Country music legend and humanitarian Dolly Parton died at age 80 on August 25. Now, several days later, comedian Kathy Griffin is opening up about their connection, how Parton almost guest-starred on her Bravo series “My Life on the D-List,” and the letter the late singer wrote her.
Kathy Griffin Says Dolly Parton Was A Secret Fan of Her Style of Comedy
GettyGriffin was interviewed by Entertainment Weekly in September 2026 to promote her new tour, “New Face, New Tour.” During the conversation, she mentioned her earlier social media post about Parton’s passing, in which she revealed that the “I Will Always Love You” singer was a fan.
The 65-year-old told the outlet, “Twice, she told me that! It was funny because both times she wanted to be alone, because she didn’t want somebody to hear Dolly Parton say, ‘Go for it, [b-word].'”
Griffin continued, “She’d be like, ‘You’re just a funny [b-word]. You say the stuff I’m afraid to say, but I want to hear you say it.” The comedian continued reflecting, saying, “Wow, that is the perfect human right there. People talk about her being the beacon of everything, and I saw it with my own eyes, having the opportunity to even talk with her about anything.”
From there, she discussed “My Life on the D-List” and how she wanted Parton to appear on the hit Bravo series, which ended in 2010 after six seasons. She first discussed potentially having their mutual attorney ask the icon to appear, saying, “I didn’t want to bother the great Dolly Parton.”
Griffin then said, “She couldn’t do it because I’m a little outrageous for her fans. But she wrote me the nicest letter saying, ‘I wish I could do it. I watch it all the time. Keep doing your thing. You’re so good at what you do.’ It was above and beyond.”
She added, “I appreciated her honesty, which was… I love the show, but I live in Pigeon Forge, Tenn.”
The ‘My Life on the D-List’ Alum Paid Tribute to Dolly
GettyOn the day of Parton’s death, Griffin offered a tribute to the music legend on Threads. She did so by replying to a post that asked: “Who is someone you only met once or twice in your life, but who said or did something that completely shifted your perspective?”
Griffin responded, “In private, away from anyone, the great Dolly Parton told me not to back off. Not to back down. And to ‘GIVE IT to all these phonies.’ And then the giggle came. Nothing like her laugh. Nothing on earth. RIP and gratitude to our global legend.”
Parton’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, announced her passing via a straight-from-the-heart video posted on social media. He said, “My name is Bryan Seaver, son of Cassie Parton, and I’m representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my aunt, Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean, Sister, Sis and Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next.”
He continued, “This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago, before I fully absorbed it as a future reality. As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father Larry held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.”
