Juanita Neville-Te Rito: marketing expert and RX director says Jack Black made the right decision to cancel Tenacious D world tour

One expert believes Jack Black's move to cancel his band's world tour was the right decision.

Speaking at their Sydney show after Sunday's assassination attempt, Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass said: "Don't miss Trump next time".

Gass has since apologised - but Jack Black has put all future creative projects on hold for the band.

Sold-out shows were scheduled in Wellington and Auckland.

Marketing expert and director at RX, Juanita Neville-Te Rito says it's not an overreaction.

"The comments that were said were totally inappropriate - they might feel innocuous, but I think cancelling was totally justified."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And American band Tenacious D has turned out to be
not quite as tenacious as the name suspects. They have
canceled their Wellington and Auckland shows after backlash surrounding controversial
comments about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Band member
Kyle Gas said on stage quote don't miss Trump next
time during their Sydney show. Jack Black, his BANDMATEE, has

(00:23):
signaled via social media that all future creative plans are
on hold. Janita nevel Tededitor is a marketing expert and
managing director of RX and as well US This evening, Yoda,
good evening, good evening, How are you very well? Thanks?
Come on? Do they really need to cancel their entire
tour over this?

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Look, it's really tough because I think the fans will
be feeling gutted. But it's not an overreaction. You know.
The comments that were said are totally inappropriate. They might
feel a little innoxious, but I think canceling was totally justified.

Speaker 1 (01:00):
I don't know see even that canceling right. If you
think about Donald Trump, Donald Trump's all about hating on
cancel culture. So isn't this the kind of cancel culture
that Trump's aborders hate.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
Oh gosh here and it probably feels like fake news
as well. But if you think about the comments and
the type of people that are involved in you know,
political camps, this is something that's really highly volatile. It's
about an individual, if you like him not, who you know,
can express his freedom and shouldn't be you know, punished

(01:31):
as a result. That's what democracy is all about.

Speaker 1 (01:33):
It wasn't wasn't it just a joke?

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Though?

Speaker 1 (01:35):
I mean I'm not saying it was a good joke
or a tasteful joke even, But isn't it just a joke?

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Look? I think us Kiwi's in US and you know
it started and Ossie, we're a little bit laid back.
We do take a bit of a joke. We sit
in that moderate camp. But when it gets to politics
like this, In situations like this, people can be extremists.
We're not used to that, and you know, you have
to take those type of things into consideration. Whilst it
feels like a joke, it was about something that was

(02:02):
actually quite serious.

Speaker 1 (02:04):
So how much apprecia do you reckon? There would have
been from you know, advertisers and sponsors and that kind
of thing.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
Look, I reckon. These guys were a step ahead of
the game and they reacted before anyone else could. Because
just think about the pr fallout after that, because whilst
Trump wasn't hurt, other people were and that'sn't really that funny.
And you're right, that's what advertisers would react to when
and maybe some extremists as well.

Speaker 1 (02:32):
Yeah, yeah, and I suppose you know, and one sense
this might help to protect fans, even if it means
they're not going to be seeing their favorite band.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
Oh look, I think as much as we don't like it,
the world is not as safe as we sometimes think,
and we've seen some horrible things happen at concerts than
it is. It's about protecting the hand bands. Well's case scenario.
You might have a protest that you've got to get
through sort of as a best case. Worst case could
be far worse. So they do have to put their

(03:02):
hands first and also think about the venue that they
were at as well. So taking a real assessment of
what might happen. As much as we wouldn't like to
think we're in you know, countries that that might happen,
they do have to think about that.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
So Jack Black said on social media afterwards that quote
all future creative plans are on hold for Tenacious D.
I mean, okay, canceling a tour is one thing that's
a pretty big call, But canceling a friendship. Come on,
that man's too far right.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
Oh look, if you know it sort of sucks. Yes,
But there's commerciality within this as well, and Jack Black
probably has to think about what is his the future
capability of earning money, and sometimes that is impacted by
the people you hang out with, because maybe people won't
book him again, maybe he won't get gigs. He does

(03:53):
have to think about that. But if anything, they've made
a good call in owning it and making apology in
saying that they are going to be reflective about this.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
Yeah, yeah, hey, thanks so much for your time. We
need to really appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
It's vita pleasure.

Speaker 1 (04:08):
That is, we need to navel Teddy Tour.

Speaker 2 (04:11):
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