Dear Gossips,

Dolly Parton is remarkable in all the ways, present tense because it’s not possible for a person like Dolly to retreat – she is, truly, an eternal flame. And the tributes that are being shared are a reflection of how singular she is.

As many people have noted, she’s one of very, very, very few people we can all agree on, and in our culture, her reach is the most inclusive, the most diverse. From science and education to tourism to food to movies and music, Dolly is everywhere and Dolly is every genre – country, rock, pop, hip-hop and more. And all ages too: Paul McCartney had a connection and so did Sabrina Carpenter. Blake Shelton is honouring her but also Eminem.

Dolly is loved at church and equally embraced on the ballroom scene. She’s an ally to those who worship the king of heaven and an ally to those who revere the queens of slay.

She’s the blueprint for our current steel magnolias who defiantly refuse to wilt, from Beyoncé to Adele to Taylor Swift.

Speaking of Steel Magnolias though… it’s a film that some of us of a certain age know off by heart. Truvy Jones and all of those women taught us a lot about life and friendship. “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion,” Truvy said. That wasn’t a character, that is her. Probably still, wherever she is.

The film is available to stream on Netflix and Prime Video. I know what I’m doing this weekend. “Smile! It increases your face value!”

Yours in gossip,

Lainey

Photo credits: Jason Moore/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

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