Kyle Richard Gass (born July 14, 1960) is an American musician and actor, best known for being a member of Tenacious D, a Grammy-winning comedy band. He is also a member of Trainwreck and the Kyle Gass Band.
Early life
Kyle Richard Gass was born in Walnut Creek, California on July 14, 1960. He has two brothers. At age 8, he learned to play guitar and flute and later made his first television appearance in an advertisement for 7UP. He attended Las Lomas High School, where he played flute with Greg Williams in the marching band and graduated in 1978. He studied acting at UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, where he met Tim Robbins. In 1982, he joined Robbins' The Actors' Gang and in the early 1990s met and befriended Jack Black in the group.
Career Acting Gass first appeared on-screen in a 1988 7-Up Gold commercial, and made his film debut two years later in the horror movie Brain Dead.
He made cameo appearances in 1996 film Bio-Dome (alongside Jack Black), the Seinfeld episode "The Abstinence" in 1996, a 1999 episode of the television show Fear of a Punk Planet, and a 2003 season 9 episode of Friends, ("The One with the Mugging"), as Phoebe’s street friend Lowell. He appeared in music videos for Good Charlotte's 2002 song "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous", the Foo Fighters' 1999 song "Learn to Fly", and I Prevail's 2017 song "Already Dead". In 2017, Gass won the FilmQuest award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film Apartment 212.
Gass has played small roles in many of Black's films including Year One, Kung Fu Panda, Shallow Hal, Saving Silverman and The Cable Guy. He also starred with Black in the movie Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny.
Gass appeared in Jacob's Ladder (1990), appeared as the "couch potato" in The Cable Guy (1996), and as an inept author of children's books in the comedy Elf (2003). He had a cameo role as a singing karaoke cowboy in Wild Hogs (2007). In 2008 he played the porn director in Extreme Movie, Walrus Boy in Wieners, the dirty trucker in the men's room in Sex Drive, and Decatur Doublewide in Lower Learning.
Music
In Tenacious D, Gass plays lead guitar and sings backing vocals, and also plays the role of Black's comic foil in most of their comedy routines.
While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien on November 15, 2006, Gass claimed to have been the youngest graduate of the Juilliard School of Music with a degree in classical guitar studies at the age of 13. Juilliard did not have a guitar program in 1973, but began its graduate level guitar program in 1989 under Sharon Isbin, and its undergraduate program in 2007. Earlier, in an article in the Sunday Times on October 29, 2006, Black stated that Gass was the youngest graduate of Juilliard. On May 13, 2008, Gass was a phone-in guest on the Adam Carolla Show. When Adam Carolla asked him "... And did you go to Juilliard?" Kyle replied "I didn't. I—you know, I made that up as a joke," he continued, "and I thought it would be hilarious, and then I've been hearing about it ever since. Apologies to Juilliard."
In 2017, Gass performed the song "Penelope" for Amazon Music's "Love Me Not" compilation album.
In 2021, Gass announced his first solo tour "Kyle Gass Must Save the World". However, it was later cancelled.
On July 16, 2024, Jack Black announced the cancellation of the ongoing Tenacious D Australian tour after Gass said, "Don't miss Trump next time," on stage two days earlier, referencing an at the time recent attempted assassination of Donald Trump. Gass made the comment after being presented with a birthday cake for his 64th birthday and was asked by Black to "make a wish". Two days later, Black said on social media that he was "blindsided" by Gass's comment, and that he would "never condone hate speech or encourage political violence in any form". Tenacious D canceled the remainder of their world tour, and Black said their "future creative plans are on hold". Gass apologized on social media, calling his comment "Highly inappropriate, dangerous and a terrible mistake," that he did not condone violence "of any kind, in any form, against anyone," and described the shooting as a "tragedy". He was subsequently dropped by his longtime talent agent, Michael Greene. Gass deleted the apology two days later. At the premiere for the film Borderlands on August 6, Black said he and Gass remained friends and would return "when it feels right". Gass stated in January 2026 that he and Black had "hashed things out" and returned to writing music together. Despite this, Black stated to a TMZ correspondent three months later that the group had "no plans".
