Resurfaced Oprah Interview With Dolly Parton Sparks Debate
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A resurfaced interview between talk show host Oprah Winfrey and country music star Dolly Parton from 2003 has sparked backlash due to Winfrey’s line of questioning.
The video, first posted on Tik Tok and later shared to Twitter, has spread like wildfire, as fans accuse Winfrey of humiliating Parton.
Though many are disappointed in Winfrey after seeing the interview, others have defended the star, sparking debate about whether we can judge something from a different time to our own.
The interview was filmed 18 years ago, and there is concern that we are retroactively applying today’s standards to it.
During the conversation, Winfrey asked probing questions about Parton’s age and plastic surgery, saying: “You’ve been open about that you’ve had some work done. Some tucks and pulls and sucks?”
Dolly responded: “Yes I have, and I’ll have some more when I need ‘em!”
The person who uploaded the video wrote in the caption, “I feel like Oprah wanted [Dolly Parton] to be embarrassed but Dolly said ‘nope’.”
Another wrote: “Oprah looked so salty when she couldn’t get her to react how she wanted,” while a third said she “seemed annoyed” that Dolly “took the plastic surgery question so well”.
Other parts of the interview showed Winfrey asking Parton about her struggle with depression, with users arguing that Winfrey deliberately dragged her mental health into the conversation.
This is not the first time Winfrey has been criticised for being ‘too much’ in interviews, as singer Toni Braxton said the host was “so frickin’ mean” and had “reprimanded” Braxton for spending money on designer clothes during their 2012 interview.
Those defending Winfrey however considered the interview to be pretty normal, saying “Oprah wasn’t pulling some type of move here. She was asking questions based on stuff Dolly herself has said.”
Others explained that Winfrey’s platform and her unshaming discussions about “taboo” topics like mental health and cosmetic surgery have been “groundbreaking” and has led to people being more open about their struggles today than previously.
Tyla has contacted Harpo Productions for Comment.
Topics: Celebrity, Entertainment