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Ask someone to name a Dolly Parton song and not only do they have a broad discography to choose from but plenty of hits to choose from. Ask Parton about her politics, however, and that becomes infinitely harder to pin down, which is exactly how she wants to leave it.
Parton has often been asked about her political stances in the past. She faced a fresh wave of queries in 2017 when she reunited with her 9 to 5 crowd Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin at the Emmys when the latter two made jests about the incumbent president. When asked, Parton gave the same answer then that she would give years later. Hereโs why.
Dolly Parton shuts down any questions about politics directed her way
At the 2017 Emmy Awards, Parton, Tomlin, and Fonda received a standing ovation when they walked onstage arm-in-arm. Things swerved into the politically oriented during Tomlin and Fondaโs jokes directed at the executive branch. Parton did join in – but only to make the kind of self-depracating jokes about herself sheโs been known to make with pride in who she is. She has famously been quoted jesting, โIt takes a lot of time and money to look this cheap, honey.โ
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However, a month after those Emmy Awards, people wanted to know that, if Parton had made a political joke, what flavor would it take?
โI donโt do politics,โ Parton told PEOPLE. โIโm an entertainer. When Iโm out there if all else fails, I just do a boob joke.โ
Jump ahead a few years, and her stance has not changed, no matter how direct the questions.
Dolly Parton explains why she will always avoid getting political except for her party of fans
The topic came up again during a recent chat between Parton and ABCโs Nightline. The interviewer directed the topic of conversation to politics, and it was then that Parton explained her ongoing policy to avoid getting into the subject.
โThere are always prone to be political. And I had said up front, I am not being political. I donโt do politics,โ she explained. โIโm not getting into any of that. Because I have a lot of fans out there and I donโt want to offend anybody.โ
โAnd besides,โ she added, โI donโt get into that. And so, if you are deciding you may want to ask me something more serious, donโt. Because I am not going to answer it.โ
The reporter then alluded to โa President of the United States who said those things on that bus.โ
โIโm not addressing that,โ Parton reiterated. โI do not get into that. Of course I have my opinion about everybody and everything, but I learned a long time ago to keep your damn mouth shut if you want to stay in show business. Iโm not in politics, Iโm an entertainer.โ