Other media Gass starred in a web show, Guitarings, with John Konesky and currently hosts the Did We Do It podcast with Kevin Weisman. He has appeared as a contestant on the TV game show Sale of the Century.
Discography
with Tenacious D Tenacious D (2001) The Pick of Destiny (2006) Rize of the Fenix (2012) Post-Apocalypto (2018)
with Trainwreck The Wreckoning (2009)
with Kyle Gass Band Kyle Gass Band (2013) Thundering Herd (2016) Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1990 Brain Dead Anaesthetist Jacob's Ladder Tony 1993 Mike the Detective Phil 1995 The Barefoot Executive Joe 1996 Bio-Dome KG The Cable Guy Couch Potato 1997 Bongwater Guitarist 1999 Idle Hands Burger Jungle Guy Cradle Will Rock Larry 2000 Almost Famous Quince Allen 2001 Saving Silverman Bar Dude The Zeros Reed / David Evolution Officer Drake Shallow Hal Artie 2002 The New Guy Mr. Luberoff 2003 Elf Eugene 2006 Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny KG 2007 Wild Hogs Lead Singer Monkeys Uncredited 2008 Kung Fu Panda KG Shaw (voice) Wieners Walrus Boy Dead and Gone Reverend Grass Lower Learning Decatur Doublewide Sex Drive Trucker Unrated version Extreme Movie Director 2009 Year One Zaftig the Eunuch 2010 Barry Munday Jerry Sherman 2011 High Road Winter Weirdo 2012 Beverly Hills Chihuahua 3: Viva La Fiesta! Lester 2014 Book of Fire Sal 2015 Circus Circus Short film 2017 Gnaw (Apartment 212) Terry 2024 Dear Santa Science Teacher 2025 The Sound Bill
Television Year Title Role Notes 1996 Seinfeld Smoker Episode: "The Abstinence" 1997–2000 Tenacious D KG Main role 1999–2002 Fear of a Punk Planet Fire Marshal Lyle 3 episodes 2000 Manhattan, AZ Merv Episode: "Lt. Colonel's Boy" 2001–2002 Undeclared Eugene Episode: "Eric Visits Again" and "Eric's POV" 2001 Space Ghost Coast to Coast Himself Episode: "Sweet for Brak" 2002–2003 Fillmore! Mr. Collingwood (voice) 2 episodes2002, 2006Saturday Night LiveHimself2 episodes 2003 Friends Lowell Episode: "The One with the Mugging" Player$ Himself Episode: "Tenacious D a la Mode" 2004 Cracking Up Naked Man Episode: "Panic House" Tom Goes to the Mayor Trapper Kyle Episode: "Beat Traps" 2005 Living with Fran Ken Episode: "The Concerts" 2006 The Jake Effect Mr. Seissner Recurring role, 7 episodes 2007 The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show Himself Episode: "Break Up" 2011 FCU: Fact Checkers Unit Himself Episode: "Excessive Gass " 2012 Femme Fatales Willoughby Flagler Episode: "Gun Twisted" 2013 2 Broke Girls Buzz Episode: "And the Extra Work" Ghost Ghirls "Hawk" Olsen Episode: "Spirits of '76: Part 1 & 2" 2014 The Birthday Boys John Allison Episode: "Freshy's" 2015 Drunk History Fred Eaton Episode: "Los Angeles" 2018 Brooklyn Nine-Nine Dario Moretti Episode: "Jake & Amy"Tenacious D in Post-Apocalypto KG Main role 2018–2019Speechless Carl 3 episodes 2022Hacks Axel Episode: "The Click"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2009 Brütal Legend Kage the Kannonier Also facial likeness
Music videos Year Video Artist Role Label 1999 "Learn to Fly" Foo Fighters Flight attendant Roswell Records 2001 "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" Good Charlotte Lawyer Epic Records 2017 "Already Dead" I Prevail Internet troll Fearless Records
References
External links