Editor’s Note: Allison Hope’s writing has been featured in CNN, The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Slate and elsewhere. The views expressed here are her own.
The most uncancellable person in U.S. History — iconic American singer, songwriter and actress, Dolly Parton — has been caught in the crosshairs of cancel culture.
The country legend, also “The iron butterfly,” “The Smoky Mountain songbird” and “The backwoods Barbie,” among other priceless nicknames, has a blockbuster career that spans and boasts more than 100 million records sold globally. Parton is, by all accounts, the .
Parton has long been regaled for her happy-go-lucky personality. She has somehow managed to appeal to both ultra-conservative and ultra-liberal fans without keeping entirely quiet about the issues that matter to her and without alienating either extreme. She has long been the unscathed centrist hero of American entertainment. As the country has sharply split along primary red and blue lines with nearly , Parton has long remained the last standing vibrant purple.
Dolly Parton is Switzerland.
Until now.
Conservative writer Ericka Andersen in the Federalist that Parton’s support of the LGBTQ2S+ community was “false gospel.” Andersen specifically said that Parton’s invoking her Christianity as the reason she is inclusive, is wrong (the writer refers to being LGBTQ2S+ as “immoral sexual behavior” and “unaligned with God’s vision for humanity”).
The post caused a windfall of . Many people rallied behind the homophobic outcry while a huge contingent defended Parton. (“They came for Dolly. We ride at dawn,” one fan .)
The mudslinging against Parton has been so fast and furious, in fact, that even the writer of the shameful article herself , saying she regretted spewing epithets at Parton. “As I wrote in the piece, I love her and think she does some incredible things for the world. We all make poor choices in how to frame things sometimes. This was one of those moments for me! Dolly is one of the few people who is beloved by all and who loves all. The world is lucky to have her,” Andersen wrote.
Dolly Parton speaks onstage at the 53rd Anniversary Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala at Music City Center on Oct. 11 in Nashville. (Jason Kempin/Getty Images)
But has the cancel culture train left the station? Have the haters run afoul and gone and ruined Dolly Parton as the magical unifier that she has long been known for?
It’s not like Parton has avoided politics or weighing in on issues that matter to her. Her substantive philanthropic work through her foundation, Dollywood, includes causes like hospitals and health care (including $1 million toward Covid-19 vaccine research), animal rights, education and more.
Parton has the LGBTQ2S+ community. She has not been afraid to stand on the stage at and share that . She has also risen above the that country music artists often spew in their lyrics and backstage and instead, shared something distinct — kindness. Her top hit, “Jolene,” is so kind in its portrayal of another woman, that academics have as an encoded lesbian song.
There was something long untouchable about Parton. People picked on Taylor Swift and spread disinformation about how trained to swing the election. Or about the proclaiming extremist ring-wing conspiracy theories.
But Dolly Parton slid through over the past years, decades even, largely unscathed by the polarization and division.
Parton was all afternoon movie specials and theme parks, smiles and cleavage. She didn’t have a bad word to say about anybody, and you couldn’t peg her for anything but the country-belting, fun-loving, sweet little belle with a big voice and ‘do that she is. “If you see someone without a smile today, give ‘em yours,” she , formerly Twitter. Her sweetness could cause root canals.
Left-wing, right-wing — everybody loves Dolly Parton. The California gays and the Alabama hillbillies alike planned getaways to , Parton’s Pigeon Forge, Tennessee based theme park. Nowhere else in America would those two factions walk through a giant pink butterfly entrance together and stand in line, excited about the same attractions.
Parton has long been the great equalizer. Which also made her the last standing whispers of a centrist, united America I long joked — and worried — that Parton was the canary in the coal mine and when they came for her, all hope was officially lost. As long as Dolly Parton remained cheerful and unscathed, I surmised that America had a chance at overcoming its challenges and moving forward as a united nation. But now, with the arrows aimed at Parton, all I feel is existential dread (and I also hear the lyrics to “Jolene” playing on a loop in my weary head — why is it so ?!).
Indeed, the pitchforks coming for Dolly Parton serve as an apt reminder of America’s decline and sheer terror of the evitability of civil war. Nothing is sacred, not even your neighborly country singer.
There is, though, a shred of light gleaming through the broken shards that we can grasp onto. One need not look any farther than the words of the great Queen of Country herself, “A kaleidoscope of colours, you can toss her round and round. You can keep her in your vision, but you never keep her down.”
Perhaps America can dust itself off from this ugly skirmish that we’re in and start anew. That is, if we can heal from this episode and uncancel Dolly Parton.
'Oh, Joe.' That gasp, from patrons at a Chicago bar when U.S. President Joe Biden first stumbled verbally in his debate with Donald Trump, spoke for a lot of Americans on Thursday night.
