Humbly turning down major honors seems to be a 9 to 5 job for Dolly Parton.
The beloved country singer on Thursday said she has asked Tennessee's legislature to remove a bill to erect a statue of her on the state's Capitol grounds from consideration, despite being "honored and humbled" by the effort.
"Given all that is going on in the world, I don't think putting me on a pedestal is appropriate at this time," Parton said.
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This comes weeks after Parton revealed she turned down the Presidential Medal of Freedom from former President Donald Trump not once, but twice, first because her husband was sick and second because she couldn't travel to Washington, D.C, amid the pandemic. She added that she isn't sure she'd accept the honor if it was offered a third time, saying she'd be "doing politics" and that "I'm not sure that I even deserve it" — an assertion her fans would surely have a bone to pick with.
But Parton did express openness to such a statue being erected at Tennessee's Capitol at a later date, writing, "I hope, though, that somewhere down the road several years from now or perhaps after I'm gone if you still feel I deserve it, then I'm certain I will stand proud in our great State Capitol as a grateful Tennessean." Brendan Morrow
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