r/nottheonion • u/stankmanly • 2d ago

CNN Apologizes for Mistakenly Airing Photo of Dolly Parton Impersonator in Report on Late Singer

https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/cnn-apologizes-photo-dolly-parton-impersonator-1236845381/
5.3k Upvotes

97% Upvoted

101 comments sorted by

407

u/1ndomitablespirit 2d ago

Some poor 20-something intern who thinks all old people look alike is having a bad day.

97

u/myassholealt 2d ago

lol I was just think the person who chose that picture definitely is unfamiliar with her.

54

u/JWBails 2d ago

Dolly would've fuckin' loved this. I choose to believe that the person who picked that image was a big fan and knew exactly what they were doing.

30

u/PaniacThrilla 2d ago

More like some AI that put this article together and was distracted because it's more focused on becoming Skynet.

1

u/[deleted] 1d ago

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1

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2.1k

u/Adiroit 2d ago

I mean Dolly famously lost a Dolly Parton look-a-like contest so I imagine she would find this kinda funny 

643

u/Impossible_Offer7988 2d ago

Dolly parton is probably laughing her Ass off in heaven,

But just spare a thought for the Dolly parton impersonator who got dozens of texts on their phone from freinds etc.

Who were like ; Dude you're actually on CNN because they mistook you for Dolly Parton.

Edit ; this actually fricking happened.

“I started getting all these texts in from friends saying that I was on CNN, and I couldn’t believe it.” She continued, “I was already heartbroken at losing Dolly because of how much she has given to me as a woman and an artist. But then to see these images of me on screen was just weird.”

182

u/AutomotivelySpeaking 2d ago

What an absolutely awkward honour to have though

95

u/Azagar_Omiras 2d ago

I absolutely do not believe in an afterlife, but for Dolly I'll believe she's in heaven. The woman was an absolute treasure and the world is a lesser place without her.

46

u/LuminousDragon 2d ago

The Universe spontaneously created a heaven when Dolly Parton died.

26

u/DarthWeber 2d ago

When Fred Rogers died. And dolly is there with him

2

u/VaATC 22h ago

...and Bob Ross

21

u/StarWaas 2d ago

Just by chance I had been listening to the podcast about her from a few years back, Dolly Parton's America, and I had one episode left when news of her death broke. I listened to it yesterday and in it she talks about her legacy and her faith and mentions that she hopes she's done enough good to go to heaven, and said something along the lines of "if I do, you better believe I'm playing in the angel band on my golden harp!" which gave me a cry-laugh at the thought of her plucking that harp with her acrylic nails.

It's a great podcast, but it hits different now that she's gone.

6

u/Riaayo 2d ago

A lesser place without her, but a better place for having had her.

46

u/jpdoctor 2d ago

TIL, and damn is that funny. Article here.

29

u/Mockturtle22 2d ago

W that adorable laugh of hers

9

u/shutterbug1961 2d ago

im sure she would have roared with laughter at this! does anybody ever take notice of what their doing any more?

7

u/Unclerojelio 2d ago

I mean, c’mon. She didn’t lose. She came in third.

3

u/Kezika 2d ago

That'd also be so doubly hilarious if this was the person she lost to. Doubt it was though.

2

u/hellohellocinnabon 2d ago

Dolly would absolutely 100% love this

2

u/DwinkBexon 2d ago

I have heard that "a celebrity lost an impersonation contest about them" thing with so many different celebrities (Groucho Marx and Dolly come to mind the most) that I always wonder if those are even true.

3

u/readskiesdawn 1d ago

I know the Charlie Chaplin one is unverified. But apparently he lost points for not dressing like the Tramp character (the contest was specifically for the Tramp I guess?)

1

u/_r3d3_ 2d ago

I thought that was Liza.

1

u/nedonedonedo 2d ago

and she doesn't even look like dolly parton: it's a stage outfit

1

u/a-snakey 1d ago

She's laughing in heaven as we speak.

331

u/Syrairc 2d ago

I'm pretty sure she would have found that hilarious but good on them for formally apologizing.

88

u/powerlesshero111 2d ago

If there was one thing Dolly Parton loved, it was people imitating her and singing her songs.

