There aren’t enough fancy superlatives in existence to properly give appreciation for this Dazzler of the Day: Dolly Parton. The name alone conjures myriad images of admiration and unabashed adoration and love. Dolly has done no conceivable wrong for decades, an almost -impossible feat in today’s world of celebrity. It’s thanks to her formidable talent coupled with a down-to-earth understanding of who she is that has enabled her to flourish in fields far too numerous too mention, and in such successful form as to render a full and proper description of her highlights the stuff of multi-volumed biographies.
For me, my fandom boils down to her acceptance of people as worthy of equality across the board, no matter who you are or where you came from or what you believe. That and her two stunning scene-stealing roles in classics that defined and bookended the 80’s: ‘9 to 5’ and ‘Steel Magnolias’ – each a gay boy’s dream and mandatory chapter in the ‘How To be Gay’ manual.
Dolly’s popularity stretches across the world, and her fans run the gamut from the aforementioned gays to the traditional country music appreciators to the philanthropic-minded community. She was recently offered a statue celebrating her in Tennessee I believe – but politely declined saying it would distract from the more pressing issues at hand. That is grace. That is humility. That is a human being using her compassion to bring others up rather than raise herself higher. Not that she needs further exaltation – she is one of the most beloved entertainers the world has ever known, and her legacy is already signed, sealed and delivered no matter what other remarkable feats she will likely perform in the years to come. That’s part of her enduring appeal – the possibility of something even more astounding around the corner. And so Dolly Parton is our Dazzler of the Day – she practically personifies what this feature is all about – dazzling star power, soul-stirring compassion, and the consistent desire to make the world a better and more fabulous place.
