Tenacious D’s Satire Reaches Its Limit

Even Tenacious D recognizes limitations. In songs and shtick, the deluded duo imbues itself with superhero powers, unmatched sexual prowess and top ranking among the gods of rock, despite having acoustic guitars and no actual life.

But in concert Wednesday at the Wiltern Theatre, Jack Black and Kyle Gass didn’t dare take on Osama bin Laden themselves. To address the topical matter, they had several costumed associates act out a bit of agitprop in which Spiderman and Sasquatch battled and ultimately crudely humiliated Bin Laden.

It was amusing guerrilla theater, though it underscored a problem with the D. In the fantasy world of these losers, located somewhere between “Wayne’s World” and Spinal Tap, the D would have written a song that, in their minds at least, offered more comfort and inspiration to the grief-stricken nation than even Michael Jackson would believe possible.

In the real world of actors Black (co-star of the Farrelly brothers’ upcoming movie “Shallow Hal”) and Gass--playing the fictional roles of Tenacious D--some things are simply out of reach, the admission of which bursts the satirical balloon.

Still, in this first hometown gig since the release of their self-titled debut album, they played the parts with relish. Black flaunted both his truly terrific rock voice and exaggerated ego, as Gass generally played the genial sidekick with legitimate guitar chops.

Between such familiar-to-the-fans songs as “Dio” (imploring ‘70s fantasy-rocker Ronnie James Dio to hand the torch over to them), D-ified versions of TV themes and part of the Beatles’ “Abbey Road” suite and set pieces derived from their HBO specials of a few years ago, the two gave plenty of winks at their own joke.

But without playing the fiction as 100% truth--the essence of good satire--what is this besides jokes and winks? “If you’re down with the D, you’ll grow with the D,” Black declared at one point. But nothing at the Wiltern pointed to artistic directions in which the D can grow.