Dolly Parton’s Sister Hits Back Against Trolls With Expletive-Laced Defense of Music Icon

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Music legend and American treasure Dolly Parton had quite the Thanksgiving weekend. She kicked off Thanksgiving by playing the halftime show of the Dallas/Washington game in front of an estimated 41.44 million viewers. Parton played her hits Jolene and 9 to 5, ending her set with a cover of Queen’s We Are the Champions.” 

The performance was a great success for Parton, who has played live shows for over 50 years. But after the show ended, that’s when the controversies started.

Related: Singer Tries to Get Dolly Parton Canceled, The Internet Wasn’t Having It

Anti-Vaxers Attack Parton

The first controversy came from the anti-vaxer community. In 2020, Parton donated $1 million to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. That donation led to research that found the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Parton has been outspoken in her praise of the vaccine, even changing the lyrics of Jolene to Vaccine.

However, a vocal segment of the population disagreed with her praise of the vaccine and took to the internet to voice their displeasure with Parton.

Five Times August singer Brad Skistimas wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

Reminder Dolly Parton helped fund the moderna vaccine shot, changed her famous song Jolene to “Vaccine”  and called those who wouldn’t get it cowards and “chicken squat” – I get a lot of people have a soft spot for her but she’s no better than the rest of the big pharma shills.

Skistimas (@FiveTimesAugust on X) ‘s attack and attempt to get the country music legend canceled did not go unnoticed by the internet, as thousands jumped to her defense, including many in the medical community who used scientific evidence to disprove many of the allegations that were leveled against Parton, including that thousands of people lost their lives to the vaccine, a claim for which there is no factual evidence to support.

But that wasn’t Parton’s only controversy during Thanksgiving.

The Outfit

The 77-year-old Dolly Parton took the stage on Thanksgiving wearing a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader outfit. Tony Romo, who was broadcasting the game for CBS, said, “She looks amazing. She’s wonderful.”

However, the internet being the internet, a number of people were critical of the septuagenarian wearing short shorts and showing off her bare mid-drift.

Stop celebrating how good #DollyParton looks for her age.

Celebrate her personality, philanthropy, talent, and success instead. pic.twitter.com/YUTdU6h9OW

— Maggie's Thoughts (@NotSorryFangirl) November 24, 2023

But fear not, the internet also came to Parton’s defense, including her younger sister, Stella Parton, who responded to the criticism of her older sister with an expletive-laced response bashing Dolly Parton’s sister. There were also hundreds of other positive responses to Parton’s appearance and decades of philanthropic work to help the underprivileged in her home state of Tennessee.

Stella Parton said on X: 

I personally thought my big sister Dolly was cute as hell in her Dallas Cowboys cheerleading costume at the halftime show on Thanksgiving. To those of you being so critical of a 77-year-old kicking up her heels, I say f**k yourself. Shame on you not her.

Despite the criticism from a small circle online, the overall theme was that Dolly Parton should be celebrated in every way possible. She is one of the few American icons we have left, and we should cherish everything about this musical legend.

Dolly Parton/Disney Connection

Dolly Parton founded Dollywood in the Great Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee, which regularly competes with Walt Disney World for the best theme park and attractions in America. Despite being the Walt Disney of Dollywood, Parton also had deep ties with the Walt Disney Company.

Dolly Parton, 77, rocks skimpy Dallas Cowboys outfit during NFL halftime show. You go girl, you are my hero!😍 pic.twitter.com/AfUMgVpOOq

— Isabel Santos 🟧🟦🌊🌊🟦📙 (@Busyisaworkshop) November 24, 2023

Parton also started in the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana alongside her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus. Parton toured with Miley’s father, Billy Ray Cyrus, in the 1990s when he first rose to fame in the country music world. The two would remain close, and eventually, Parton and Miley would work together on a duet from Parton’s newest album.

So, when Dolly Parton isn’t funding cancer research or the COVID-19 vaccine, she runs one of America’s most successful theme parks or records a new album with 40 songs. She truly is one of our National Treasures.

We will continue to update this story at Disney Fanatic.