Kathy Griffin reveals Dolly Parton’s surprise letter praising her comedy: ‘Keep doing your thing’
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Late country icon Dolly Parton was apparently a secret supporter of comedian Kathy Griffin, who recalled their friendship and Parton’s encouragement of her outspoken comedy before the singer’s death on August 25 at age 80.
Griffin described Parton as an “undercover supporter” of her no-holds-barred act that often lampooned celebrity behavior. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly ahead of her upcoming ‘New Face, New Tour,’ she also opened up about their private conversations.
Kathy Griffin recalls Dolly Parton’s private encouragement
During the interview, Griffin recalled that Parton twice encouraged her to continue her outspoken comedy. “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,” she explained
The comedian was discussing a Threads post she shared after Parton’s death, in which she recalled Parton telling her to “GIVE IT to all these phonies” while Griffin was mocking stars on stage.
“She’d be like, ‘You’re just a funny. You say the stuff I’m afraid to say, but I want to hear you say it,’” Griffin recalled. She described Parton as “the perfect human” and praised her reputation as a beacon of kindness and support.
Griffin noted that she does not often, “if ever,” receive support from other Hollywood stars, making Parton’s encouragement particularly meaningful. Their relationship also included an attempt to bring Parton onto Griffin’s 'Bravo' docuseries 'My Life on the D-List.'
Griffin recalled being hesitant to contact Parton through their mutual lawyer because she “didn’t want to bother the great Dolly Parton.” The late icon ultimately could not appear on the show because Griffin felt she was “a little outrageous for her (Parton's) fans.”
However, Parton sent Griffin a letter expressing her support. “I wish I could do it. I watch it all the time. Keep doing your thing. You’re so good at what you do,” Parton wrote. She described the gesture as “above and beyond” and appreciated her honesty about why she could not participate.
Kathy Griffin opens up about comedy and her new tour
Griffin also reflected on the challenges she has faced as a stand-up comedian, describing the current period as “the hardest time to be a stand-up that I’ve felt in my entire decades of doing stand-up.”
She referenced the fallout from her 2017 photograph holding a bloodied mask resembling President Donald Trump’s head. The controversy led to canceled gigs, rifts in celebrity friendships, and Griffin being placed on the no-fly list.
After documenting the turmoil in her 2019 documentary and stand-up special hybrid ‘Hell of a Story,’ Griffin said she has become more adept at turning difficult realities into comedy material. Earlier this year, she performed in Minnesota near sites where Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good were fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
“That night, I helped them through the show, just talking about that for a few minutes,” Griffin recalled. She emphasized that while she wants audiences to laugh, she also wants them to know she is paying attention to what is happening around them.
“This tour has got a purpose to it. This might sound corny, but I’m on a mission, because the state of the world is hard to laugh at these days,” Griffin said. She hopes to provide audiences with a chance to “blow off steam” through laughter amid darkness, hatred, racism and misogyny.
