At Blondie's 2006 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, several past band members who had been involved in legal disputes with the current lineup attempted to perform but were excluded from playing. When guitarist Frank Infante and bassist Nigel Harrison publicly complained about their exclusion during the ceremony, a tense exchange ensued with singer Debbie Harry that overshadowed what was meant to be a celebration of the band's legacy. Current members Stein and Burke were visibly upset by the confrontation, with Stein later angrily suggesting he'd use the award as a weapon if he encountered the excluded members.

The tension reflected deep-seated conflicts: Infante and Harrison had previously sued Stein and Harry over money owed from their time in the band, and bassist Gary Valentine had also been suddenly ousted from a planned 1999 reunion. During the induction, Harrison notably remarked that watching footage of the band made him "feel like I was going to my own funeral," capturing the resentment of former members who felt written out of Blondie's history despite contributing to its creation. The ceremony devolved into an uncomfortable airing of grievances rather than honouring the band's achievements.