Dolly Parton Admits Husband Was “Jealous” of NFL Cheerleader Outfit: “A Little Too Short”

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While dominating country music since the 1950s, Dolly Parton continues to prove her star power as she recently released her album Rockstar in November 2023 and even performed during the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game. Although fans praised the singer’s new album, many can’t get over the outfit the star wore during the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show. Proving that age is just a number, Dolly recently discussed the famous outfit and how her husband, Carl Thomas Dean, was a little jealous. 

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Speaking with People about the famous performance, Dolly laughed about how Dean found the shorts a little too short. “It turned out pretty cool and my husband liked it. He said, ‘Those shorts were a little too short.’ I said, ‘Jealous?’” She added, “And I said, ‘They weren’t as short as the other girls!’ He was just being funny. I think he thought — because everybody’s making a to-do over it — he thought, well, maybe you shouldn’t be showing your butt at that age. But anyway, he got a kick out of it too.”

Dolly Parton Had A Poster Made

Although Dolly might agree with Dean when it came to the outfit, she explained that her confidence comes from always wanting to have fun. “I try not to get into anything I don’t think I can pull off, just like that little Dallas Cowgirl outfit. I really thought, well, I’m just going to do this for fun, because I mean, I’ve never been to one of their halftime shows, and they’re so famous, the girls.”

[RELATED: Bunnie Xo Shares Sweet Tribute to Her “Birthday Cusp Twin” Dolly Parton]

Admitting that all the guys, including her husband, loved the outfit, Dolly cared little about what people thought. “I thought, well, if I can pull this off, it’ll be cute, and if not, then they’ll just think if some older woman did a stupid thing!. I just thought it was cool, and it evidently was because it turned out to be a big sensation. And so, I may have a poster made, a pinup, and donate all the money to the Red Kettle.” 

Always willing to help those in need, Dolly’s generosity continues as she gives no time to criticism. She insisted those who took issue with her outfit held little power over her. “‘I’m going to do as I please.’”

 (Photo by Omar Vega/FilmMagic)

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