Tenacious D Going Hungry for Its Art

Reuters | 11/3/03 | Wes Orshoski

[journey7873]

NEW YORK (Billboard) - With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the members of Tenacious D announced Monday that they would begin a 45-day hunger strike at 5 p.m.

In a satirical move to promote the DVD "The Complete Masterworks," due Tuesday via Epic, members Jack Black (news) and Kyle Gass said they will climb into a seven-foot by three-foot by seven-foot glass box 50 yards above Times Square at the intersection of 45th Street and Broadway, where they will remain for the length of the strike.

The intersection is the location of MTV studios, where they were to appear on Monday's episode of "Total Request Live."

Actor/singer/guitarist Black said the strike would end early on three conditions: if "The Complete Masterworks" goes platinum, if "hunger is solved" or if there is peace in Middle East.

The duo made the announcement dressed in silver and white superhero costumes, with the letter "D" covering their barrel-shaped chests, white gloves on their hands and white capes tied around their necks. In addition to water and one red cell phone, Black quipped that they would bring one guitar into the glass box with them. "If we need extra nourishment, we will live off each others' rock."

When the pair was asked the longest duration either had gone without sustenance, Gass replied that one time he had gone eight hours between meals. Black said that once he slept for 12 hours, effectively spending 13 hours in-between meals. "It's gonna test our will, but I feel confident we're gonna make it," said Gass.

After the hunger strike, Black said the group will continue working on the long-awaited Tenacious D movie, "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny."

"The Complete Masterworks" will be previewed for fans Monday night at San Francisco's Sony Meteron Action Theater, and at Alamo Draft House locations in Houston and Austin, Texas, free to the public on a first-come-first-served basis.

[journey7873]

Eat your heart out David Blaine!

[Damocles]

Eat your heart out David Blaine!

Technically, I think that would break the hunger strike...

[Roughneck]

This is just not original thinking. . . .

[r9etb]

The only thing I know about "Tenacious D" is that the neighbor kid has one of their stickers on his car. They sound pretty stupid.

[NewRomeTacitus]

This is just a good, old fashioned publicity stunt to promote sails at the expense of Blaine's ridiculous "feat". Tenacious D are like the Penn and Teller of the music world, composing beautiful songs, performing them with inspired musicianship and then skewering the entire effort with humorously raunchy lyrics.

Jack Black, for those that can't place him, played the hapless guy who "gave" Bruce Willis's character a hand while "The Jackal" zeroed in his remote-control gun. Black also played the geek in the security van who mercilessly tracked Will Smith's location in "Enemy of the State".

[journey7873]

Don't forget Shallow Hal!

[Blue Highway]

Let me proudly introduce: