Jack Black Once Belted Out A Hit Batman Soundtrack Song On American Idol

Whether he's portraying beloved video game characters in some of the biggest blockbusters of the 2020s so far or appearing in bolder comedies that range from the box office hit "Tropic Thunder" to the overlooked dark comedy "Bernie," Jack Black stands out as a unique Hollywood star. With a career that dates back to the early 1980s, Black has been involved in numerous projects that showcase his signature charm. However, perhaps the most impressive aspect of his long career is through music — in particular, his collaboration with fellow musician/comedian Kyle Gass with their band, Tenacious D.

Black has showcased his musicianship through many of his films, with his Golden Globe-nominated turn in Richard Linklater's "School of Rock" serving as a crown jewel of his career. Black has also exhibited his musicianship in more surprising ways, particularly in his two roles in the blockbuster video game films, "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" and "A Minecraft Movie." In the former, he voiced the antagonist Boswer, in which he wrote and performed the viral hit "Peaches." In the latter film, in which he portrayed Steve, he wrote and performed "Steve's Lava Chicken," which recently broke one of the most unique records in Billboard history. It's clear that Black's music and comedy go hand-in-hand, so much so that years ago, it was showcased on live TV on one of the biggest shows on the planet.

Fewer reality shows dominated the popular culture zeitgeist the same way that "American Idol" did during the 2000s. Although the series does not hold the same cache today that it did during its initial run, "American Idol" introduced a slew of major stars in the music industry, including the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia Barrino, Jennifer Hudson, Carrie Underwood, Chris Daughtry, Katherine McPhee, and Adam Lambert, to name a few. During season 6, which aired in 2007, a special charitable event dubbed "Idol Gives Back" aired, in which contestants that included eventual winner Jordin Sparks, among numerous celebrity guests, appeared to help raise money for charity. One of those celebrity guests was none other than Jack Black, who gave an unforgettable surprise performance of Seal's "Kiss From a Rose." The song is notably featured on the soundtrack of "Batman Forever," but Black mistakenly attributes it to "Batman Returns," which he describes as "the most sensitive of all the Batmans." 

Prior to his impromptu performance, Jack Black interrupted host Ryan Seacrest, requesting that he be given criticism from the "American Idol" judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. While performing his rendition of "Kiss From a Rose," his Tenacious D bandmate Kyle Gass is seen in the audience holding a white rose, enthusiastically cheering on the performance. Black's energetic performance was cut short by judge Jackson, who criticized Black's performance. Abdul followed up, quipping that "The School of Rock called, they want their diploma back." As for the notorious Cowell, he told Black that he was "better than Sanjaya," referring to seventh place contestant Sanjaya Malakar, who was subject to consistent negative criticism from the judges throughout the season. (I guess you had to be there.)

Jack Black's rendition of "Kiss From a Rose" on "American Idol" is a prime example of his capabilities as a performer. Although his musical act as part of Tenacious D is comedic in nature, he and Kyle Gass clearly take their work seriously, with their musicality and instrumentation staying true to the rock/metal genre alongside their edgy and abrasive comedic lyricism. Tenacious D even won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance for their cover of Dio's "The Last in Line," which was featured in the 2014 tribute album, "Ronnie James Dio — This Is Your Life."

Another notable showcase of Jack Black's musicality can be seen in a guest appearance he made on "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon." A decade ago, Black and Fallon recorded a shot-for-shot remake of Extreme's "More Than Words" music video, with Black leading the way in Gary Cherone's vocals, while Fallon played the guitar and harmonized like Nuno Bettencourt. The video is inherently comedic, given the exaggerated gestures and facial expressions poking fun at the original music video. However, the cover itself is also a powerful showcase of Black's vocal abilities, which, in a vacuum, is admittedly powerful.

Jack Black can currently be seen in "A Minecraft Movie," which is now playing in theaters.