Dolly Parton was known for her warm personality and quick sense of humor, but one Howard Stern prank apparently crossed a line she could not laugh off.
Years before her death at age 80, the country music legend found herself locked in an ugly public feud with the shock jock after Stern’s radio show manipulated clips from an audiobook of Parton’s memoir, making it sound as though she had said wildly offensive things she never actually said.
Parton was so devastated by the stunt that she publicly threatened legal action.
The controversy erupted in 2008 after audio from Parton’s memoir, My Life and Other Unfinished Business, was heavily edited and rearranged for Stern’s show.
The altered recording was made to sound as though Parton was making racist remarks, attacking fellow musicians and even saying sexually explicit things.
Among those seemingly targeted in the fake audio was Linda Ronstadt, Parton’s longtime friend and musical collaborator.
Parton was horrified.
“I have never been so shocked, hurt, and humiliated in all my life,” she said in a fiery statement at the time.
The “Jolene” singer insisted the vulgar comments were completely fabricated through editing.
“I cannot believe what Howard Stern has done to me,” Parton said, explaining that some sort of “editing” or “trickery” had been used to create the offensive recording.
She also apologized to anyone who heard the segment and mistakenly believed the words had actually come from her.
Then came the warning.
“If there was ever going to be a lawsuit, it’s going to be over this,” Parton declared, adding that she was “completely devastated.”
Despite the threat, Parton ultimately never sued Stern.
Stern, meanwhile, defended the segment as an obvious comedy bit.
He argued that nobody should have believed the manipulated recording was real and called the stunt parody.
Stern had previously used similar editing tricks involving audiobook recordings from other celebrities, including Star Trek actor George Takei.
Rather than backing down, Stern later joked that he was impressed Parton even knew who he was.
The bizarre feud has resurfaced following Parton’s death, which was announced by her nephew Brian Seaver on Tuesday, Aug. 25.
Seaver described the heartbreaking moment in an emotional video message, saying he had long imagined how difficult losing his famous aunt would be but was unprepared for the reality.
He also revealed what he described as one of Parton’s final requests.
According to Seaver, Parton told him she wanted to be laid to rest surrounded by soft cotton after spending decades performing in famously elaborate rhinestone-covered outfits.
Parton’s family is expected to hold a small private service.
Loved ones and fans have also been encouraged to honor the country icon online and through donations to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the literacy program she launched in 1995 to provide free books to children.
Parton remained closely identified with the organization throughout her life, often speaking about the power books have to shape a child’s future.
Her final months had also brought growing concern about her health.
Parton’s last public appearance came in June at the grand opening of the Tennessean Travel Stop, where two men stayed close beside her and appeared ready to steady her as she stood.
She later canceled an appearance connected to the opening of a new Dollywood attraction.
At the time, Parton acknowledged that she had been dealing with health problems, including bouts of dizziness and dehydration.
Now, as fans continue looking back at the singer’s extraordinary career, the long-forgotten Stern controversy is once again drawing attention — and showing that even famously good-natured Dolly Parton had her limits.
