Bill Maher sparks outrage with ‘bitter’ Dolly Parton tribute joke
Fans of Dolly Parton have leapt to the late singer's defence after comedian Bill Maher cracked a joke about her passing.
The world has been mourning the loss of the country music star since her death was announced last Tuesday (25 August) in an emotional video by her nephew and head of security, Bryan Seaver.
Maher mentioned the sad news in his opening monologue for his HBO chat show - and the gag he made about the 80-year-old hasn't gone down well.
Parton, who kept the details of her health struggles under wraps prior to her death, passed away after a brief battle with cancer.
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US President Donald Trump announced that flags would be flown at half-mast for an entire week in honour of the legendary 'Jolene' singer.
America isn't the only nation who has been paying tribute to the singer, as countries around the world have also been honouring Parton in their own way.
For example, the King's Guard performed a rendition of her hit song '9 to 5' outside Buckingham Palace, as Maher mentioned in his opening monologue on Real Time with Bill Maher on Friday (28 August).
But in the eyes of the majority of people, the pun he made about Parton while welcoming viewers who were tuning into his chat show was in very poor taste.
"All this is going on and all America could really talk about this week was how sad it is that we lost Dolly Parton," he said after referencing the US' current trade war with Canada and the conflict in Iran.
"Everybody around the country, even around the world — [in] London they’re doing things.
"The Santa Monica Ferris wheel is lit up with hearts," Maher went on. "The Empire State Building was put up in pink. The Sphere in Las Vegas added a nipple."
Although this gag received some giggles from the studio audience, fans of Parton took to social media to explain they did not find it funny at all.
Author Tara Dublin shared a post on X and said: "Mocking our grief over losing Dolly Parton is just more proof that Trumpsimp @billmaher is a soulless ghoul who wants his own Maher-A-Lago."
The founder of Memelord.com, Jason Levin, also expressed his disgust with Maher as he fumed: "Bill Maher trying to get edgy about Dolly Parton is wild.
"Buddy, you’re not 'telling hard truths', you’re just the guy who looked at a national treasure and said, 'How can I make this about my bitterness?'"
Another furious viewer chimed in saying: "After America's beloved country singing Angel passed, he has to be a complete d**k about it? We LOVED Dolly Parton, THAT is why it was big news.
"She was kind, generous, and didn't attack our most vulnerable communities, unlike YOU, Bill Maher. @HBO, WHY does he still have a show? Who the hell still watches him?"
A fourth then added: "We can always count on Bill Maher to say something utterly stupid and in the worst taste possible!"
Others suggested that the remark made by the funnyman wasn't that serious, as one claimed that Parton would have probably 'laughed at the joke'.
Maher isn't the only one who has ruffled feathers in wake of her passing, as her former co-star Ricky Schroder bizarrely referenced how he 'didn't agree' with some of Parton's views while paying tribute to her.
In an Instagram post, he said: "I didnt [sic] agree with her advocating for Transgender & Covid Vaccine support… but loved her anyway. Thank you for choosing me Dolly to be your Movie Daddy."
He then doubled down on his comment in a follow-up post, despite receiving a ton of backlash and being branded 'insensitive' by Parton's supporters.
Topics: Dolly Parton, Celebrity, Viral
Olivia Burke