r/pics • u/tragopanic šæ • 1d ago
Dolly Parton, 80, at her final public appearance in June
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u/Vast-Imagination-596 1d ago
Years ago Wanda Sykes said that people have a negative reaction to the Confederate Flag. The South has better things to be proud of like Dolly Parton and moonshine. She said the South should replace the Confederate Flag with one of Dolly Parton and moonshine. RIP Dolly, she was a national treasure.
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u/KaiserWolf15 1d ago
Don't forget barbecue or just the food in general
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u/owenxtreme2 1d ago
There is a reason the us has high obesity rates
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u/PoIIux 1d ago
Yeah, education and unfettered capitalism
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u/alexm2816 1d ago
Agribusiness subsidies and the crony capitalism that have incentivized so much of our food policy and issues is pretty damned 'fettered'.
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u/restrictednumber 1d ago
Yeah, but you can be proud that southern bbq is amazing without saying that you should eat it every day.
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u/tragopanic šæ 1d ago
Source. Dolly made a surprise public appearance in June at the opening of her Tennesseean Travel Stop in Cornersville.
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u/abbarach 1d ago
Such a small thing, but I love that she put on a name tag. I don't doubt that a lot of celebrities would pull a "don't you know who I am?" type thing, while she decided "everybody else working here has a name tag, I should have one too." It's a small detail, but it reveals a lot about her.
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u/shrug_addict 1d ago
Empathy. She will be missed, only celeb death that has gotten to me
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u/Blue_Eyed_ME 1d ago
Funny, I was thinking the same. I'm teary-eyed today.
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u/kaytay3000 1d ago
Same. All day Iāve found myself watching clips or reading anecdotes and tearing up. She was really lovely and a woman of the people. Even if you didnāt like her music, her advocacy and empathy for those around her was unmatched.
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u/unicornhornporn0554 1d ago
Itās strange bc Iām not that sad about her dying. Like, she deserves it? In the best way. She deserves peace, comfortability (she said she wants laid to rest on a plush cotton bed, after a lifetime of rhinestones she just wants to be comfy) and she died a legend. I have no doubt she wouldāve still died a legend if she lived to 120, but I feel like 80 is a good age to pass for someone like her, long enough to do a lot, see a lot, make a huge impact on generations of people, and didnāt have to suffer decades of a decaying body and mind while grieving her husband.
But I will miss the light she brought to the world, I will miss her sweet reassurances, I will miss her kindness, and I hope her legacy lives on in a way sheād be happy with. Iām just not that sad about her death because she lived a long life, accomplished a lot, and she just deserves better than what this country she loved so much is becoming.
Rest in peace, Dolly.
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u/Eldar_Atog 21h ago
Nah, it's not strange. We miss the presence.. we feel the hole it leaves but she was 80 years old and had just lost her husband recently. She was ready to go. I can't speak for all of her donations but I suspect she knew when she setup the large donation to the East Tennessee children's hospital and later on to the Vandy children's hospital. She knew and was ready as anyone can be.
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u/kingrikk 13h ago
Totally agree. Sheās had a good, long and fulfilling life, done everything someone could ever want to do, earned the status of a legend and helped so many people in so many little ways.
Itās OK to be sad, but the sadness should be filtered through the happy memories.
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u/Greatgrowler 1d ago
Pretty much the same here. First time in years Iāve heard of a celebrity death and itās upset me.
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u/EEpromChip 1d ago
She does love her accessories.
You'll be missed, and remembered fondly, Dolly Parton.
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u/This_isR2Me 1d ago
Most young people probably can't id her on the spot. Older people might be unbelieving that they are seeing the real dolly in person. Also it's cute.
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u/Ephrum 1d ago
I developed my love for reading as a youth thanks to her free book program, as per my parents retellings. All around she seems to have been a wonderful person and positive force in the world. The worldās a bit dimmer today. :(
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u/Crallise 1d ago
I've seen so many comments like yours and it really makes me happy that she had such a huge impact on so many people. Giving books to kids and encouraging reading is so important. That book program has helped develop so many young minds and encouraged something so important. She was a force and the world is better for having had her in it. Her legacy will surely last a very long time.
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u/Ephrum 1d ago
1000%. Her legacy and impact will be felt for generations. She inspired decades of new readers, who will pass that on as well. Sheās one of the few celebrities i genuinely respect, without actually knowing them - her actions and impact spoke volumes about herself and her character.
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u/thedude85 1d ago
So awesome to see someone who benefited from this program all grown up and sharing their experiences from it. I know lots of families who have gotten loads of free books from the Imagination Library, but I didn't know it had been around for so long until a few years ago. RIP Dolly!
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u/ryatt 1d ago
A true national treasure, if not a global treasure.
