CBS Airs Hour-Long Tribute to Dolly Parton with Archival Interviews
An Entertainment Tonight-produced special honoring Dolly Parton will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+ on August 30 at 8 p.m. ET. The program includes Parton's first ET interview from 1982, her final conversation with the show, and new tributes from artists like Dionne Warwick and Melissa Etheridge. Viewers without cable can stream it via DirecTV or Paramount+ Premium, with Essential members gaining access the next day.
The special assembles material spanning more than four decades of Parton's relationship with Entertainment Tonight, from her earliest 1982 interview to what is described as her final conversation with the program. New tributes from Dionne Warwick, Melissa Etheridge, Diane Warren, Debbie Allen, and Jennifer Nettles supplement the archival footage, while hosts Kevin Frazier and Nischelle Turner anchor the live broadcast.
The tribute arrives amid a wave of commemorations following Parton's death at age 80 after a brief cancer battle. CBS News aired its own special earlier in the week, and ABC's 20/20 and CMT are both scheduled to re-air their respective tributes on Sunday. Parton's legacy spans music, film, and television, including roles in 9 to 5, Steel Magnolias, and Hannah Montana.
This tribute special may serve as a collective cultural moment for audiences who followed Parton across generations, from her 1980s country stardom to her later mainstream crossover appeal. The broadcast's placement on network television and streaming platforms could allow diverse viewers to engage with her legacy simultaneously, potentially reinforcing her role as a rare unifying figure in an era of cultural division.