‘90s knuckle draggers, The Bloodhound Gang, have been barred from Russia and are facing criminal charges in neighboring Ukraine, after desecrating the nations’ flags at recent concert performances. The band have effectively been chased out of Russia, and have been condemned by politicans in both countries as "hooligans". According to Rolling Stone, Russian culture minister Vladimir Medinsky tweeted on Friday that “Bloodhound Gang packing suitcases. These idiots won’t perform in Kubana.”
The incidents in question both involve the band’s bass player Jared Hasselhoff getting a little too familiar with the flags of Russia and the Ukraine. While visiting the Ukrainian city of Odessa last Wednesday, Hasselhoff put a Russian flag down his pants, telling the boisterous crowd “Don’t tell Putin”. This follows events in the Ukrainian capital, Kiev the day before, where Hasselhoff appeared to be peeing on the yellow and blue standard of the former Soviet state.
Hasselhoff’s antics could be seen as a statement against the recent anti-gay laws recently passed in Russia or an act of solidarity with Russian punk protestors Pussy Riot. However, this would be unusual for a band that is not known for their political utterances. Lyrics about poop and queefs are as close to a political statement as The Bloodhound Gang usually go. Indeed, frontman Jimmy Pop was quick to show his disapproval of his bass player’s actions, telling the crowd in Odessa, “Russia is better than America.”
The New York Times reports that locals threw eggs and tomatoes as the band and that a group of nationalists tracked them down to an airport lounge and attempted to smother one band member with the American flag. Russian airports have recently been locales of asylum for Americans, not so this time.
Hasselhoff has publically said sorry for his actions, remarking that the passing of items through his underwear is a tradition. However, officials in both the Ukraine and Russia are investigating the incidents, with Krasnodar region governor Alexander Tkachyov tweeting “For such pranks they should be behind bars…And by the way, let them use their apology as a wipe.”
Check out the incidents below…