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Is there a Jack Black controversy?

It's absurd, and frankly, it's a shame.

Jack Black in Jumanji
Photo via Sony Pictures

The MAGA crowd might be in for a bit of a surprise, as one of Hollywood’s most beloved comedic actors, Jack Black, isn’t singing their tune.

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Jack Black has been a staple of American entertainment for over two decades. You might know him as the chaotic yet endearing teacher in School of Rock, or as one-half of the comedy rock duo Tenacious D. Black also voices Po, the lovable panda and kung fu enthusiast from the animated franchise. In short, he’s a national treasure, and until now, he was apparently everyone’s favorite teddy bear of an actor.

So what’s got the MAGA crew so riled up? Well, it all went down at a recent star-studded fundraiser for President Biden held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The event, which also featured the likes of George Clooney and Julia Roberts, managed to raise a whopping $30 million for Biden’s November reelection bid. But it was Black’s appearance that really stole the show.

Decked out in a pair of American flag overalls and a Biden t-shirt (talk about patriotic fashion!), Black took the stage to deliver what can only be described as a dramatic endorsement of the President. He joked about having to turn down big events like the opening of a new Jack-in-the-Box location and the second Annual Imperial Avocado Festival to be there supporting Biden. “I know I turned them down, but my President needs me,” Black declared to the cheering crowd.

Needless to say, the MAGA Twittersphere was not amused. They wasted no time voicing their displeasure and slamming Black for his endorsement. But here’s the thing: Jack Black is entitled to his political opinions, just like anyone else. And if he wants to use his platform to support a candidate he believes in, more power to him. Jack has been vocal about climate change, LGBTQ+ rights, and other progressive causes for years. But I guess when you’re wearing red-tinted glasses, everything looks… well, red.

This controversy is symptomatic of a larger issue in American politics: The increasing polarization and tribalism that’s tearing the country apart. We have reached a point where people are genuinely shocked and outraged when someone they like doesn’t share their political views. But here is the thing — we don’t have to agree with everything our favorite stars say or do. Heck, I still love Tom Cruise movies even though I don’t have a particular fondness for his Scientology beliefs. In the meantime, keep doing you, Jack Black.