Former Australian Prime Minister and present U.S. Ambassador Kevin Rudd has delivered a scathing rebuke to comedy rock duo Tenacious D following Kyle Gass’s controversial joke concerning the current assassination try on Donald Trump.

Rudd didn’t mince phrases, telling information.com.au at The Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, WI., “It makes me feel sick someone would joke about violence. Physically ill. People might think it’s a bit of ‘funny haha’ at a concert to run off at the mouth off about this stuff.”

“It’s not,” he stated. “It’s about threats to physical life; it’s about the near assassination of a former and prospective President of the United States, depending on the votes of the American people. It’s about the murder of innocent civilians and two people being seriously wounded.”

Rudd added, “These people need to grow up and find a decent job”.

The controversy started throughout Tenacious D’s Sydney present on July 14 when Gass, introduced with a birthday cake for his sixty fourth celebration, stated “Don’t miss Trump next time” after bandmate Jack Black requested him to make a want.

The comment got here simply sooner or later after an precise assassination try on the previous president at a Butler, Pa. rally, which resulted in a single demise and two critical accidents.

The fallout was swift and extreme. Bandmate Jack Black, claiming to be “blindsided” by the remark, introduced the cancellation of the rest of their Australian tour and put all future artistic plans on maintain.

“I am grateful to the fans for their support and understanding,” Black stated in a submit on July 16.

“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,” he continued. “After a lot reflection, I now not really feel it’s applicable to proceed the Tenacious D tour, and all future artistic plans are on maintain.

Gass himself issued an apology, calling his improvised line “highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake.”

However, the injury was already carried out. On Tuesday, United Australia Party Senator Ralph Babet known as on the federal authorities to deport Tenacious D within the wake of Gass’s remark.

“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 Giles to revoke their visas and deport them immediately,” Babet stated in an announcement.

Amid the drama, Gass’s agent, Michael Greene of Greene Talent, additionally confirmed that he now not represents the musician/comic.

Frontier Touring has canceled six exhibits in Australia and New Zealand, together with stops in Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide, Wellington, and Auckland. The standing of Tenacious D’s 5 scheduled U.S. exhibits in October stays unsure.

Tenacious D, fashioned by Black and Gass in 1994, has loved notable success on the Billboard charts through the years. In 2015, the duo additionally received the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for his or her cowl of Dio’s “The Last in Line”.

Their self-titled debut album, launched in 2001, peaked at No. 33 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 43 weeks. The band’s follow-up album, The Pick of Destiny (2006), reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200 and stayed for 13 weeks.

In 2012, Rize of the Fenix debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard 200, marking their highest chart place to date and remained on the chart for 10 weeks. Their 2018 album Post-Apocalypto peaked at No. 93 and stayed on the chart for one week.