Premier Doug Ford has removed a member of his caucus due to what he’s describing as 'serious lapses in judgment.' In a statement released Friday morning, the premier’s office said MPP Goldie Ghamari had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus 'effective immediately.'
It used to be cash was king and that you could get a better deal if you paid for a car in full, but now many dealers want you to finance your purchase so they can make more money.
Canada has welcomed more than 3.9 million new citizens since 2005, with nearly one third coming from India, the Philippines or China, according to a CTVNews.ca analysis.
The scandal over a famous ex-Jesuit artist who is accused of psychologically, spiritually and sexually abusing adult women came to a head Friday after some of his alleged victims and the pope’s own anti-abuse adviser asked for his artworks not to be promoted or displayed.
Canadian economic growth rebounded in April, but early indications suggested it failed to maintain the momentum into May.
Liberal campaign co-chair Terry Duguid insisted Thursday that his caucus is united behind Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, even as the majority of elected Liberals remain silent on the prime minister's political future.
One of Canada's largest police forces has knowledge of car thieves attempting to breach Ontario's Ministry of Transportation database, CTV News has learned.
Thursday’s U.S. presidential debate was a re-run that featured two candidates with a combined age of 159, but it went especially poorly for one of them, President Joe Biden.
More than a year after police in Ontario unravelled a massive art fraud involving the works of Norval Morrisseau, the late Indigenous artist's family and estate say they're still paying the price for the decades-long scheme.
A ban on the setting of fires has been lifted on the island of Newfoundland but remains in effect for Labrador, where the threat of wildfires continues.
Premier Doug Ford has removed a member of his caucus due to what he’s describing as 'serious lapses in judgment.' In a statement released Friday morning, the premier’s office said MPP Goldie Ghamari had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus 'effective immediately.'
Canadian economic growth rebounded in April, but early indications suggested it failed to maintain the momentum into May.
Several wildlife and Indigenous groups are renewing calls for the provincial government to designate all free-ranging bison as wildlife under the Alberta Wildlife Act, as opposed to livestock.
Six people have been charged in a provincial human trafficking investigation that identified five survivors from Greater Sudbury.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday made it harder to charge Capitol riot defendants with obstruction, a charge that also has been brought against former U.S. president Donald Trump.
A German court on Friday convicted a 15-year-old boy of plotting an Islamic extremist attack on a Christmas market and gave him a four-year sentence.
Princess Anne has left the hospital and returned to her southwestern England estate after an accident thought to involve a horse left her with a concussion.
The U.S. Supreme Court decided on Friday that cities can enforce bans on homeless people sleeping outdoors in West Coast areas where shelter space is lacking.
A collision between a EuroCity train with a bus in southern Slovakia that left seven people dead was likely caused by human error, the Slovak transport minister said on Friday.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday upended a 40-year-old decision that made it easier for the federal government to regulate the environment, public health, workplace safety and consumer protections, delivering a far-reaching and potentially lucrative victory to business interests.
Liberal campaign co-chair Terry Duguid insisted Thursday that his caucus is united behind Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, even as the majority of elected Liberals remain silent on the prime minister's political future.
So-called godfather of AI Geoffrey Hinton says he's 'pleased' governments are starting to take artificial intelligence, and the possible regulations of it, seriously.
Ottawa plans to expand eligibility for the federal dental program today to include children under the age of 18 and people who receive a disability tax credit.
CHEO has announced that Alex Munter is stepping down as the president and CEO of eastern Ontario's children's hospital to take on a new role as the CEO of the Canadian Medical Association.
Chicago native Jeffrey Odwazny says he has been addicted to ultraprocessed food since he was a child. 'I was driven to eat and eat and eat, and while I would overeat healthy food, what really got me were the candies, the cakes, the pies, the ice cream,' said the 54-year-old former warehouse supervisor.
Alzheimer’s disease may be inherited more often than previously known, according to a new study that paints a clearer picture of a gene long known to be linked to the common form of dementia.
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The Center for Investigative Reporting said Thursday it has sued ChatGPT maker OpenAI and its closest business partner, Microsoft, marking a new front in the legal battle between news publications fighting against unauthorized use of their content on artificial intelligence platforms.
Lawyers for Hannah Gutierrez, the chief weapons handler for the Western movie 'Rust,' said in a Thursday court filing that prosecutors withheld evidence that would have favoured the defendant during her manslaughter trial.
Competitive eater Joey 'Jaws' Chestnut will take his hot dog-downing talents to an army base in Texas for America's Independence Day this year after a falling out with organizers of the event that made him famous, the annual 4th of July eating contest in Brooklyn's Coney Island.
Singer, songwriter, satirist and novelist Kinky Friedman, who led the alt-country band Texas Jewboys, toured with Bob Dylan, sang with Willie Nelson, and dabbled in politics with campaigns for Texas governor and other statewide offices, has died.
