Pamela Anderson Brands Julian Assange 'A Hero,' Calls For His Release

Pamela Anderson continues to stand by another, much different blond bombshell, Julian Assange, calling him “a hero” and urging his release.

“It’s crazy that Julian is still being held as a political prisoner — after the UN has stated (and recently for a second time) that there is no reason for his detention and has ordered that the UK and Sweden release him,” the former “Baywatch” beauty said of the WikiLeaks editor-in-chief in a statement obtained by TheWrap that included a link to the UN Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner’s statement on Assange.

“He is a hero,” Anderson says of Assange. “One day everyone will realize. But until now, this man has missed 7 Christmases with his children and is kept in difficult and tremendously stressful conditions — while doing us all a great service. Everyone in the world has benefited because of WikiLeaks — he has sacrificed so much — to simply share the truth.”

Also Read: WikiLetdown: Julian Assange Disappoints Everyone Hoping for Hillary Clinton Leak (Video)

Anderson and Assange broke bread together when they shared a vegan lunch in October, and she visited him again last month at his current home at the Embassy of Ecuador in London. Assange is free to leave the embassy, but fears that he will be extradited to Sweden where there is an arrest warrant for him concerning rape allegations, even though he has not been formally charged.

Aside from that, Swedish authorities could try to extradite him to the U.S., where Assange is believed to fear being put on trial for espionage related to WikiLeaks, which has published numerous classified documents, including diplomatic cables, secret files from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and private emails from a close Hillary Clinton confidant, John Podesta.

But Anderson said there’s no distinction between Assange and other members of the media, and he should be protected by First Amendment rights.

Also Read: WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Denies Russian Role in DNC Hack: 'No Proof Whatsoever'

“Julian is an editor and a publisher,” she said in the statement. “There are laws in place to protect him. But they are not being applied. He still cannot leave the Embassy of Ecuador in London while elaborate plots against him and made up sexual allegations could result in him being extradited to the US — where he would not be treated fairly — because of his exposure of truths.”

Anderson also called for Assange to be granted a presidential pardon.

“He should be pardoned and protected when set free,” she said. “Along with Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning.”

17 '80s and '90s Stars Who Went Broke: Nicolas Cage, Pamela Anderson, Gary Busey (Photos)

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Kim Basinger

The Oscar winner was part of an investment group that hoped to turn the town of Braselton, Georgia, into a tourist attraction and a hub for film and TV production. The plan ultimately failed and she lost millions. She was also sued by Main Line Pictures after withdrawing from a verbally binding agreement to star in "Boxing Helena." The court told her to pay $8.1 million, but the ruling was overturned on appeal. She settled for $3.8 million after filing for bankruptcy.
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Wesley Snipes

The "Blade" star filed for bankruptcy in 2006 and was indicted for tax fraud several months later. Snipes was found guilty of failing to pay over $12 million in taxes and served three years in prison.
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MC Hammer

In 1991, the rapper made over $33 million. By 1996, he was $14 million in the hole and had to declare bankruptcy. He'd spent his fortune on cars, airplanes, a record company, a $30 million home and his posse of 200 friends.
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Gary Busey

The "Point Break" star filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2012 after amassing over half a million dollars in debt with the IRS, lawyers, UCLA Medical Center, Wells Fargo, Los Angeles County Waterworks Districts, a storage company and a woman named Carla Loeffler, who sued him for assault at a Tulsa airport in 2011.
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Pamela Anderson

The “Baywatch” bombshell owed so much money to the IRS in overdue taxes that she was forced sell her Malibu home in 2013 for $7.75 million.
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Nicole Eggert

Another “Baywatch” star, Eggert was forced to sell her Los Angeles home in 2015 for $1.15 million to cover mounting bills.
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Nicolas Cage

In 2009, Cage earned $40 million. Over the years, he owned a Malibu home, a country manor, a medieval castle, Midford Castle, property in the Bahamas and a 40-acre island in the Exuma archipelago. The IRS slammed him with a bill for $6.2 million and he promptly sued his money manager for negligence and fraud. These days, the actor is living more modestly.
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Gary Coleman

Coleman, who died of a traumatic brain injury in 2010 after falling down the stairs at his home, was once the highest-paid actor on television with a $7 million fortune. He declared bankruptcy in 1999, which he blamed on costly medical issues and a drawn-out legal battle with his adoptive parents.
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Todd Bridges

Bridges, who played the lovable Willis Jackson during eight seasons of "Diff'rent Strokes," made a reported $15,000- $30,000 a week. He lost nearly all of it after battling drug addiction. Documents revealed he was barely making $22,500 a year.
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Dana Plato

Coleman's adoptive sister Kimberly Drummond on "Diff'rent Strokes" died in 1999 of an overdose at age 34 after years spent struggling with poverty and substance abuse.
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Corey Haim

The '80s teen idol began using drugs at 15 and struggled to overcome addiction throughout his life. In 2010, he passed away at the age of 38 of pneumonia.
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Willie Aames

After investing in a bad coal mine deal, the teen heartthrob from "Eight is Enough" and "Charles in Charge" went from making about $1.6 million a year to owing a whopping $400,000 to the IRS and battling homelessness.
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Jodie Sweetin

The "Full House" actress and recovering meth addict stated in divorce papers that her home with ex Cody Herpin was in foreclosure. She blamed Herpin's refusal to find employment as the cause for their situation.
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Willie Nelson

In 1990, Nelson owed $16.7 million to the IRS in back taxes. As a result, authorities raided his Texas ranch home, seizing the 44-acre estate and the rest of his assets. The country music icon blames his money woes on a no-good accountant.
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"Sinbad"

Comedian and '90s sitcom actor David "Sinbad" Adkins filed for bankruptcy twice and admitted he owed a debt of as much as $11 million. He said $8 million of that was for unpaid taxes.
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Leif Garrett

After a long struggle with drug addiction, the '70s child star/teen idol filed for bankruptcy and famously relied on a $1,000-a-month allowance from his mother.
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Sherman Hemsley

Despite his enormous success playing George Jefferson in "All in the Family" and spin-off "The Jeffersons," Hemsley filed for Chapter 13 in June 1999; he died in 2012.
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