Jack Black surfaces in flame-print shorts after saying Tenacious D will be back despite putting band 'on hold' after Kyle Gass' Trump shooting joke
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Jack Black surfaced in flame-print shorts in Los Angeles Friday - days after his bombshell statement on the future of his musical comedy duo Tenacious D.
Last month, Black's bandmate Kyle Gass was plunged into scandal for making a scathing joke about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
As the furor mounted, Black canceled their tour of Australia and New Zealand and announced that 'all future creative plans are on hold.'
This week, however, Black reassured his fans that Tenacious D were only taking a 'break' and would eventually 'be back.'
In the wake of the news, the 54-year-old stepped out wearing his fiery shorts with a fantasy-inspired graphic t-shirt and an olive green hat.
Jack Black surfaced flame-print shorts in Los Angeles on Friday - days after his bombshell about-face on the future of his musical comedy duo Tenacious D
'I love Tenacious D.... We had to take a break, but I love the D,' he told Entertainment Tonight on Tuesday. 'Everybody takes a break sometimes. We'll be back.'
Tenacious D was heaped with furious criticism when Gass made a joke about the July 13 shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, managed to graze Trump's ear and killed former fire chief Corey Comperatore, 50, who hurled himself in front of his family to shield them from the bullets.
With blood streaked across his face, Trump raised a fist and mouthed: 'Fight! Fight!' to the crowd before the Secret Service ushered him offstage.
Hours after the shooting, Gass celebrated his birthday at a Tenacious D concert in Sydney, where Black gave him a cake and asked him to make a wish.
'Don't miss Trump next time,' said Gass, getting a laugh and an explosive round of applause from the live audience at the ICC Theatre.
However, as the remark went viral online, Gass became the target of public outrage, prompting both him and Black to issue statements.
'I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday,' Black claimed. 'I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form.'
In the wake of the news, the 54-year-old stepped out wearing his fiery shorts with a fantasy-inspired graphic t-shirt and an olive green hat
Tenacious D was heaped with furious criticism when Kyle Gass made a joke about the July 13 shooting at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania (pictured)
During a concert mere hours after the shooting, Gass joked that his birthday wish was: 'Don't miss Trump next time'; Gass (left) and Black (right) are pictured in March
As the furor mounted, Black canceled their tour and announced that 'all future creative plans are on hold'; Black and Gass pictured with bassist John Spiker last year
'I love Tenacious D.... We had to take a break, but I love the D,' Black said Tuesday, when he is pictured: 'Everybody takes a break sometimes'
He added: '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's fans then rounded on him online for throwing a decades-long friend and collaborator under the bus over a single controversial joke.
Gass also posted a statement addressing his 'improvised' comment, which he described as a 'highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake.'
However, as his career went up in flames and he was dropped by his talent agency, Gass deleted the apology from his social media.
It was claimed Black suspended Tenacious D in order to save his own career - and avoid throwing his upcoming movies into jeopardy.
'Jack Black is still best friends with Kyle Gass. He wasn't expecting the jab that Kyle made about Trump and with his standing in Hollywood, he had to lock this controversy down instantly,' an insider exclusively told DailyMail.com
'Though Jack was surprised by it and even surprised by the reaction, he made sure to get ahead of it.' the source continued.
'Jack isn't looking to be cancelled and by ending the tour and stepping away from it all and Kyle's joke, he is hoping that people will quickly forget it. There are so many huge movies Jack is attached to right now and to derail that would be career suicide. We will see Tenacious D again, but it could be years from now.'