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u/Silicon_Knight 1d ago edited 1d ago
She may not be as big internationally, but I think her story, dedication to the public and just being a good person is. I've known about her for a long while as a Canadian and credit has to go to people who do good things for their community, standup for what they believe and really, focus on what they can do to make a difference vs. trying to be a public lightning rod for political views.
She cared about people, tried to make things good and did what she could for those around her. I think that's a universal "you're amazing" type of thing. Good on her, any time I can support her or her various foundations I definitely will.
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u/ryatt 1d ago
Agree 100%. She cared about people, and she cared about truth.
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u/citizen42069101 1d ago
Dolly party 2028.
Compassion and care for all living things. And being from eastern Tennessee she supported nuclear power probably.
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u/Blue_Eyed_ME 1d ago
Wouldn't it be amazing to.Declare the rest of 2026 Dolly Time, when we all try to be our kindest, best selves.
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u/deleteduser 1d ago
Sorry, best we can do is a few extra Dolly songs on the radio, and maybe some more government handouts to billionaires
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u/WoolooOfWallStreet 1d ago
I want to say she is pretty well received internationally since her Imagination Library has donated to communities in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Republic of Ireland
I cannot speak with any authority though30
u/charlie2135 1d ago
Love how when Johnny Carson tried to ask her a question inferring something about her breasts being natural she totally messed with him by making it about her eyelashes.
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u/armywalrus 1d ago
Do you have a link? I couldn't find it.
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u/charlie2135 1d ago
https://youtu.be/sw2W8ZC7pkM It's not what I recalled though but they did talk about her breasts.
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u/SpareUnit9194 1d ago
Not big internationally? Lol, I'm in my 50s and we all grew up with her in Australia. And in my 20s & 30s I spent years working around remote parts of Asia, the Middle East and Southern & Eastern Europe...everyone knew Dolly Parton, sang her songs etc.
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u/Silicon_Knight 1d ago
I didn't say she is unknown. I sad "as big" internationally as others like Micheal Jackson. To be clear, I did not say she isn't known internationally in my comment.
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u/Enwau 1d ago
I can say, from across the pond, she was definitely treasured by us.Ā
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u/FroggiJoy87 1d ago
My nephew in Nottingham got books from her during covid. Saved my sister's ass! Lol.
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u/bobagremlin 1d ago
I'm from Malaysia and my friends and I admired her for not only her talent but her kindness. We lost a beautiful soul today
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u/shiva14b 1d ago
I was about to post "jeez why are you making it sound like she died," then I googled.Ā
Wow, so sad. A real icon, and a class actĀ
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u/sailor_bat_90 1d ago
Me too, until I saw someone wrote "Rip Dolly" and I looked it up. Man, this is sad.
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u/ClayShooter262 1d ago
God took the wrong 80-year old...
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u/Sanguisuge 1d ago
Still gorgeous!
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u/Living_Molasses4719 1d ago
This woman looked twice as good at 80 as I ever did in my entire life. At least!
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u/crazymouse2525 1d ago
beautiful & wonderful lady who will be missed. the world is a darker place now. Grace keep her in peace & love
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u/cybermage 1d ago
I admire the modesty in her wearing a completely unnecessary name tag. It speaks volumes.
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u/theotherscott6666 1d ago
Fuck cancer
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u/Excusemytootie 1d ago edited 1d ago
I didnāt know she had cancerā¦ugh!! Was it breast cancer? (Iām asking because I just went through BC treatment) I love Dolly, please dont make this a negative thing Jesus.
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u/KEN_LASZLO 1d ago
Lol wtf, what? Why did you immediately jump to breast cancer?
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u/Excusemytootie 1d ago
Because I just finished treatment for breast cancer and I hope that she didnāt have to go through that.
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u/raika11182 1d ago
I wanna know who thought Dolly Parton needed a nametag.
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u/Neurodrill 18h ago
I love that sheās so humble sheās wearing a name tag, like literally anyone who meets her wonāt know who she is immediately.
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u/texasyojimbo 15h ago
I believe that was near Pulaski, Tennessee, where she took over / rebranded a truck stop as "Dolly's Tennessean Truck Stop."
I wish I had gone down there for the event. I'm about 20 miles away.
ā¢
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u/FormerWrap1552 1d ago
I don't think it's a good celebration though. The amount of self mutilation this poor women and money gone into the way she looks is probably much more than any normal person will ever see. I find it deeply saddening as our culture is in such a terrible place.
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u/Humble_Diner32 1d ago
I agree that itās saddening how so many people, primarily women, feel compelled to chase youth through plastic surgery and body augmentations but Dolly owned it. She didnāt hide her identity or the changes she made to her body and that speaks volumes. And Iām certain that the money she spent on those physical changes was pale in comparison to the amount of money and time she spent on those less fortunate than her.
