Why Dolly Parton Says She Turned Down Super Bowl Halftime Show
Katy Perry played the halftime show at the Super Bowl in 2015, but if the pop star had gotten her way, Dolly Parton would have joined her.
The performance instead became best known for the antics of "left shark," a rogue dancer named Bryan Gaw who displayed maximum freedom of expression during the show (per NPR). The actual game became famous, too, as New England Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler made a game-saving interception at the goal line to give his team a win.
As for Parton, she stayed home, and until a recent interview with GQ surfaced in November, fans were forced to wonder why. Perry previously said that the "Jolene" singer declined her invitation, so her fans jumped at the chance to find out why during "Actually Me With Dolly Parton."
At the five minute mark, Parton verifies Perry's account, saying: "That is true. And I would have done it, because I love Katy Perry."
“At the time my husband was not doing good," she reveals. "He was kind of puny and I couldn’t leave him, so I couldn't do it."
Parton's husband of more than 50 years is Carl Dean, and he is intensely private, so no news of his health surfaced at the time. Even today, details remain elusive. The pair would celebrate their golden anniversary with a party one year later, but there are no recent photos or anecdotes that speak to the 78-year-old's current health.
The last time there was a country music-centric Super Bowl halftime show was in 1994, when Travis Tritt was joined by the Judds, Tanya Tucker and more. What do you think? Is it time to give Dolly another chance?
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