ABC Tries Pushing Dolly Parton into Bashing Trump, But She Stands Her Ground
In an interview with David Wright for ABC’s “Nightline,” country music icon Dolly Parton had to stand her ground when things took a political turn.
Wright began the interview by bringing up Parton’s role in the classic 1980’s Hollywood film “9 to 5,” suggesting President Donald Trump was similar to the sexist boss in the movie.
The interviewer went on to label the president as the “face of the 21st Century” when it came to misogyny, and played a clip of co-star Jane Fonda labeling her character’s boss as a “sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot.”
“The sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical portrayed so effectively in that movie by actor Dabney Coleman hasn’t exactly disappeared from the culture,” Wright said. “We have a president of the United States who said the things on that bus.”
The comment by the Nightline host was in reference to the many accusations regarding sexual harassment and abuse allegedly at the hands of Trump, as well as the Access Hollywood tape from 2005 where Trump bragged about crude behavior towards women.
However, Parton had a response of her own, insisting that she purposely keeps away from becoming too political in Hollywood.
“I’m not addressing that. I do not get into that. Of course, I have my opinion about everybody and everything,” Parton said.
“But I learned a long time ago, keep your damn mouth shut if you want to stay in show business,” she added. “I’m not in politics. I am an entertainer.”
Wright nudged her still, saying, “yet, you’re also a role model.”
“Yes, I am. That’s why I don’t talk about people,” she said.
This isn’t the first time Parton has felt political pressure from both peers and fans as just last year, she gave a statement defending her silence in the wake of co-stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin “Trump-bashing” at the Emmys.
As Fox News reported, Parton was noticeably uncomfortable as her good friend’s and “9 to 5” co-stars gave sharp criticism of the newly-elected president.
“In [9 to 5], we refused to be controlled by a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot. And in 2017, we still refuse to be controlled by a sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot,” the duo declared on the stage.
Though silent through it all, it was later that Parton admitted she did not join in the evening’s politics as she views herself as an entertainer and likes to keep her political opinions from the media, citing her experience of having a father that was Republican and a mother that was a Democrat.
Though she still received criticism for not speaking up at all, she admitted that she was “nervous” beforehand, but felt it best to simply stay out of the whole thing.
“I didn’t know what to say,” Parton said. “I’ll always just go to a boob joke if all else fails.”
“I was just happy to be back with them, to get that standing ovation about the movie,” she added. “I was there about the movie.”
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
