Dolly Parton’s sister Stella rips politicians, televangelists over vaccine rollout

Stella Parton, whose sister Dolly helped fund COVID-19 vaccine research, lashed out at politicians and televangelists on Friday as she decried the rollout of inoculations.

“If a little Hillbilly singer like my big sister Dolly can invest in the vaccine then why the hell can’t some of you old moldy politicians pitch in a few million yourselves?” Stella Parton, 71, tweeted. “I noticed you started getting vaccinated right away while people are starving and dying.”

U.S. leaders started to receive vaccinations this week, in part to convey trust in the vaccine amid skepticism among large sections of the public.

Dolly Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center as it worked to develop Moderna’s vaccine, which was approved for emergency use by the Federal Drug Administration on Friday.

Stella Parton tweeted that she had not heard of a single televangelist “donating one damn cent to the research fund but they sure can fleece the flock and try to cast out demons when they are possessed themselves!”

Dolly kept it much more civil on Twitter on Saturday, talking about the 40th anniversary of her hit movie “9 to 5,” with Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

“How has it been 40 years already?” she asked. #9to5 will always be one of my proudest moments and an absolute joy to be a part of. What’s your favorite line from the movie?”