CMT News

Dolly Parton Upset Over Howard Stern Audio

Dolly Parton says she's "completed devastated" after her speaking voice was heavily edited and electronically manipulated in a comedy bit featured on Howard Stern's radio show. The segment, which features racist and sexually-explicit language, includes references to Kenny Rogers, Burt Reynolds, Linda Ronstadt and the late Johnny Carson. It first aired May 6 during Stern's show on Sirius Satellite Radio, a service that is available only by paid subscription, but gained a wider audience after the audio appeared on various Web sites. In a written statement issued Wednesday (May 14), Parton said, "I have never been so shocked, hurt and humiliated in all my life. I cannot believe what Howard Stern has done to me. In a blue million years, I would never have such vulgar things come out of my mouth. They have done editing or some sort of trickery to make this horrible, horrible thing. Please accept my apology for them and certainly know I had nothing to do with this. If there was ever going to be a lawsuit, it's going to be over this. Just wanted you to know that I am completely devastated by this."