Kyle Gass says Tenacious D will return after Trump joke backlash

Kyle Gass is confident Tenacious D will be back on stage, despite the controversy that saw their tour abruptly cancelled, including their long-awaited New Zealand shows.

The comedy rock duo were meant to be heading to NZ when everything unravelled in July 2024. While on stage in Sydney celebrating Gass’ birthday, Jack Black asked him to make a wish. Gass replied, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” referencing the attempted assassination of US President Donald Trump the day before.

The comment sparked immediate backlash. Within days, the rest of the tour was cancelled, Gass issued an apology, and Black released a statement distancing himself from the remark. For Kiwi fans, it meant another international tour pulled at the last minute.

Now, speaking publicly about the incident for the first time, Gass says the band is far from finished.

“We’re gonna come back, it’s gonna be bigger than Oasis!” he joked. “We will serve no D-wine before it’s D-time, but we will be back. We will return.”

Gass says he and Black have since talked things through. “At the end of the day, we’re friends. I’ve known Jack since he was 18, and it’s been such a long marriage, really,” he said.

He also acknowledged why Black needed to protect his own career, calling himself the “loose-cannon partner” and admitting, “It was my f**k-up.”

Whether that return includes New Zealand remains to be seen, but after having the rug pulled just before showtime, Kiwi fans will be hoping the next announcement actually sticks.