Dolly Parton’s America: #9 – Dixie Disappearance

18 December 2019

This episode delves into the controversy surrounding Dolly Parton’s Stampede (formerly known as “Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede”)—a dinner theater that presents the Civil War as a friendly competition between neighbors. In the wake of the Charlottesville Riots in 2017, the Dixie Stampede was called out by the press, and then became embroiled in the larger national conversation about Civil War monuments and the white-washing of history. Dolly’s business conglomerate decided to eliminate “Dixie” from the name, which caused further uproar.

Dolly embodies “a quivering mass of irreconcilable contradictions” in a way very few other American figures do… but has America arrived at a place where such contradictions are no longer defensible or tolerable?

About the series

In this intensely divided moment, one of the few things everyone still seems to agree on is Dolly Parton – but why? That simple question leads to a deeply personal, historical and musical rethinking of one of America’s great icons. Join us for a nine episode journey into the Dollyverse. Hosted by Jad Adumrad. Produced and reported by Shima Oliaee. Dolly Patton’s America is a production from OSM Audio and WNYC Studios.