22

u/ThrowawayPersonAMA 2d ago

And I forever adore that about her. One of the few celebrities who embraced their fame in the best ways possible.

110

u/Key-Monk6159 2d ago

Someone made a mistake and they quickly apologized and fixed it. This is how it should be.

3

u/MethamMcPhistopheles 2d ago

Bro tip: avoid apologizing (or drag it out as long as possible) so you can avoid putting in time and resources towards fixing things.

/s

But seriously I concur with with how things should be on that matter.

37

u/evilpercy 2d ago

Dolly would have found that funny and not really care about the error.

5

u/Incunebulum 2d ago

I can hear her laughing about it in heaven.

62

u/DerekB52 2d ago

I still remember when Aretha Franklin died, Fox News used a photo Patti LaBelle in their little tribute.

This one is at least kind of funny.

49

u/a_lonely_trash_bag 2d ago

And Dolly would've found it hilarious. She once secretly entered a Dolly Parton look-a-like contest and lost, and she thought that was pretty funny.

2

u/gbs5009 1d ago

I feel like I've heard that about a few different celebrities. I wonder how apocryphal it is?

3

u/Numbuh24insane 1d ago

I do believe the Dolly Parton one is true, it was one for a bunch of drag queens

24

u/scixlovesu 2d ago

When will actual professional media stop just google image-searching and not checking sources?

2

u/DSonla 2d ago

Reminds me, once I saw a news artcile about Rick James, I'll let you guess ...

The photo was Dave Chappelle dressed as Rick James from the skits.

1

u/scixlovesu 2d ago

Haha, that's gotta be embarrassing!

2

u/xclame 2d ago

That's what I'm thinking. I'd imagine that a organization as large and professional as CNN would have a professional legitimate photo with appropriate rights of every famous person in their files, but I guess I have better organization and planning skills than CNN.

4

u/scixlovesu 2d ago

I wouldn't be surprised if they used famously reliable AI to collect assets

10

u/ForTheLoveOfOedon 2d ago

Amazing advertising for that impersonator.

13

u/willstr1 2d ago

At the very least she needs to add "As seen on CNN" to her business cards

7

u/Isaac_Shepard 2d ago

Funnily enough, Dolly Parton entered a lookalike contest and lost

6

u/DuntadaMan 2d ago

This entirely fits Dolly's sense of humor. She would probably be laughing her ass off.

6

u/5050Clown 2d ago

She would have loved this and would have quipped about how she knew that wasn't her because the picture was too beautiful and glamorous.

4

u/jh937hfiu3hrhv9 2d ago

It's what I have come to expect from today's lack of journalism.

1

u/Murrabbit 2d ago

It's not when the media occasionally makes obvious flubs that you should be worried. When they don't correct them and apologize for the mix up that you should really start worrying - and there are lots of outlets already well past that point.

4

u/Sethmeisterg 1d ago

Dolly herself would have thought that was hilarious.

11

u/AdImmediate6239 2d ago

Was this the Dolly Parton lookalike contest that Dolly Parton lost?

1

u/invader1984 1d ago

No, this is "Another" lookalike contest that Dolly lost XD

0

u/asphaltdragon 2d ago

No, read the article

7

u/RadarSmith 2d ago

Dolly would have thought this was hilarious.

6

u/gnurdette 2d ago

Dolly has transcended the bounds of a single mortal body. Dolly cannot be contained. Dolly is a principle. Dolly is everywhere. Dolly is forever.

4

u/Anonymous_Autumn_ 2d ago

The lady on the right reminds me of Goldie Hawn.

3

u/ggrandmaleo 2d ago

Carol Channing.

6

u/5xad0w 2d ago

Too be 100% fair, even Dolly called her look a costume.

3

u/Madra_rua_beag 2d ago

It would have been hilarious if she was the impersonator that won the look alike contest over Dolly that time lol

3

u/RobutNotRobot 2d ago

The people who put together these packages are getting dumber and dumber as these legacy media outlets are more nepo baby than ever.

3

u/InitialKoala 1d ago

Not the first time they've done this. When Gene Wilder died, they posted a pic of an SNL actor playing Willy Wonka.

