Dolly Parton turns down offer of statue
Dolly Parton took to social media on Thursday (3 am Friday AEDT) to declare that she does not want the Tennessee legislature to approve putting up a statue of her at the state capitol.
"I want to thank the Tennessee legislature for their consideration of a bill to erect a statue of me on the Capitol grounds," she wrote.
"I am honoured and humbled by their intention," she continued — but not that humbled, necessarily, by the governing body's attempt to come up with some feel-good legislation amid all of its famously divisive and controversial bills.
The country-pop superstar said that she has "asked the leaders of the state legislature to remove the bill from any and all consideration. With all that is going on in the world, I don't think that putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time."
Enshrining Parton at the Capitol had been in the talks for years and the suggestion especially picked up steam when there was increasing pressure to remove statues of famous Confederates from the Capitol, with some saying the biggest star from Tennessee would be a good replacement instead.
In January, Rep. John Windle (D-Livingston) introduced a bill that would create a "Dolly Parton fund" and entrust the State Capitol Commission with developing a plan for placing a Parton statue. The bill was scheduled to go up for consideration Tuesday before the House state government committee.
Parton has however left the door open for a statue of herself at some point in the future - when she doesn't have to show up for it.
"I hope, though, that somewhere down the road several years from now or perhaps after I'm gone if you still feel I deserve it, then I'm certain I will stand proud in our great State Capitol as a grateful Tennessean. In the meantime, I'll continue to try to do good work to make this great state proud."