# Does Dolly Parton have kids? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 26, 2006, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244 "2006-04-26T03:34:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/21 "2006-04-27T03:33:17Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > I was thinking about pulling out the ol’ “dairy cannons” bit, or the good ol’ “cachungers” line, but no, I went with the new material. I’m glad you were amused. I’m still laughing too, and it’s doubly funny that **astro** accidentally typed “moon missles” when he was quoting you, which kind of takes it to a whole new level… ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/22 "2006-04-27T04:24:27Z")
> [@Paul in Saudi](#): > > While DP had implants in about 2002, here breasts were a well-know trademark well before then. She claims to have lost weight, and ‘in all the wrong places’ and my Honey used to say. She had implants fairly recently, at about age 55, to restore what she once had. I wish I could remember where I read it, but there was an interview with Dolly a few years ago in which she revealed that she had had cosmetic surgery to “uplift” her breasts. The interviewer asked something like, “Aren’t you embarrassed to admit that?” and Dolly replied, “Honey, I’d be more embarrassed if I was steppin’ on 'em.” ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/23 "2006-04-27T09:10:32Z")
Coincidentally, I just saw an advertisement and confirmed on their website that A&E will feature Dolly Parton on the Friday, April 28 broadcast of _Biography_ (8 p.m. Eastern). This should certainly reveal if she has children or couldn’t for some medical reason. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/24 "2006-04-27T11:54:05Z")
As far as I understand it, Dolly has none of her own children, but has filled a maternal role for many. I think they call her “Auntie Gran” or something. And my lactation consultant was a maternity R.N. who therefore already had a lot of experience in the area. Later in her career, she decided retire from “active duty” nursing and become a certified lactation consultant while still maintaining all her R.N. credentials. She said that was a common route that people took to becoming lactation consultants. And she was fabulous! ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/25 "2006-04-27T12:06:06Z")
> [@Phase42](#): > > I wish I could remember where I read it, but there was an interview with Dolly a few years ago in which she revealed that she had had cosmetic surgery to “uplift” her breasts. The interviewer asked something like, “Aren’t you embarrassed to admit that?” and Dolly replied, “Honey, I’d be more embarrassed if I was steppin’ on 'em.” She does have a pretty amusing attitude about the whole thing. I remember seeing a show once where she said something along the lines of “People, it takes a lot of money to look this trashy.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/26 "2006-04-27T12:16:27Z")
She had some horrible female problems (unspecified as far as I remember). My guess is that contributed to her childlessness. I love her. She’s about as sweet as they come! ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/27 "2006-04-27T14:36:02Z")
I recall that quote as being something like “It’s very expensive to look this cheap.” She has made many fun and interesting quotes. I recall another that went something along the lines of “If it can be nipped, tucked, sucked (liposuction), or tucked, I’m having it done!” ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/28 "2006-04-27T19:32:53Z")
I also recall her once saying she couldn’t fit into a particular shirt, because it would “be like putting ten pounds of beans in a five-pound bag.” ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/29 "2006-04-27T19:42:31Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > She had some horrible female problems (unspecified as far as I remember). My guess is that contributed to her childlessness. > > I love her. She’s about as sweet as they come! Me too! I think she totally rocks. She’s so unpretentious and just so warm-hearted. I believe she has it set up so that anyone who graduates from the high school she attended gets a scholarship or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Mal\_Adroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df788c/32.png) [@Mal\_Adroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mal_Adroit)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/30 "2006-04-27T19:55:33Z")
**WhyNot** – you do realize there isn’t a single one of us who’s finished envisioning your nipples? I blame our porous borders. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/31 "2006-04-27T20:06:02Z")
> [@Mal Adroit](#): > > **WhyNot** – you do realize there isn’t a single one of us who’s finished envisioning your nipples? > > I blame our porous borders. 😃 That makes my day, actually. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/32 "2006-04-27T20:35:15Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Me too! I think she totally rocks. She’s so unpretentious and just so warm-hearted. I believe she has it set up so that anyone who graduates from the high school she attended gets a scholarship or something like that. I don’t know about that, but here in Tennessee she started and is now spokesperson for the state’s “Books from birth” program. Children registered in the program receive one free age-appropriate book per month until their fifth birthday. I think she originally started it for her home county, but it is now state-supported and available in most counties in TN. Dolly _rocks_. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/33 "2006-04-27T20:43:03Z")