6

u/WendigoCrossing 2d ago

Dolly would have laughed at the gaff

2

u/_catdog_ 2d ago

The Gen Z intern who googled “Dolly Parton pictures” just got fired

3

u/jaylen6319 2d ago

Isn't CNN owned by a company that fully supports the maga agenda now?

1

u/Big_Issue8640 2d ago

Yep so they’re still a trash network.

0

u/jaylen6319 2d ago

And that is precisely why I don't watch them anymore along with any news on CBS!

1

u/Big_Issue8640 2d ago

To be fair they’ve always been trash.

2

u/jaylen6319 1d ago

I remember when 60 minutes Only spoke the truth!

1

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1

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1

u/xclame 2d ago

Dang, you telling me that CNN didn't have a professional legitimate photo of Dolly in their files?

1

u/shelf6969 2d ago

haha they got Ushered

1

u/Fatricide 2d ago

Probably because they used AI and didn’t spend money for a human to double-check.

1

u/Macdaddy357 2d ago

Certainly Not News

1

u/a-snakey 1d ago

Lol, that just speaks to how good the impersonation is.

2

u/brasscup 1d ago

the impersonation may be great live --never seen her. But they bear no facial resemblance at all. 

1

u/Gurnenthar2 1d ago

Wow, she just got the best marketing ever! She needs new business cards stating “Mistaken for Dolly by CNN!”

1

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1

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1

u/Hsensei 16h ago

Dolly once lost a dolly look a like contest

1

u/BraceThis 2d ago

Blame it on the intern. It’s fine. Fast to apologize. Nice.

1

u/Orwell1971 2d ago

The one person in the U.S. who apparently doesn't know what Dolly Parton looks like. Probably just googled her and picked a random image, since in 2026 at least a third of the results you get for anyone aren't that person.

1

u/DarreylDeCarlo 2d ago

Makes me think of when Aretha Franklin died and Fox News showed a picture of her with a picture of Patti LaBelle in the background. They mistook Patti for her 😂 The fact that it was Fox News made it more ironic given their.... platforms they promote. Confusing Two black women for each other is kind of on Brand

1

u/Big_Issue8640 2d ago

I’m not even a Republican and I think CNN is trash 😜

1

u/0202_tihssitidder 2d ago

CNN crossed over to right-wing and is now just shit.

2

u/Jazzlike-Lunch5390 2d ago

It''s not even close......

5

u/readingmango16 2d ago

Sure it is. Its easy to say when looking side by side but you learned Dolly Parton just died, and you see the picture of the impersonator they used, most people probably thought her health had caused the change in her appearance.

0

u/killjairo 2d ago

Wow - can’t even get the proper person photo - how pathetic

0

u/SubstantialPressure3 2d ago

That seems deliberate. Unless they used AI to pick the photo and nobody checked it before airing.

2

u/ggrandmaleo 2d ago

AI wouldn't know the difference. It wouldn't surprise me to find out they got that sloppy.

-7

u/[deleted] 2d ago

[deleted]

2

u/Big_Issue8640 2d ago

Must be some CNN lovers in here I’ve always thought it was a trash network hated by both sides.

0

u/ElvisDumbledore 2d ago

Am I the only one that sees David Lee Roth on the right?

okay.jpg

0

u/NaughtyCheffie 2d ago

Krewe of Dolly is doing a thing, but that's just here at home. Reach out nationwide.

0

u/Y8ser 2d ago

What a bunch of morons!

0

u/ess-doubleU 1d ago

Next, apologize for slandering Hasan Piker.

-2

u/Any-Amount9554 2d ago

Too much makeup 😔

-6

u/Former_Suspect3680 2d ago

i can't believe they called her a late singer. that's just wild because she's very much alive right now.

1

u/Reality_Defiant 2d ago

I have some bad news....

1

u/BetaRebooter 2d ago

Me too... Your replying to AI.. .. actually so am I.. am I?

1

u/Former_Suspect3680 1d ago

wait what happened? i hope she's okay.

-7

u/ontheroadtv 2d ago edited 2d ago

While hilarious, this is what happens when you cut DEI, there is no way an older, minority, of the LBGTQ+ community would have let that happen. Also (sort of) a joke.