Elton John was ‘furious’ Vladimir Putin used him as a ‘smoke display’ after signing anti-gay laws.
Dec. 3 2024, Revealed 1:00 p.m. ET
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John recalled Putin’s surprising interview with BBC in 2014 in his new memoir, ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Street’.
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The British singer mentioned paving the way in which for different artists to carry out in Russia, recalling how he regularly performed there and felt a deep connection to LGBTQ+ followers who he felt wanted his help.
John then talked about how in 2013, the Russian president enacted new laws that banned the promotion of homosexuality or any dialogue of being homosexual to minors underneath eighteen.
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Putin ‘used John for example’ to assert there was no discrimination towards homosexual individuals in Russia.
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On the brand new legislation, John stated: “It was terrible. It discriminated towards and focused a neighborhood of people that deserve equality and compassion.”
The singer stated the next 12 months, Putin “tried to make use of him for example” that there was no discrimination towards homosexual people in Russia.
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He recalled Putin’s interview on The Andrew Marr Present on the BBC in England, the place the tyrant claimed: “It appears to me that the legislation we adopted would not hurt anyone. What’s extra, gay individuals cannot really feel inferior right here, as a result of there is no such thing as a skilled, profession, or social discrimination towards them.
“Once they obtain nice success, for instance Elton John – he is a unprecedented individual, a distinguished musician, and thousands and thousands of our individuals sincerely love him, no matter his sexual orientation.”
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Journalist Marr additionally introduced up the interview simply final 12 months – a decade later – recalling how he “requested Putin if he had homosexual buddies, which he does, and whether or not he was homophobic”.
Marr famous how the Russian chief “stated he wasn’t, however that he loved Elton’s music very a lot”.
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The singer stated he felt an in depth bond together with his LGBTQ+ followers in Russia and felt they wanted his help.
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In his e-book, John sharply declared how “Putin was flawed”, including: “Violence towards LGBTQ+ individuals elevated after the anti-propaganda legal guidelines got here into place.”
He wrote: “I used to be furious. The legislation abused Russian residents’ primary human rights. I had met followers there who had been being victimized by the laws, and it was clearly due to their sexual orientation. I felt compelled to reply.”
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In a following assertion, The Tiny Dancer hitmaker stated he “provided to introduce Putin to homosexual individuals who had been being verbally and bodily threatened as a direct results of his vicious laws”.
John additionally defined the “deep connection” he felt together with his Russian followers, including that he deeply “wished to guard them”.
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He added: “They deserved equal rights regardless of their sexuality. They had been being handled horribly. I wished to disabuse Putin of his ridiculous notions about homosexual individuals.”
Putin’s interview with Marr got here out months after John carried out a live performance in Moscow and slammed Putin’s anti-gay legal guidelines throughout Russia.
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John first carried out a collection of concert events within the then-Soviet Union in 1979.
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Whereas onstage, the Candle within the Wind singer advised the gang he was “unhappy” that Putin enforced a legislation prohibiting the “propaganda of homosexuality”.
He stated on the time: “For my part, it’s inhumane and it’s isolating.”
Relating to why he determined to carry out in Russia regardless of Putin’s anti-gay legal guidelines, John added: “As a homosexual man, I am unable to depart them on their very own with out going over there and supporting them.”
John’s first notable performances within the Soviet Union had been in 1979 when he performed eight concert events throughout a historic tour throughout two cities.
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