I used to know a lot of lesbians from the Tennesse area (this was in college) and they all swore that it was an open secret that Dolly was gay. I think since that time it’s more out there that although she isn’t a lesbian, shes always been supportive of the gay community from her friendship with Lily Tomlin. ---
**Author:** ![burundi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@burundi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burundi)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2006, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/34 "2006-04-27T22:23:18Z")
**Push You Down** , I’ve also heard that about Dolly, though I don’t know what the rumors are based on. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/35 "2006-04-28T00:01:40Z")
She also has this program in every county in the U.S. in which she has a theater. When we lived in Horry County, South Carolina (Myrtle Beach area), my son received the books. They’re not crappy, cheap things, either. They were good quality board books geared toward the age of the child. I can’t tell you how impressed I was with her generosity. ---
**Author:** ![C3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/c3/32/3108_2.png) [@C3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C3)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/36 "2006-04-28T00:03:16Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > I don’t know about that, but here in Tennessee she started and is now spokesperson for the state’s “Books from birth” program. Children registered in the program receive one free age-appropriate book per month until their fifth birthday. I think she originally started it for her home county, but it is now state-supported and available in most counties in TN. > > Dolly _rocks_. Sorry, I meant to quote **Skammer** in my above post. I always forget to check that little box. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/37 "2006-04-28T00:10:09Z")
I think the lesbian rumors are due to the fact that her husband is rarely, if ever seen. Other than that, I think if she were gay, Dolly’d be the first one to reveal it. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/38 "2006-04-28T13:57:17Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > I think the lesbian rumors are due to the fact that her husband is rarely, if ever seen. Other than that, I think if she were gay, Dolly’d be the first one to reveal it. I tend to agree with this point of view. We ate lunch at a little joint near Franklin, TN, which is in the same county (Williamson) where Dolly has one of her homes. The waitress looked a great deal like Dolly but had brown hair and wore it down and not overly coiffed. I commented to her about her resemblance and she explained that Dolly ate there on occasion but that you wouldn’t recognize her on the street. The wigs and makeup are basically for her shows and she doesn’t appear in public that way. The waitress said Dolly is barely recognizable (except for the obvious attributes) when she’s in public and not performing. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/39 "2006-04-28T14:11:41Z")
> [@](#): > > Oops, I didn’t realize there’s boobies on that website. Working breasts, to be sure, but maybe NSFW. I’ll alert a mod and have that link broken. This makes me think of seeing-eye dogs and other such guide beasts. "Don’t play with that, son. That’s a _working_ breast. " ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2006, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244/40 "2006-04-28T14:23:10Z")
From the Reader’s Digest: [Dolly Parton Lets Her Hair Down](http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=19288) > [@](#): > > (Page two of the interview linked above, 6th question down) > > **RD:** The two of you never had children. Do you have any regrets? > **Parton:** No. I don’t miss it now. We didn’t do anything for years to not have kids, and so it wasn’t meant to be. I always say that I think God didn’t let me have kids so all kids could be mine. When Carl and I married, we took in five of my younger brothers and sisters and pretty much raised them. When they started having kids, they said, “What are the kids going to call you, because we feel you’re like grandparents?” I said they could call me Aunt Grannie, and Carl Uncle Peepaw. If I’d had children of my own, we’d have been more selfish, I’m sure, putting money away for them. This way we can share it more. Nothing about an allegic reaction and the only thing about birth control is an admission that they “didn’t do anything for yars to not have kids […].” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-dolly-parton-have-kids/354244.md?page=3)