Uh oh! It appears that Oprah Winfrey has landed herself in boiling hot water, as an old interview
with the iconic singer Dolly Parton has resurfaced.
While it's no secret that Winfrey remains something of a national treasure, it appears
her popularity pales in comparison to that of Parton, whose fans are fiercely protective
of their country music queen. A New York Times piece once suggested that Parton fans are
so loyal because they feel like they have a personal relationship with her. While the
star obviously has a larger-than-life look, her emotional presence is more authentic,
which helps fans feel a deep connection. So maybe it's no surprise that Dolly Parton's
die-hards aren't taking too kindly to what they believe is a tough interview with Winfrey.
The interview took place on The Oprah Winfrey Show all the way back in 2003. And it appears
that some recent viewers are none too pleased with the pressing questions Winfrey asked
Parton — namely about her history of plastic surgery and her struggles with depression.
"So how are you defying age, Dolly? Whatcha doing?"
Fortunately, Parton turns out to be a good sport and swiftly breezes past Winfrey's question.
Undeterred, Winfrey then asks Parton about her appearance.
"You've been, you’ve been open about that you've had some work done, some, some tucks
and pulls and sucks." "Yes I have, and I'll have some more when I need them."
Winfrey then follows up by mentioning Parton’s depression, which she endured after entering
into her forties. Parton, however, is adamant that her depression had nothing to do with
her age, but rather occurred because she had gained weight.
"When, like, you hit your 40s I heard you went into a huge depression. Did you?" "That
wasn't because I was 40, that's just ‘cause I was fat and 40."
There’s no real reason to suspect that Winfrey meant any harm by the questions, and the music
legend didn't seem rattled by the conversation either. Nevertheless, reactions to the resurfaced
Dolly Parton interview appear to be mixed. Oprah's straightforward approach over her
decades-long career hasn’t stirred up a ton of controversy before this. But modern
audiences appear to have different sensibilities. Indeed, folks on Twitter were quick to share
their disapproval. One user wrote:
"[I] feel like Oprah wanted her to be embarrassed but [Dolly] said 'nope.'"
Another person on Twitter expressed disappointment over Winfrey's perceived insensitivity, saying:
"Ugh everytime I see this I get so frustrated, Oprah always judging others for no reason."
One other user who felt that she was lacking empathy also claimed that Winfrey has a history
of giving a platform to some less than desirable names. In a since-deleted tweet, they said:
"[S]ee: John of God, Dr. P hil, Dr. Oz etc."
For all those negative comments directed toward Winfrey, however, there was just as much love
expressed for Parton. One fan tweeted:
"Dolly has been unbothered and fabulous for like millennia. She might just save us from
ourselves."
Another tweeted:
"Stood in her truth and ate her up. Love it."
While one more said:
"Miss Dolly is the epitome of self-love! Love her for this."
All in all, it seems that Parton fans are not pleased with Winfrey’s conduct in the
interview. But, if nothing else, Dolly Parton appears to be more popular than ever.
While it’s true her style hasn’t been especially controversial over the years, this
isn't the first time Oprah Winfrey has experienced some pushback for her famous, award-winning
interviews. Winfrey drew major criticism after a 2009 bombshell interview with actor and
singer Mackenzie Phillips. The story goes that, after less than a minute on-air, she
told Phillips to, quote, "get to it" and read an excerpt from the book she was promoting
— one that revealed that Phillips had engaged in a years-long incestuous relationship with
her father and leader of the band, The Mamas and the Papas. Following Winfrey's request,
Phillips looks bewildered before stating:
"Wow, okay. This wasn't exactly how I envisioned this going down, but that's alright."
For her part, Winfrey is adamant that she has no regrets about diving headfirst into
that particular interview and has since defended her choice to do so. She justified her questioning
largely due to the fact that the admission was already in Phillips' book and that it
was her story to tell. Looking back on the clip itself, Winfrey felt it was the best
approach, adding:
"But she could say that about herself because she wrote those words."
Was she right or wrong to do this? Well, maybe that's up to the fans to decide.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text
Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI
(6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.