An Australian senator has called for Jack Black’s band Tenacious D be deported after one half of the duo made snide remarks on former President Donald Trump surviving an assassination attempt.
While performing in Sydney on Sunday, Black sung ‘Happy Birthday’ to his bandmate Kyle Gass, who turned 64, before asking him to make a wish.
Gass shared his wish with the audience: “Don’t miss Trump next time” — a reference to the less-than-day-old botched assassination attempt on Trump which claimed the life of one rally attendant.
The comment drew mostly laughs and cheers from the 9,000-strong audience but has attracted criticism once a video of the moment was posted on social media, with many condemning the duo as news.com.au reported.
Senator Ralph Babet, leader of the United Australia Party, on Tuesday called for Tenacious D to be deported following the onstage response.
Babet claimed Glass’ comments were not a joke and he called on Australia’s immigration minister Andrew Giles to “revoke their visas.”
The senator issued a letter calling for deportation, writing: “Tenacious D should be immediately removed from the country after wishing for the assassination of Donald Trump at their Sydney concert.”
He continued: “I condemn in the strongest possible way the call to political violence by Tenacious D in Sydney on Sunday. To advocate and or wish for the assassination of a President is egregious, disgusting, filthy, evil, and not acceptable in any way, shape or form. This was not a joke, he was deadly serious when he wished for the death of the President.”
There is no place in Australia for those who wish for the assassination of others. pic.twitter.com/wuvgQxeeDS
— Senator Babet (@senatorbabet) July 16, 2024
Tenacious D still have four dates left of the Australian leg of their tour, including shows in Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide although the concert set for Newcastle has already been cancelled at short notice after the remarks were made.
It is unclear whether those shows will go ahead as planned.
