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The recent passing of country music legend Dolly Parton has sparked an outpouring of grief worldwide, along with renewed scrutiny of a decades-old interview conducted by the late journalist Barbara Walters.
Parton, who died Tuesday at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer, was surrounded by family at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, at the time of her passing. Her nephew Bryan Seaver shared the news in a prerecorded video, while fans across the globe mourned the loss of the beloved singer and philanthropist. A petition urging the renaming of Nashville International Airport in her honor has quickly gained traction, amassing over 140,000 signatures.
Amid the wave of tributes, an interview from 1977 featuring Walters and Parton has resurfaced, drawing criticism for Walters’ tone and line of questioning. In the interview, Walters appeared to belittle Parton by referring to her as a “hillbilly” and questioning her plastic surgery as well as her marriage to Carl Dean.
At one point, Walters asked Parton if she “looked like this” as a child while pointing to her chest, and later suggested that Parton didn’t need to “wear the blonde wigs” or “extreme clothes” to be beautiful. Parton, however, responded with poise and confidence, emphasizing her authenticity and control over her image. She remarked that while people may make fun of her, the “joke” was actually on the public.
Fans have praised Parton’s grace and wit in handling the difficult questions, with many condemning Walters’ condescending attitude. One admirer wrote, “Barbara thought she was talking to a hillbilly, but in reality, Dolly was so much more intelligent than her – in IQ, wit, and manners.” Another called the interview “one of my favorite interviews of all time” and hailed Parton as “always a class act.”
As the music world continues to honor Dolly Parton’s legacy, this moment from the past serves as a reminder of her enduring strength and charm in the face of criticism.