Shares of Trump Media, the owner of social networking site Truth Social, jumped 5% at the opening bell Friday after the first U.S. presidential debate, with some investors believing it could become a bigger mouthpiece for the former president if he is re-elected.
A Metro-Vancouver-based coffee chain has been fined thousands of dollars for failing to present and follow a recycling plan.
Canadian economic growth rebounded in April, but early indications suggested it failed to maintain the momentum into May.
For all the time I spend digging, planting, pulling and weeding, one would think I’d have some poison ivy horror stories to tell, but I do not. I can’t say for sure whether I’m immune to the rash that tortures so many of my fellow gardeners or if I’ve just been lucky, but one thing is for sure: The plant does pose a serious problem for many who come into contact with it.
While plenty of happy couples can trace their meet-cute moment to an online dating app, many others find the never-ending process of likes, swipes, taps and awkward DMs that go nowhere to be exhausting — leading to a phenomenon known as "dating app burnout."
Canada's unofficial national colours will be on full display Monday as Canadians don patriotic T-shirts, wave hand-held flags and hang bunting to celebrate their country. But while the red-and-white flag for the most part unites Canadians, the colours' meaning is open to interpretation.
Unsafe levels of E. coli have been found in the Seine River for the third consecutive week, according to test results published Friday, less than a month before the Paris Olympics.
Canada's Leylah Fernandez has advanced to the final of the Rothesay International grass-court tennis tournament. Fernandez, of Laval, Que., defeated defending champion Madison Keys 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 in Friday's semifinal at the Wimbledon tune-up event.
In 2026, the eyes of the world will be on BC Place as it hosts seven matches in the FIFA World Cup, but until recently, nobody has been able to lay eyes on the stadium agreement for those games.
It used to be cash was king and that you could get a better deal if you paid for a car in full, but now many dealers want you to finance your purchase so they can make more money.
Several stolen vehicles believed to have been used in organized and serious crime, including one homicide, have been found in Alberta during an investigation into an auto theft ring.
Data from Statistics Canada suggests that a vehicle is stolen every five minutes in the country. Now, police are investigating whether there's a connection between when and where a vehicle was last serviced, and the date it was stolen, they revealed to CTV National News.
A grandfather and grandson duo proudly graduated alongside each other at the same northern Manitoba school.
A large basking shark was captured close to the shoreline on Nova Scotia's Eastern Shore.
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For half a decade, a Saskatoon family has been trying to bring their orphaned niece to Canada, they say now it’s a matter of life or death.
The Winnipeg Art Gallery- Qaumajuq recently discovered that one piece in its collection is a fake and part of a massive art forgery ring that included more than 1,500 pieces.
Six-year-old Bruce Arthur Chang is the new grand champion of Canada in the UCMAS math competition, and says he is hoping to make a mark on the international stage.
Harold Brenton Anderson, who wore high heels for decades in Halifax and loved to travel, has died.
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A B.C. condo owner who was fined tens of thousands of dollars over hundreds of noise complaints made by his downstairs neighbour was partially successful in having the penalties overturned.
A Metro-Vancouver-based coffee chain has been fined thousands of dollars for failing to present and follow a recycling plan.
Premier David Eby's special countdown ended with the announcement of the arrival of his newborn baby on Thursday, following his early campaign start for British Columbia's election.
Premier Doug Ford has removed a member of his caucus due to what he’s describing as 'serious lapses in judgment.' In a statement released Friday morning, the premier’s office said MPP Goldie Ghamari had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus 'effective immediately.'
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As the City of Calgary inches closer to fixing the water main issues prompting water restrictions, 16 Avenue N.W. is starting to reopen.
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Several wildlife and Indigenous groups are renewing calls for the provincial government to designate all free-ranging bison as wildlife under the Alberta Wildlife Act, as opposed to livestock.
Premier Doug Ford has removed a member of his caucus due to what he’s describing as 'serious lapses in judgment.' In a statement released Friday morning, the premier’s office said MPP Goldie Ghamari had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus 'effective immediately.'
Ottawa Public Health is issuing a warning about a new drug found in the local unregulated drug supply that could lead to a spike in overdoses.
CTV News Ottawa looks at things to do in Ottawa during the Canada Day long weekend.
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A boy was killed and his mother and sister were injured in a crash in south Edmonton on Thursday.
Canadian economic growth rebounded in April, but early indications suggested it failed to maintain the momentum into May.
Ken Holland is out as Edmonton Oilers president of hockey operations and general manager. He joined the Oilers in May 2019 and his contract ends this Sunday.
The Fredericton Police Force has laid three charges against a Fredericton man in connection with an alleged assault in a public parking lot on Wednesday.
Nathan MacKinnon took home two of the top awards at the 2024 NHL Awards in Las Vegas Thursday night – The Hart Trophy and the Ted Lindsay Award.
