A resurfaced interview with country music legend Dolly Parton is attracting fresh attention after her death, and it provides a pretty good reminder of something increasingly rare in American entertainment: a celebrity who understood that having a microphone did not automatically make her a political authority.
The interview dates to 2018, when Parton sat down with ABC News and found herself being pressed about President Trump and controversial remarks he had made before becoming president.
Parton apparently saw where the conversation was heading and tried to close that door immediately.
“I just don’t get into that,” Parton said. “And so if you are deciding you may want to ask me something more serious, don’t, because I’m not going to answer it.”
That should have settled the matter.
It did not.
The interviewer continued and raised comments President Trump made on the infamous “Access Hollywood” recording that became a major controversy during the 2016 presidential campaign.
“You have a president of the United States who said those things on that bus,” the interviewer told her.
Parton still refused to play along.
“I’m not addressing that. I do not get into that,” she responded. “Of course, I have my opinion about everybody and everything. But I learned a long time ago, keep your damn mouth shut if you want to stay in show business.”
That might qualify as some of the most practical career advice ever delivered during a celebrity interview.
Parton was not claiming that she had no political opinions. Quite the opposite. She openly acknowledged having opinions about “everybody and everything.” Her point was that being an entertainer did not require broadcasting those opinions to millions of people who came to hear her sing.
“I’m not in politics. I’m an entertainer,” Parton explained.
ABC then reminded her that she was also considered a role model, apparently offering another opening for Parton to condemn President Trump.
“And yet you’re also a role model,” the interviewer said.
“Yes, I am,” Parton replied. “That’s why I don’t talk about people.”
There is a lot packed into that short answer.
By 2018, American entertainment had become saturated with political commentary. President Trump was barely two years into his first term, and seemingly every awards ceremony, late-night program, celebrity interview and entertainment event risked turning into another political lecture.
Parton chose another route.
She had spent decades building an audience that crossed political, geographic and cultural boundaries. Democrats bought Dolly Parton records. Republicans bought Dolly Parton records. People who wanted nothing to do with politics bought Dolly Parton records. She apparently understood there was little reason to turn half of those people into enemies merely because a television interviewer wanted another political soundbite.
That did not make Parton uninformed or indifferent. It meant she understood the distinction between private political opinions and her public job as an entertainer.
The old exchange has taken on additional significance following Parton’s death on August 25 at age 80. Her representatives said the legendary singer-songwriter died following a brief battle with cancer after one of the most celebrated careers in country music history.
Parton leaves behind decades of songs, performances and cultural influence. She also leaves behind a wonderfully simple piece of wisdom for modern celebrities tempted to treat every microphone as an invitation to deliver a political sermon.
“I’m not in politics. I’m an entertainer.”
Imagine that. An entertainer who wanted to entertain people.
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