Blondie Rejects Sochi Concert Over Russia's "Human Rights" Issues

FUSE TV - Blondie Rejects Sochi Concert Over Russia's "Human Rights" Issues

Don't call Blondie, Sochi. The veteran New Wave act publicly revealed they rejected an offer to play at the 2014 Winter Olympic city's annual Red Rocks Festival, citing they will "pass for human rights."

According to the letter Blondie uploaded to Twitter, Debbie Harry & Co. would have play a 45-minute set at the 25,000-capacity venue where Olympic medals are awarded nightly. Further details have been defaced by a huge scribbling, reading "PASS: HUMAN RIGHTS." Blondie posted the letter on Facebook and asked fans to "Share if you agree," earning more than 1,700 shares so far.

Russia's anti-gay laws have been a major focus at the games where several gay-rights activists were arrested on opening day.

Lady Gaga Urges U.S. To Boycott Olympics Over Russia's Homophobia

Scissor Sisters—who have more than one openly-gay member—had previously headlined Red Rocks Festival, but that was before the country's harsh "gay propaganda" laws were in effect.

So, what kind of gigs do the New Wave pioneers accept nowadays? The veteran rockers played at Out Magazine's annual OUT 100 party last fall and performed at Amnesty International's concert for human rights last week. Blondie recently sat down with Fuse to talk about the band's 40th anniversary and the state of pop music today.

Join Blondie in the protest over Russia's anti-gay laws with this pro-LGBT soundtrack.

Russia

21m

Russia

Women's Rights

21m

Women's Rights

LGBTQIA+ Rights

21m

LGBTQIA+ Rights

Gotta Swipe Right

21m

Gotta Swipe Right

Right To Twerk

20m

Right To Twerk

The Right Girls

1h 22m

The Right Girls

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Are Prisoner's Rights Wrong?

Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy

1h 18m

Concert Crush: The Travis Scott Festival Tragedy

Father's Rights: Does Father Know Best?

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Father's Rights: Does Father Know Best?

Women's Rights & Strengths Coming To Light

8m

Women's Rights & Strengths Coming To Light

LGBTQIA+ Rights, Let's Talk About It

2m

LGBTQIA+ Rights, Let's Talk About It

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Will Devon Joining Team Freedia be an Issue?

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Poppin' Up All Over The Place

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Have Beauty Standards Changed Over The Years?

Weezy Takes Over a Fuse Employees Dating Profile

6m

Weezy Takes Over a Fuse Employees Dating Profile

Odalys and Jamie Discuss Career Over Smoothies: The 212

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Odalys and Jamie Discuss Career Over Smoothies: The 212

Weezy Finds a Familiar Face While Taking Over a Fuse Employees Dating Profile

8m

Weezy Finds a Familiar Face While Taking Over a Fuse Employees Dating Profile

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Who's the Boss?

Twerkloose

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Twerkloose

Jill Scott and Marc Anthony

22m

Jill Scott and Marc Anthony

Freedia's Twerk On Washington

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Freedia's Twerk On Washington

Building Community

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Building Community

100 Vaginas

46m

100 Vaginas

Celebrities Are Not Politicians

24m

Celebrities Are Not Politicians

Racial Profiling: Good Policing or Bad Judgement?

23m

Racial Profiling: Good Policing or Bad Judgement?

Forward Moves

22m

Forward Moves

Bobby & Whitney

56m

Bobby & Whitney

If Abuela Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy

13m

If Abuela Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy

Bikini Body Dreams

44m

Bikini Body Dreams

Time To Take 'Em Down

20m

Time To Take 'Em Down

Iraq, USA

23m

Iraq, USA

Keepers of the Game

1h 22m

Keepers of the Game

Run for the Border

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Run for the Border

Accountability: Victim or Villain

23m

Accountability: Victim or Villain

Psycho Slimdown

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Psycho Slimdown

Becky's

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Becky's

License to Breed

23m

License to Breed

What The Hell Are We? Are We Living In A Simulation?

18m

What The Hell Are We? Are We Living In A Simulation?

Final Fight

14m

Final Fight

AIDS Today

23m

AIDS Today

Family Studies

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Family Studies

Comin Out Swinging

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Comin Out Swinging

Uncle Ed's Bucket List

1h 27m

Uncle Ed's Bucket List

Like A Girl

Like A Girl

Need Advice? Ask 'Transcendent' Star Bambiana Anything

34s

Need Advice? Ask 'Transcendent' Star Bambiana Anything

Glenn

8m

Glenn

Deus Sex Machine

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Deus Sex Machine

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50m

Vogue Williams Investigates: Is Monogamy Dead?

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2m

King Keraun Slides Down the Slopes

Like, Share, Dimelo

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The Feels

1h 21m

The Feels

Sin City Shakedown

41m

Sin City Shakedown

Food Culture

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Food Culture

Smackdown

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Smackdown

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12m

Abuela Knows Best

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The Every Damn Internet Challenge

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Inside the MMA: Rise of Copa

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Deep Sea Drama

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Frugal Fashionista

Ariel

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Ariel

Rolling Stones: Rock Royalty

59m

Rolling Stones: Rock Royalty

Danny Krivit

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Danny Krivit

Levi and Troy

40m

Levi and Troy

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It's Probably Illegal

Mike and Gabe

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Mike and Gabe

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1m

Bionka's Wild Favorite Moment From Season 1

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The Taylor Girlz Take A Lie Detector Test

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7m

Is It Illegal To Trip A Horse Up?

Kid Capri & DJ Skribble Take A Lie Detector Test

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Kid Capri & DJ Skribble Take A Lie Detector Test

We Need To Talk About America

We Need To Talk About America

The Third Strike

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The Third Strike

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10m

Latto Takes A Lie Detector Test: Is She Into Threesomes?

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"I'm Not A Role Model"

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Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information