CNN has apologized to Dolly Parton’s family after making a startling mistake while covering the country icon’s death. During the broadcast, the network displayed an image of a woman who resembled Dolly rather than a photograph of the singer herself.
The legendary country performer died on August 25 at 80 years old. Her representatives later said that she had passed away following a short battle with cancer. As the news traveled worldwide, messages of remembrance quickly arrived from fans, other musicians, and celebrities. People across the globe honored the beloved star while recalling both her extraordinary catalog of songs and the person behind the music.
Then, during a live CNN segment, viewers saw what was presented as a photograph of Dolly. The woman on the screen, however, was not Dolly Parton. The network had mistakenly used a picture of Kelly Vohnn, a Las Vegas entertainer who works professionally as a Dolly Parton impersonator. The image appeared on Laura Coates Live during the evening of August 25 while the program was reporting on Parton’s death. The error was spotted quickly, and CNN subsequently issued an apology to the Parton family. A representative for the network said CNN regretted the mistake and offered its apologies to Dolly’s relatives.
Vohnn later described the extraordinary mix-up to The New York Post. She said friends suddenly began sending her messages telling her that her face was being shown on CNN. At first, she could hardly believe what they were saying. The situation was particularly upsetting because Vohnn was already grieving Dolly’s death. She credited the country legend with inspiring her deeply, both as a woman and as a performer. Seeing images of herself appear during coverage of Dolly’s passing therefore felt deeply strange.
A longtime singer and tribute artist, Vohnn has portrayed Parton throughout her own career. She sharply criticized CNN over the embarrassing error, arguing that someone at the network had failed to conduct the necessary research. She later told Entertainment Weekly that she would never intentionally show such disrespect toward Dolly, her relatives, or anyone who loved her.
Dolly Parton’s music, influence, and spirit will continue to be remembered. May she rest in peace.
