Fans Had A Surprising Reaction To Dolly Parton's T-Mobile Commercial
Is there anyone who doesn't love Dolly Parton? The superstar singer and actor is one of the most beloved celebrities in the world. It's not just Parton's amazing musical talent or her self-effacing humor. The unique singer-songwriter has been hailed as the "woman who inspires as much affection as any celebrity on Earth." Parton donated $1 million to develop the Moderna vaccine, but she is not comfortable being overly praised for her donation.
As it turns out, Parton doesn't want to be "worshipped." After being named Person of the Year in 2021 by People, the superstar explained why, saying, "Because there's a scripture in my Bible that talks about idol worship. And I see that happening all the time with movie stars and these celebrities. People literally worship them more than they worship God. And I just — I cringe at it sometimes." But Parton's pleas didn't stop her fans from going wild after her donation to Moderna. The BBC reported on a few of the memes, ranging from "It's 9-to-5 per cent effective" to a YouTube parody "Vaccine" to the tune of "Jolene," and so many more.
But her donation isn't the only reason she's been in the news in recent months. Fans had a surprising reaction to Parton's T-Mobile commercial at the 2022 Super Bowl.
Dolly Parton's ad sparked some unexpected criticism
Most fans loved Dolly Parton's Super Bowl 2022 ad. Even other brands got in on the praise, with Hellmann's posting a video of one of their employees bowing down after the ad and tweeting, ".@TMobile [hearts] Dolly." Another Twitter user gave a shout-out to T-Mobile, writing, "TMobile might get my business after that ad. I love Dolly Parton." Another fan tweeted, "switching to t-mobile immediately after that dolly parton commercial." Overall, the feedback for the commercial was pretty good because of ... well, Dolly Parton.
But because Twitter is Twitter, there were also a few haters, who didn't take it easy on the country singer. And it may come as a surprise, as Parton's work is usually universally beloved. One Super Bowl commercial critic tweeted, "Wow. @TMobile really missed the mark with their Dolly Parton commercial." Another Twitter user was harsher, claiming, "That Dolly Parton commercial was absolute garbage."
There were also negative comments about the T-Mobile commercial joking about the singer's chest, but one fan defended Parton and the telecompany by tweeting, "Except Dolly is in on the joke (and often initiates it) because she has a sense of humor." One of the best comments about the T-Mobile Super Bowl ad summed up the love for Parton by this tweet: "PSA: no matter how we feel about the T-Mobile commercial, what we're NOT going to do is slander Dolly Parton in any way." Word!
Dolly Parton has a good attitude
Though some fans didn't like T-Mobile poking gentle fun at her famously large chest, for Dolly Parton it's nothing new. When it comes to critiques of her body–specifically her breasts–Parton's heard it all. As recently as January 2022, Parton addressed speculation that her chest was insured for millions of dollars. "Well, it's not true about that," Parton said during an appearance on "The "Today" Show" with Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager. "Years ago, was it Betty Grable or one of the great famous stars that was famous also for her legs, and at that time I said, 'Well, maybe I should get my boobs insured since I'm famous for them.' But it was just a joke. I didn't do that."
As for the T-Mobile ad, Parton got a kick out of the cheeky concept. During an interview with Variety, the singer dished about the behind-the-scenes experience. "I always carry my phone in my bosom," she told the outlet. "My boobs are ringing when the phone rings." Turns out the ad wasn't that far off. Art imitates life, after all.
The concept was great, but the real treat was getting the chance to work with her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus.
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus have a surprising connection
When T-Mobile pitched an ad that involved her goddaughter, Miley Cyrus, Dolly Parton simply couldn't say no. After all, she's known Cyrus since she was just a baby. Cyrus' father, country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, brought the pair together all those years ago. Back in the early days of his career, he opened for Parton and they became fast friends. Billy Ray asked Parton to be Miley's godmother, but given her hectic touring schedule, Parton was apprehensive about accepting. She adored the baby so much, however, that she eventually agreed to be her "fairy godmother," per Variety.
"I've always loved her, since she was little, and I knew she was special," Parton told Marie Claire. "She just had a light about her. Her sparkle, and her smile, and her eyes were always full of wonder." Over the years, Miley and Parton have teamed up a few times. Millennials might remember Parton's role as Miley's "Aunt Dolly" on "Hannah Montana."
Though they've worked together in the past, and Parton is a very special part of Cyrus' life, the country star is careful not to overstep her bounds when it comes to giving her goddaughter advice. "I don't give advice, but I give a lot of information. That's kind of how we do," Parton told Variety of their relationship. "I try not to throw in my big advice at someone, I just tell them what I've been through and things that could happen."