Tenacious D member Kyle Gass has removed his apology for his controversial Donald Trump comment from his Instagram.
Gass, one half of the comedy-rock duo with Jack Black, faced widespread backlash this week over a controversial comment made at the band’s recent Sydney concert.
The comment was made after Black brought a birthday cake onstage and asked Gass, who was celebrating his 64th birthday, to make a wish.
Gass’s response, “Don’t miss Trump next time,” referred to the recent attack on Trump and was met with laughter from the audience. The comment came at Sydney’s ICC Sydney Theatre on July 14th, with the incident occurring a day after former US President Trump was targeted in an assassination attempt.
After Gass was widely criticised both in Australia and elsewhere, the musician and actor shared a statement apologising for his comment, calling it “highly inappropriate, dangerous, and a terrible mistake.”
“I don’t condone violence of any kind, in any form, against anyone,” he said in the statement. “What happened was a tragedy, and I’m incredibly sorry for my severe lack of judgement. I profoundly apologise to those I’ve let down and truly regret any pain I’ve caused.”
Gass’s statement was posted to his Instagram account, however Tone Deaf can reveal that the statement has now been removed from his Instagram grid. This is in contrast to Black’s Instagram account, where the Nacho Libre actor’s own personal statement remains.
“I was blindsided by what was said at the show on Sunday. I would never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form,” Black’s statement read.
“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.”
At the time of writing, it’s unclear as to why Gass has removed his apology post.
His most recent post is now a video of a flight over Sydney Harbour, complete with the teasing caption: “Birthday helicopter ride around Sydney Harbour, hours before the storm.”
