The Love of DOLLY

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Dolly accepted LGBT people and spoke positively about the LGBT community, doing so before many other people with her sort of public platform.

But Dolly became an icon to me, when she famously said:

If I hadn’t been a woman, I’d have been a Drag Queen! – Dolly Parton

In this quote, Dolly wasn’t just saying she liked and appreciated LGBT people. Dolly was also saying, that if she’d a choice, she would have proudly been part of the community.

I knew Dolly was well-liked, but what I didn’t realise, is that for many people, Dolly was and is loved by them. Since the announcement of Dolly’s death, the number of visitors to my blog post Some Facts You May Not Know About Dolly Parton has exploded.

I once watched a TV interview with Dolly, where she told an interviewer a funny story. I’m going to share this story here, told by Dolly, in her own words.

The Time Dolly Lost A Dolly Parton Look Alike Contest

Once I dressed as a Dolly, an over exaggerated Dolly in LA. I was out there working and there’s this gay bar down on Santa Monica, close to my house and they where having a Dolly Parton look alike contest.

So me and a bunch of friends decided we’d go down there, because it would be fun, because we were all dressed up and me being Dolly.

So they had these big Drag Queens, I mean, they looked great too, prettier than I could ever dream of being, but anyway, when walked across the stage, if they applauded, you won the contest by the amount of applause, I guess you got free drinks or something.

So all these beautiful guys are walking across – these Dollys – all this tall – and here I come walking across the stage and I got the least applause of anybody.

So I’ve always said: “It’s terrible when you lose a Dolly Parton look alike contest.” – Dolly Parton

I feel privileged to have shared some of my time on this planet with this wonderful woman.

Write soon,

Antony