A ban on the setting of fires has been lifted on the island of Newfoundland but remains in effect for Labrador, where the threat of wildfires continues.
A grandfather and grandson duo proudly graduated alongside each other at the same northern Manitoba school.
A sentencing hearing is underway for a Manitoba doctor found guilty of sexually assaulting multiple patients over several years.
Winnipeg police say the occupants of a home that exploded in the Transcona neighbourhood on Wednesday were not there at the time of the blast.
Thursday marked day four of the trial of Jeffrey Dumba, a former Regina teacher who is accused of sexually exploiting a 15-year-old female student.
Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) is investigating after suffering what it calls a "cybersecurity incident."
SGI wants to help make roads safer this month with its traffic safety spotlight on impaired driving.
A man, previously found guilty of first-degree murder in connection to a 2014 death in Kitchener, has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.
Drama is usually reserved for the Stratford Festival stage, but on Thursday night, it might play out at Stratford City Hall - again.
Parents who ran into technical problems with Waterloo Region’s registration system for before and after school programs have a new date to circle on their calendars.
The Supreme Court of Canada has rejected an application from a Saskatoon man who murdered his wife.
For half a decade, a Saskatoon family has been trying to bring their orphaned niece to Canada, they say now it’s a matter of life or death.
Drivers in Saskatoon’s north industrial area were treated to a grisly sight on their commute home on Thursday — a truck apparently spilled a load of pig parts onto Millar Avenue.
Six people have been charged in a provincial human trafficking investigation that identified five survivors from Greater Sudbury.
A stabbing victim in North Bay had to be airlifted to Sudbury for treatment following an attack on Lakeshore Drive on Thursday evening.
With a week left until thousands of LCBO workers could walk off the job, the Crown corporation has announced that it will close all its retail stores for 14 days if no deal is reached by July 5.
No injuries are reported after a car crashed into the front of a store in London on Friday morning. Police and fire responded to the Pet Valu store in the area of Commissioners Road and Wellington Road around 9:45 a.m.
Charges have been laid in relation to a recent fatal fail to remain investigation in St. Thomas. The accused appeared in court Thursday and has been remanded into custody.
On the frontlines of London, Ont.’s homelessness crisis, council’s recent decision to further restrict the places where encampments are permitted is causing concern and confusion.
The Town of Midland is in mourning after the sudden loss of a local political titan who spent decades working in public service.
Michael Lahay pleaded guilty to manslaughter for stabbing his mother, Wendy, 30 times inside their Ramara home in 2021 while experiencing "substance-induced psychosis" after he ate a dozen homemade cannabis brownies.
The city urges water safety on all of Barrie's beaches.
Canada Border Services Agency officers seized three guns from a traveller at the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel.
Essex County OPP say an 8-year-old boy was transported to hospital with serious injuries after a cyclist was struck in Lakeshore.
The City of Windsor is working to move the east-end transit terminal at Tecumseh Mall. An open house was held Thursday night to share plans and get public input
Months after a double-stabbing in downtown Victoria that left one victim dead, a suspect has been charged with murder.
Premier David Eby's special countdown ended with the announcement of the arrival of his newborn baby on Thursday, following his early campaign start for British Columbia's election.
The world's largest hockey stick could soon become the world's most in-pieces hockey stick as a Vancouver Island community prepares to tear down and carve up the Canadian landmark.
Mounties in Kelowna say a suspect is at large after a man was stabbed in the city Sunday afternoon.
Police are remaining tight-lipped about a woman’s death in a Kelowna park on Friday.
Police have identified a man found dead in B.C.’s Interior last weekend as Donald “Donnie” Lyons.
The 122-year-old Raymond Stampede is set to get underway this weekend, but this year’s event will occur at a new location.
A picture of rage and determination among COVID-19 protesters at the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., was spelled out in text messages shown Thursday at a murder-conspiracy trial.
Dozens of farmers from across southern Alberta turned out Wednesday for Farming Smarter’s annual 2024 field school.
The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service says there has been a positive difference since increasing its focus on intimate partner violence.
Police on Manitoulin Island noticed two people looking in a ditch late Thursday evening on Highway 540.
The Dryden detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police is investigating a fatal collision involving a commercial vehicle and a passenger vehicle.
A judge dismissed all sexual misconduct charges against a Newfoundland lawyer Thursday, saying repeated inconsistencies and falsehoods in the complainant's accounts eroded her credibility and left him unable to believe her allegations.
With rain coming down in central Labrador and temperatures dropping, the wildfire near Churchill Falls has been downgraded, although fire officials say there's still work to be done to keep the flames at bay.
The wildfire that forced the evacuation of Churchill Falls remains three kilometres from the community as the premier of Newfoundland and Labrador signalled cautious optimism.
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