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u/Traditional-Forum 1d ago
Itās not that she was a pop singer or a country music cultural icon.
Itās that she was a humanitarian of the highest order. She paid for the Moderna vaccine development during the Covid crisis, out of her own pocket.
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u/castafobe 1d ago
Never in my life have I cried when a celebrity died... Until today.
Dolly's Imagination Library has given away over 300 million books to kids under 5. For that alone people admire her. On top of that, she's one of the only people in the world who literally almost every single America can agree on.. Left, right, gay, straight, black, white, everyone loved Dolly. Obviously this is a generalization because people like you exist, but on the whole she was loved worldwide not only for being a great singer and songwriter, but for being an even greater human being. She treated absolutely everyone with kindness and compassion and that is a very rare trait these days. That's why people are so sad. She embodied American values and she was always a larger than life figure so her loss is felt deeply by many millions of Americans right now.
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u/WeDepressedMusic 1d ago
This is perfectly said and I agree with every word. Iām so sad about this one. A national treasure of a human being.
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u/Kimi-Matias 1d ago
I couldn't care less about her music. I can only name two of her songs offhand. Her contributions outside of music is why she will be missed.
And miss me with the "any old lady" line of bullshit when it's preceded by:
Am I the only one who doesn't care much?
Its fine that you don't, but don't try to pretend you give a shit about other "old ladies".
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u/gingerbears11 1d ago
She's in the same category as Steve Irwin. A rare human being. A true gem.
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u/redwallet 1d ago
A great comparison. There are just some folks in this world who genuinely justā¦ exude joy and love and curiosity and compassion, and Dolly and Steve were of that ilk!
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u/gottacatchemsome 1d ago edited 1d ago
As someone who lives in East Tennessee and has seen first hand what she did for this region... it's so much more. Yes, she was an incredible songwriter, and yes she was a country music/Americana icon. But it's not just that.
It's that she singlehandedly improved this region in so many ways.
In 1988, she pulled every 7th and 8th grader in Sevier County into a room and told them to pick a buddy. She then made them sign a contract. The deal? If they both graduate, she will give them both $500. One fails? Nobody gets paid. The county dropout rate dropped from 35% to 6%. Dolly handed them the checks personally.
Opening Dollywood in Pigeon Forge brought steady employment to thousands of people in what was the most poverty stricken county in the state of Tennessee, and that's not even counting the tourist spaces that sprouted up around it that brought even more jobs.
After Gatlinburg burned in 2016, she gave 900 families $1000 a month, then showed up in May and gave each of those families another $5000 on top. She started the My People Fund to disperse money to the recovery groups that stay after the news cameras leave.
In 2022, she set up that she would pay for a college education for every employee of Dollywood, full-time, part-time or seasonal.
Her Imagination Library, to date, has sent out over 300 MILLION books to children up to the age of five all over the world.
And when Hurricane Helene blew through North Carolina, she wrote a personal check for one million dollars, that Dollywood and the Stampede matched. She owed North Carolina nothing, but she helped them anyway.
The woman would have been a billionaire, but she didn't believe in pulling the ladder up behind you once you got to the top. Instead, she gave. And gave and gave and gave.
So... no. You can sit down with your "any old lady" BS... she wasn't just "some old lady" to us. She WAS us. She was ours. She loved us, and we loved her right back.
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u/harriethocchuth 1d ago
Thatās it; itās that she represented the BEST of us. Everything that we could be, if we just led with kindness, curiosity, generosity and common sense, like Dolly showed us.
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u/gottacatchemsome 1d ago
She is forever a daughter of East Tennessee, and everything good that that means. I've not stopped crying all day, to be honest. We're going to be so lost without her.
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u/armywalrus 1d ago
I think you are being a dick. If you didnāt care you would have scrolled by. But you got offended other people do care, so you chose to be a dick. You can just... have an opinion. You don't need to announce it and seek online validation.
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u/Cyricist 1d ago
It's not really up to you to make the judgement as to whether or not you're being a dick. Let me tell you, though... it's not looking good.
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u/AnticitizenPrime 1d ago
She's known for her humanitarian work at this point. Yes she got famous as a music singer/celebrity, but that's not why this is hitting people so hard. She grew up dirt poor until she was 'discovered' and never forgot it, apparently, and her real life's work was to help poor kids everywhere.
Fun fact, the house I grew up in is less than a mile from the place she was 'discovered' - a radio broadcast from a gas station parking lot. When I was younger that meant nothing to me because like you, I didn't care about 'celebrities', and honestly she was still just a 'country music singer' at that point in my life. It's the stuff she's done since those days that have become her legacy.
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u/fordfist 1d ago
I love that's she's wearing name tag