If there's one thing that unites the past three presidents, it may be a strong desire to ensure Dolly Parton gets the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The legendary singer spoke with Today this week and revealed that former President Donald Trump's administration attempted to give her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, not once but twice. But Parton, who famously helped fund Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine research, had to turn it down both times, she explained.
"I got offered the freedom award from the Trump administration," Parton revealed. "I couldn't accept it because my husband was ill. Then they asked me again about it, and I wouldn't travel because of the COVID."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Former President Barack Obama has admitted he regrets not awarding Parton the Presidential Medal of Freedom while he was in office and even told Stephen Colbert he'd "call Biden" about it. And in fact, Parton told Today she's already heard from President Biden. But it seems the 46th president, too, could come up short in an effort to honor her, as Parton explained she might not actually want the Medal of Freedom at all.
"Now I feel like if I take it, I'll be doing politics," she said. "So I'm not sure. I don't work for those awards. It'd be nice, but I'm not sure that I even deserve it, but that's a nice compliment for people to think that I might deserve it."
-
Shohei Ohtani is caught in a financial controversy — againIn the Spotlight The controversy concerns Ohtani and his agent, Nez Balelo
-
A descent into academic Hell, a ferocious feminist fable and the adult debut of a beloved children's authorThe Week Recommends August books include R.F. Kuang's 'Katabasis,' Xenobe Purvis' 'The Hounding' and Louis Sachar's 'The Magician of Tiger Castle'
-
What is an upside-down car loan and how do you get out of it?the explainer This happens when the outstanding balance on a car loan exceeds the vehicle's worth
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster showSpeed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top GrammysSpeed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
