A handful of MAGA users tried to smear Dolly Parton this week after a clip of the country music icon promoting her new book at Costco went viral on X.
Calling her a “creepy creature” and a “witch,” the original poster spiraled into conspiracy theories about Parton’s fame, only to be swiftly drowned out by thousands of users defending the 79-year-old legend.
It all started when @Juliesnark1731 shared a screen-recorded Costco clip of Parton promoting her new book, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage.
The video showed Parton smiling, walking toward a display, and chatting about the release.
The poster wrote, “Oh look. This creepy creature is promoting its book at Costco. Perfect match. 🤮” The insulting tweet spread fast and drew more than 5.3 million views.
“I live in that witches hometown, she is everywhere and it’s gross,” wrote @Moreland6966 underneath the video.
@Juliesnark1731 continued to double down, writing, “No one gets this famous without doing very evil things. These people are not who they appear as, AT ALL,” and “It’s not her appearance as much as it’s her creepy evil heart pretending to be a savior. No one gets that famous without selling their souls. NO ONE.”
Why Dolly Parton is so beloved
Parton’s broad appeal came from decades of steady work and a carefully cultivated public style. She consistently backed major causes, including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which sends free books to children in the United States. She also has always kept her personal life guarded while presenting a cheerful persona that entertained generations.
According to the BBC’s Dorian Lynskey, Parton built her career in two separate lanes. First, she secured her place in country music history with songwriting that matched legends like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash.
Second, she crafted a playful public figure that talk shows embraced. Even British comedy shows spoofed her, including an early-’80s sketch where Ronnie Barker portrayed “Polly Parton.” This version of Dolly became so famous that a cloned sheep was named after her in 1996.
Lynskey wrote, “Even now that the discourse around music is hotly politicised, this [79]-year-old red-state white woman has largely escaped being labelled ‘problematic’. She is worshipped by different sectors of her fanbase as a pioneering feminist heroine, a $500m (£371m) business phenomenon, an LGBTQ ally, a patriotic icon and a cultural ambassador for the working-class South.”
Reactions to the tweet were not pleased
Even so, the Costco clip drew one of the few loud critics Parton faced. Though the poster doubled down, claiming Parton hid a “creepy evil heart” and that “No one gets that famous without selling their souls,” the replies quickly drowned her out.
People defended the 79-year-old legend against the hateful keyboard warrior.
@Queener_Weener wrote, “Conservatives have hit a new level of miserable if they’re hating on DOLLY F*CKING PARTON now.”
@WalterParada added, “Wow, someone who actually HATES #DollyParton. Incredible when the über-conservative take their politics so heinously far.”
Another person, @tonyposnanski, said, “I speak for the majority of America when I say go f*ck yourself, Julie.”
Even as the poster insisted that “these stars” hid sinister motives, the pushback kept escalating. X user @balleralert countered, “Dolly Parton is 79 and still outworking people half her age. That woman is a certified legend, not a ‘creepy creature.’”
Finally, @SkylerShuler summed up the general mood, writing, “You’re getting cooked and rightfully so.”
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