Celebrity3 min(s) read
Dolly Parton co-star blasted for ‘disgusting’ tribute as fans can’t believe what he actually wrote in ‘tone-deaf’ message
A former co-star of Dolly Parton has received backlash after posting a backhanded tribute to the late country star.
Parton was dealing with several health issues before her death was announced to fans on Tuesday (August 25).
Her nephew uploaded a heartbreaking video announcing the news, as the 'Jolene' singer died aged 80 following a secret battle with cancer.
The Tennessee native said she had "issues" that she didn't pay attention to while caring for her late husband Carl Dean, who died at the age of 82 in March 2025.
Since Parton's passing, many have paid tribute to the iconic artist, while others have had reactions to her death that have angered fans.
One of these is Ricky Schroder, who played Parton's father, Robert Lee Patton, in biographical TV movies Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors (2015) and Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love (2016).
Schroder's controversial posts about Parton
Schroder, 56, has been described as 'disrespectful' for the comments he made following the American artist's untimely death.
The actor seemed to pay respects by criticizing Parton's politics just hours after her death was announced by her family.
In the caption of a photo of him with the '9 to 5' artist, he wrote: "I didn't agree with her advocating for Transgender & Covid Vaccine support… but Loved her anyway.
"Thank you for choosing me Dolly to be your Movie Daddy."
Many viewers of the post took to the comments to call Schroder out, calling him 'transphobic and anti-vaccine'.
One user said: "Wow… you should have said nothing," as another added: "Imagine being the first (and probably only) person in the whole world to post something negative about Dolly. NOT COOL."
A third wrote: "Don't make it about you or politics. It's not a tribute but a statement about you. Why bother?"
British artist Boy George responded in the comments, writing: "Oh shut up!"
The actor took to his story
Schroder, who posts plenty of anti-socialist propaganda on his page, posted a clip of Parton supporting the use of the Covid-19 vaccine on his story.
He then wrote in added text: "I warned Dolly to not support the Experiment. Wished she listened [sad face emoji]."
The actor, who has posted AI-generated images of the President as a boxer, while calling him 'Papa Trump,' has left the story up despite the backlash.
One of Parton's fans said his posts were part of a 'tone deaf tribute', adding, "Dolly advocated for love and not judging anyone."
Dolly Parton's education initiatives
Parton may be remembered for being the mind behind the hit track 'I Will Always Love You', but her work outside of music was just as impressive.
Since starting the Imagination Library program in 1995, Parton invested millions of dollars into the initiative, which gifts books to children every month from birth to the age of five, free of charge.
The artist also launched the "Buddy Program," which aimed to encourage teenagers to finish their high school education.
Parton promised seventh and eighth graders in Sevier County that if they paired up with a peer and both graduated from high school, she would gift each student a $500 cash check on graduation day.
Years later, the results showed that the program worked, as the high school dropout rate fell from 35 percent to just six percent in the region.