Reporter Andrew Callaghan has revealed new details about the circumstances behind Tenacious D’s breakup. He claims that George Clooney pressured Jack Black to disband the group following a controversial incident in Australia. The allegations were made during an interview featured on Channel 5 with Andrew Callaghan.
Callaghan described his friendship with Jack Black. He detailed the events that allegedly led to the band’s dissolution following Kyle Gass’s controversial stage comment.
“My only really famous Hollywood friend is actor Jack Black, we used to be neighbors in [Los Angeles], and Tenancious D did a concert in Sydney Australia, and, this is the day after they tried to assassinate Trump, and I guess Jack Black’s guitarist or whatever jumps up on stage, and he yells something into the effect of ‘Hey, next time you try to shoot Trump, aim a little bit closer,'” Callaghan said.
The reporter then explained how Hollywood pressure allegedly influenced Black’s decision to end the band.
“George Clooney is blowing his phone up, being like, ‘If you don’t kick your band member out of the band and, like, publicly denounce this guy’ — I don’t know what the consequences were, but it was kind of like, ‘You’re out!’ Out of what, we don’t know,” he continued. “And so his hand was basically forced to be like, ‘Oh, sorry, my band member has serious mental health problems. We’re breaking up the band for now. The tour is canceled.'”
The incident occurred during Tenacious D’s Australian tour in July 2024. The controversial moment that sparked the band’s dissolution unfolded during what should have been a celebratory occasion for Kyle Gass. He was marking his 64th birthday on stage in Sydney.
Time reported that Gass made his inflammatory remark while blowing out birthday candles during the concert. The comment quickly went viral on social media. It prompted immediate calls from Australian officials to deport the band.
Following the intense criticism, CBS News documented that Black publicly stated he was blindsided by Gass’s comment. He emphasized that he does not condone hate speech or political violence.
Jack Black announced his decision to put Tenacious D on indefinite hiatus via the post he shared on Instagram. He 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.”
Gass also issued a formal apology. He acknowledged his remark was “highly inappropriate, dangerous, and a terrible mistake.” CBS News confirmed that he disavowed any support for violence. Despite the apologies from both band members, the damage to their partnership appeared irreversible. This led to the band’s current inactive status.
