Throughout her long career, Dolly Parton has generally chosen to stay away from political discussions. While she has publicly supported causes such as same-sex marriage, her broader message has consistently focused on acceptance, kindness, and bringing people together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That message can be heard in her song \u201cEagle When She Flies,\u201d where she sings about accepting people from all walks of life, including preachers, gay people, addicts, and others who may feel like outsiders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In September 2017, Dolly Parton faced criticism following her 9 to 5<\/em> reunion with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin at the Emmy Awards. The three actresses received a standing ovation as they walked onto the stage together, but the moment quickly became political when Fonda and Tomlin made comments directed at then-President Donald Trump.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Parton did not join in on the political remarks and appeared visibly surprised by the turn the conversation took. Instead, she attempted to lighten the moment with a joke at her own expense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though Parton herself did not make a political statement, the incident still sparked criticism online, with some people taking to social media to express their frustration with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The experience did not stop journalists from asking Parton about politics. In particular, reporters continued to question her about her views on President Trump and other political issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About six months after the Emmy Awards incident, Parton appeared on ABC News\u2019 Nightline<\/em> for an interview with journalist David Wright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before the conversation went too far, Parton made her position clear. She explained that she does not discuss politics because she has fans with many different beliefs and does not want to alienate or offend anyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She essentially warned the interviewer that if he was planning to ask her political questions, he should not expect an answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Wright eventually brought up the subject anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He referenced controversial comments made by then-President Donald Trump that had been recorded on an Access Hollywood<\/em> bus with Billy Bush and later became widely publicized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Parton quickly interrupted before the discussion could turn into a political debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m not addressing that. I do not get into that,\u201d she said, making it clear that she intended to stick to her decision not to discuss politics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She then explained that, although she naturally has opinions about people and issues, she had learned that keeping those opinions private was important to her career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI learned a long time ago to keep your damn mouth shut if you want to stay in show business,\u201d Parton said. \u201cI\u2019m not in politics, I\u2019m an entertainer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her response quickly became one of those memorable moments that showed just how firmly Parton wanted to separate her career as an entertainer from political debates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rather than choosing a political side, Parton has often emphasized her desire to bring people together. Her approach has been to make music, entertain her audience, and allow her fans to hold their own political beliefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Parton\u2019s response in the 2018 interview was a straightforward reminder that she did not want her celebrity status to turn her into a political commentator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether people agree with her approach or not, she has remained consistent in saying that she would rather focus on her music, movies, philanthropy, and the people who enjoy her work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you agree with Dolly Parton that entertainers should focus on entertaining and stay out of politics? Let us know what you think in the comments.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Watch the interview below to see how Dolly handled the political question with her trademark honesty and humor.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Question Came Up Again During a March 2018 Interview<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Dolly Parton Made Her Position Clear<\/h2>\n\n\n\n