A move by Jack Black to cancel the rest of his band's world tour following a comment about Donald Trump has been criticised.
He cancelled the rest of Tenacious D's tour after his bandmate Kyle Gass made a comment about an assassination attempt on the former US president.
The comedy rock group were on stage in Sydney, Australia, on Sunday when Gass was presented with a birthday cake and asked to make a wish to which he replied: "Don't miss Trump next time".
Black said he was "blindsided" by the remarks on stage, adding that "all future creative plans" for the duo are on hold.
Comedian Jim Elliot told Lunchtime Live he can't understand why the tour has been scrapped.
"I think they were wrong to cancel the rest of their tour," he said.
"It was clearly a joke - you could hear from the reaction in the room that everybody laughed about it."
![Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally following an assassination attempt. Image: AP Photo/Evan Vucci](https://media.radiocms.net/uploads/2024/07/14132120/2XHE8H4.jpg)
Mr Elliot said one of the "oldest jokes" he knows makes light of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.
"The joke goes like this: President Bill Clinton is asleep in the White House, he's dreaming and he see's Abraham Lincoln in his dream approach him.
"He says, 'Hello President Clinton, congratulations on your electoral win'.
"Clinton says, 'It's an honour to speak to you - what can I do to help lead the American people?'
"Lincoln is quiet for a second and says, 'Spend a lot of time going to the threatre'.
"That's a 120-year-old joke, everybody's told it - I've heard it about every president."
'The joke about the act is not the act'
Mr Elliot said Tenacious D have been controversial themselves at times.
"The joke about the act is not the act, it's what happens," he said.
"[Tenacious D] put out an album in 2001... it's a comedy-rock album - they are great songs but they are ultimately sketches.
"On that album they have a track called 'City Hall', where the two of them are decrying the state of the world and decide they're going to start a riot and overthrow the people in City Hall and make themselves the kings.
"Ultimately they get paranoid of each other and they poison each other and the song ends.
"It's a song about how power corrupts and governing is hard - but it is a call for a violent uprising and overthrow of the government but this is the kind of stuff they do".
Mr Elliot suggested as Tenacious D is a comedy show, "everybody in that stadium knew what they were going to see".
'There has to be a limit'
Jimmy in Tipperary, who is a supporter of Donald Trump, told the show he believes such a joke is inappropriate.
"I have a good aul sense of humour myself and it's not funny because there's nothing funny about the poor man that was protecting his family in the audience [who died]," he said.
"Even the assassin, he's a young 20-year-old, he's dead and that's sad because his parents are there wondering how did it all go wrong?
"I think there has to be a limit... it's not funny, there's nothing funny.
"There's two people dead and whether you like him or support him or not he's putting himself out there."
'The joke wasn't about them'
Jimmy said there's nothing funny about the people who died.
"I can't see the joke in it, I can't see the fun in it because people died," he said.
"What's on my mind is the young 20-year-old lying there, why in the name of God has that happened?
"There's nothing funny about the man that lost his life".
Mr Elliot said he believes people are talking about the wrong issue.
"It's not fair point and it doesn't change anything," he said.
"Yes there's nothing funny about the two people who are dead but that's why the joke wasn't about them.
"The first thing Trump did when he got into office was sign a bill making it easier for people with mental illnesses to obtain handguns.
"But no - let's all fill our diapers over a joke on stage at a comedy show, that's what's important," he added.
View this post on Instagram
In a statement posted on Instagram, Jack Black said: "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.
"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."
Tenacious D was due to play another week of gigs in Australia before heading to New Zealand as part of their Spicy Meatball Tour.
The pair, who played Dublin's 3Arena back in May, were also due to begin a US tour in October.
A webpage dedicated to the tour has been left blank on their website.
Listen back here: