Ricky Schroder is facing intense criticism for politicizing his tribute to Dolly Parton following her death.
Schroder, 56, played Parton’s father, Robert Lee Patton, in the TV movies Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors (2015) and its 2016 sequel, Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love.
Parton died Tuesday, aged 80, following a “brief battle” with cancer.
On Instagram, Schroder shared a photo of himself with the late country music icon, writing in the caption: “I didnt agree with her advocating for Transgender & Covid Vaccine support…but Loved her anyway. Thank you for choosing me Dolly to be your Movie Daddy.”
A number of celebrities were quick to call out the actor for sharing transphobic and anti-vaccine rhetoric in his supposed tribute to Parton.
“Ick,” Katie Couric wrote on Threads.
“Oh shut up,” Boy George responded on Instagram.
Lioness actor Jay Huguley added: “‘I loved her anyway’ what a strange tribute. Good Lord.”
Fans of the “9 to 5” singer also slated Schroder in the comments section of his post.
“Wow… you should have said nothing,” reads one comment with more than 2,000 “likes.”
“In a world full of Rickys, be a Dolly,” added another.
“Honestly dude, please just sit down and be quiet. Honor her or don’t. This is weird,” wrote a third.
“Tone deaf tribute. Dolly advocated for love and not judging anyone,” a fourth added.
Parton supported same-sex marriage, spoke out against restrictions on transgender rights and explored LGBT+ themes in her work, including the Oscar-nominated song “Travelin’ Thru” for the 2005 film Transamerica.
Also well known is her $1 million donation to Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s Covid-19 research, funding work that contributed to the development of the Moderna vaccine.
In March 2021, she received the Moderna vaccine herself and used the occasion to encourage others to get vaccinated, even singing a vaccine-themed version of “Jolene.”
Despite this, Parton took care not to be seen as partisan throughout her career.
As Kevin EG Perry pointed out for The Independent this week, “She turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom three times, twice from President Trump because on one occasion her husband was ill and the next was during Covid travel restrictions. The third time, she declined to receive the prestigious award from President Biden for fear of appearing to show favoritism.
“... She spent her life (and her fortune) supporting and raising money for the causes she believed in, including HIV/Aids-related charities and efforts to preserve the bald eagle. Her outspoken support for trans people or her belief in Christianity could have seen her become more politicized if she wasn’t so deft at defusing controversy.”
On the day of her death, Donald Trump wrote on social media: “This is a true loss for millions of people. There has never been anyone like her, and never will. He was joined in paying his respects by every living former president, bringing together Republicans and Democrats in a rare outpouring of shared sorrow.
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