Posted on 08/27/2026 11:35:04 AM PDT by DFG
CNN was forced to apologize to Dolly Parton’s family for mistakenly using a photo of a Las Vegas impersonator of the country music legend while reporting on her death.
The cable news network aired an image of tribute artist Kelly Vohnn as it covered Parton’s Tuesday death from cancer — leaving the 58-year-old Vohnn stunned as friends began bombarding her with messages.
The errant image were broadcast during “Laura Coates Live” some 12 hours after Parton’s death was announced by her family.
“We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family,” CNN told The Post in a brief Thursday statement.
Vohnn said the photo was taken in December when she appeared on the red carpet at a Las Vegas screening of “Song Sung Blue,” starring Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman.
“I started getting all these texts in from friends saying that I was on CNN, and I couldn’t believe it,” Vohnn told The Post on Thursday.
“I was already heartbroken at losing Dolly because of how much she has given to me as a woman and an artist,” she continued.
“But then to see these images of me on screen was just weird.”
Vohnn, a longtime singer and tribute performer who has portrayed Parton throughout her career, blasted the network for the embarrassing mix-up.
“Somebody at CNN really messed up and didn’t do their research,” she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I know Kelly. I haven’t seen her do Dolly, but I’m guessing there’s a little padding from the last time we chatted. Maybe this will get more people in Vegas to attend her shows. She’s a lovely person and great performer.
The significant other of a nurse I worked with decades ago was part of the surgical team that added a few liters of enhancement to Dolly. As I recall, she later had to have some reduction surgery. While people criticized, she probably was laughing all the way to the bank...between tears from back pain.
It isn't a real apology, because A) they did it on purpose and B) they're not sorry.
CNN is the most incompetent news organization on the planet!
“It was not a blunder. They did it full well knowing it was going up on the screen. The hate mail and official apology were also planned and expected.”
Very likely.
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