An Australian senator is calling for the immediate deportation of Jack Black’s comedy rock-duo Tenacious D after his partner and the project’s lead guitarist Kyle Gass publicly expressed his disappointment at the fact that former US President Donald Trump’s would-be assassin was not successful in his goals.
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As previously reported, while speaking at a July 13th campaign rally held at the Butler Farm Show Grounds near Butler Pennsylvania, the aforementioned Trump narrowly avoided falling victim to a barrage of eight shots fired at him by the now-deceased Thomas Matthew Crooks.
Subsequently, during an on-stage performance in Sydney, Australia later that same night, the aforementioned Black took a moment to wish Gass a happy 64th birthday.
Per a video of the event posted to TikTok by user @mtotheh4, following an intentionally-over-the-top rendition of ‘Happy Birthday To You’, Black proceeded to ask invite both his bandmate and the crowd, “Make a wish,” to which Gass earnestly replied, “Don’t miss Trump next time.”
Unsurprisingly, immediately upon its sharing online, Gass’ remark drew a storm of outrage and condemnation from across the American political spectrum.
But more than just angry Americans, the guitarist’s words have also drawn the the ire of a member of the Australian government.
In a statement released to his personal Twitter account on July 15th/16th (depending on which side of the international date line one falls), Australian Senator for Victoria and United Australia Party member Ralph Babet has declared that, in in response to Gass’ call for political violence, “Tenacious D must be deported immediately.”
“I condemn in the strongest possible way the call to political violence by Tenacious D in Sydney on Sunday,” asserted the conservative politician. “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 wish for the death of the President.”
To this end, Babet then asserted, “I call on the Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese to join me in denouncing Tenacious D, Jack Black and band member Kyle Gass, and I call on the Immigration Minister Andrew Gilles to revoke their visas and deport them immediately. Anything less than deportation is an edorsement of the shooting and attempted assassination of Donald J. Trump, the 45th and soon-to-be 47th President of the United States.”
“Australia wrongly locked up Novak Djokovic and deported him because he allegedly undermined public trust in vaccination,” he concluded. “Allowing Tenacious D to remain in Australia after calling for the death of a President is unthinkable, and it affirms the weakness of our current Prime Minister.”
As of writing, neither Prime Minister Albanese nor Minister Gilles have publicly responded to Babet’s call for the band’s deportation.
However, following the backlash Gass’ statements, the band did postpone their upcoming July 16th show in Newcastle, Australia.