pictured is guitarist Kyle Gass.
Pic: Ian Munro
The West Australian
15/05/2013](https://timesofsydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/539b6bc5490960c9c8ccc59d736deeb0f649212c-16x9-x0y408w4000h2250.jpg)
At least one captured the moment on their phone and uploaded it to social media, which is when all hell broke loose.
Widespread online outrage — especially on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter and currently owned by Trump supporter Elon Musk — led to Black cancelling the rest of the aptly named Spicy Meatball Tour of Australia.
Gass, who issued a profuse apology, was dumped by his agent.
The meatball got spicier with shock jock Kyle Sandilands banning Tenacious D songs from his radio show and United Australia Party senator Ralph Babet calling for the band to be deported.
![Tenacious D](https://timesofsydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/42351e256608ae576840245aa130b331889fde8d-16x9-x0y174w767h431.jpg)
Given both these blowhards proclaim to be advocates for free speech, this was rank hypocrisy.
Many netizens, presumably overseas, mistook Senator Babet for a relevant politician. You laugh lest you cry.
The saddest aspect of this whole imbroglio is Black jettisoning Gass, his bandmate of 30 years.
Presumably, this was to protect his Hollywood career — Black is best known for his title role in animated franchise Kung Fu Panda and starring in School of Rock.
![SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 16: Jack Black attends the "Kung Fu Panda 4" Australian Premiere on March 16, 2024 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images)](https://timesofsydney.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/9df032ee3342d0ff3e609261265bd384f20d7679-16x9-x0y231w5184h2916.jpg)
In fact, he made his film debut in Bob Roberts, the 1992 satire starring Tim Robbins as a right-wing folk singer running for US President who fakes an assassination attempt.
In a further case of life imitating art, Tenacious D’s eponymous 2001 debut album features the track Kyle Quit the Band.
“Misunderstanding, didn’t understand,” Black and Gass sing in exultant joy. “It doesn’t matter, now we’re back together again.”
Hopefully, this storm in a D-cup ends the same way.