Conspiracy theorists and right-wing pundits are spreading baseless claims that the Covid-19 vaccine caused Dolly Parton’s death, despite no evidence supporting the theory. Parton, 80, died after a short battle with cancer, according to her family’s statement. In 2020, she donated $1 million to Moderna’s vaccine research and publicly received the shot in 2021, singing a modified version of *Jolene* to encourage vaccination.
Influential figures like far-right radio host Wayne Allyn Root and the Brownstone Institute’s Toby Rogers have amplified these claims on social media, alleging a connection between Parton’s vaccine advocacy and her death. The Brownstone Institute, founded by Jeffrey Tucker with ties to the Trump administration, has a history of opposing Covid restrictions and undermining vaccine trust.
The conspiracy theories extend beyond vaccines, with some users falsely interpreting a video of Parton jokingly asking Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce for their ‘firstborn’ as a ‘devil horns’ gesture. YouTube and Facebook users have also propagated these unfounded claims, framing her death as part of a broader, baseless narrative linking vaccines, Satanism, and celebrity deaths.
Parton’s philanthropy and public health advocacy made her a frequent target for anti-vaccine conspiracists, who despised her for both encouraging vaccination and supporting LGBTQ+ rights.
