In a recent episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, Henry Winkler played a game called ‘Hollywood Roulette,’ where Kelly showed Henry names from the industry and asked him to tell a story about them. When Dolly Parton showed up, the actor described her as the ‘Queen of the Universe:’
“Dolly Parton is not the queen of music; she is the Queen of the Universe.”
Clarkson chimed in, saying she loves her. Winkler then began telling his story about Parton:
“So, I’m just beginning my directing career. I am chosen to direct her first television movie, ‘A Smoky Mountain Christmas,’ with nine children. She was adorable; she is powerful, so smart, and again plays 92 instruments.”
After that, he recalled the success ‘A Smoky Mountain Christmas’ achieved following its premiere on TV:
“Okay, so I directed it, and the head of NBC at that time, Brandon Tartikoff, came up to me because our kids were [going to] the same preschool, and he said, ‘Good morning, 34-share,’ which meant that we got a gigantic share when it was aired on television of the viewing audience. I didn’t know Brandon’s name, but I knew that the movie was successful.”
After hearing Winkler’s story, Clarkson said that the actor is known as the nicest guy in Hollywood, and Parton is the nicest woman in the industry. She then went on praising ‘Jolene’ singer’s personality, and Winkler added:
“And she can do what she says she does!”
Broadcast on ABC on December 14, 1986, ‘A Smoky Mountain Christmas’ featured songs written and performed by Parton herself.
Following her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, Parton decided to release a rock album titled ‘Rockstar.’ Set to release on November 17 this year, the album features collaborations with artists such as Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Elton John, Sheryl Crow, Miley Cyrus, and many more.
You can watch the episode below.