Devo co-founder Jerry Casale has apologised after images of his September 11-themed wedding cake were made public. The performer - who married Krista Napp in California on the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attack in New York - has said that the cake was a “surprise” from a friend, and that the incident was a “set-up”.
In pictures obtained by TMZ, the couple are pictured behind a large wedding cake resembling the World Trade Center twin towers, with cut out images of their faces on top.
Casale has since suggested that his cake was not organised by the couple themselves, but a friend.
Deep apologies for all offended. There is a real explanation and its not what you think. Surprise cake and pix to TMZ was a set up. TBC...
— Gerald Casale (@Gvc3Casale) September 15, 2015
According to the musician, they had chosen the date to get married out of necessity, as the Beverly Hills courthouse is only open on Fridays, and that was the last Friday available before their marriage application expired.
The cake was, according to Casale, a response to comments he had previously made to a friend who questioned the choice of their wedding date, that he and Napp “are the twin towers of love”. Casale told Billboard that one friend who heard that explanation offered to take care of the cake, which was delivered to the couple after dinner.
“He thought it was some sort of transgressive sick humour, and the problem is, it’s not funny,” Casale said of his friend.
Casale also told Billboard that the media attention the photo has received “ruined our wedding”, and that he was “surprised at the attention” it was receiving.
Casale had previously caused controversy following his satirical Jihad Jerry and the Evildoers venture. His full-length album, Mine Is Not a Holy War, in 2006, was naturally met with criticism.
“People are kind of freaked out by the Jihad Jerry stuff,” he is quoted as saying. “I thought they’d all think it was really funny and get off on it, but people are really offended and scared.”
