Hooray for Dollywood!

What's the happiest place on earth? Members of Salon's Table Talk community nominate their pick this week.

Published May 1, 2009 10:05AM (EDT)

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Bizarre Adoration of Random Celebrities

Lmorg - 01:06 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #569 of 596

I have a bizarre adoration for Dolly Parton. I wear no makeup and am almost always in sneakers or flats and Dolly is day to my night in terms of dressing but I love her in her willingness to go all out and bedazzle herself in sequins and wigs and false eyelashes and to make fun of herself for doing it.

Elmo Beachwin - 01:12 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #570 of 596

I liked her all the way back to when she was on the Porter Wagoner show in the mid-'60s. Still, back then she wasn't quite the force of nature she's developed into now.

mayberry - 03:11 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #572 of 596

She made herself into that persona we all see -- which is smart, I think. On the one hand, she is who she is, but on the other hand she's "playing" Dolly Parton. Gives her shelter and a privacy of sorts, which can be difficult to come by as a celeb.

Chronica - 12:04 am Pacific Time - Apr 22, 2009 - #587 of 596

She's had a couple too many face-lifts at this point, which always makes my heart sink, but I do respect her as a musician and a human being.

Brian W - 04:26 am Pacific Time - Apr 22, 2009 - #588 of 596

I long to go to Dollywood someday.

I lobbied hard last summer to make that our family vacation but failed. I'm hoping to trick the family one day though.

Lmorg - 05:52 am Pacific Time - Apr 22, 2009 - #589 of 596

I desperately want to go to Graceland but haven't been able to make it to Memphis yet.

Dolly is also damned smart and an amazing songwriter and musician, which gets lost under all the hair, makeup and boobs. Loving Dolly isn't bizarre at all.

I think the talent is what kicks the adoration up to the next level. Dolly's just kick-ass all around.

Guvnah - 04:24 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #574 of 596

I'll chime in on the Dolly Love. I think she is awesome.

I saw her on Larry King and thought she was so very kind to Jessica Simpson. Jessica Simpson flubbed the "9 to 5" song while Dolly was in the audience. Simpson was mocked on every entertainment show and Web site. When asked about it, Dolly said, "Hell, I've always said that song had too many words! I forget it one-half the time. Jessica isn't my great friend or anything, but I think she is a very nice young woman and that people are too eager to pounce on her for being human." (not a direct quote, just a paraphrase from recollection)

mayberry - 04:52 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #575 of 596

Yup. Dolly for all of her backwoods corniness is a class act all the way.

Matt McClendon - 04:56 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #576 of 596

I long to go to Dollywood someday.

Oedipa Maas - 05:55 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #579 of 596

I'll also add my voice to the chorus that Dolly Parton is f'ing rad. And I totally will go to Dollywood with you, McClendon.

Matt McClendon - 06:16 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #580 of 596

It's a date. And not only do I think Dollywood would be honest to goodness fun, I am also told by friends who have been that if you're a reasonably decent-looking human being, walking through Dollywood makes you feel like a supermodel!

Lmorg - 06:17 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #581 of 596

I have been to Dollywood and I was there genuinely. It's awesome.

Nojopar - 06:18 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #582 of 596

I got genuinely drug to Dollywood. In fairness, I was 14 and my mom made me, which means pretty much I would have hated almost anything she drug me to. So I'm not a good judge.

fullybaked - 06:21 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #583 of 596

I've long wanted a vacation to Dollywood and Graceland.

Tonstant Weader - 07:00 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #584 of 596

I genuinely adore Dollywood. It was my family's default weekend trip when I was a kid, so I've been dozens of times. Not only is it great cheesy fun, it employs a ton of local craftspeople whose job is to demonstrate their skills (things like blacksmithing and wagonmaking) at the park. And as much of a clusterfuck as Pigeon Forge is, Dolly pretty much singlehandedly brought a tourist economy to a depressed region, so I feel like a jerk whining about the traffic when, hey, people have jobs who need them.

And Dolly herself is amazing. Who else can be simultaneously beloved by the conservative God-and-country types, the gay camp aficionados and the serious music world?

I saw her in concert last fall. It was raining and cold at the outdoor show; I wore three jackets and a rain poncho and sipped wine from my water bottle to keep warm, and my friends and I joked that for any OTHER show, we'd have been out of there after the opening act. And she was up on stage busting her ass for a long, intense show. I hope I'm that badass when I'm 63.

Caprice - 10:49 pm Pacific Time - Apr 21, 2009 - #585 of 596

I've always thought of Dolly Parton as a folk singer, mainly because she writes so much about the human condition. Make room on the Dolly love bench for me too.

NicholasB. - 04:52 pm Pacific Time - Apr 22, 2009 - #596 of 596

I love Dolly. She's charitable, classy, strong, smart, talented, unpretentious and was a knockout back in the day.

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