True Or False: Dolly Parton Lost A Look-Alike Contest…As Herself

Dolly Parton has a very recognizable face and features. Even her hair helps her stand out with a defined look of her own. Naturally, she could pull off the Dolly Parton look best and win any look-alike contest, right?

Well, maybe not. People love stories with a twist, and one popular myth claims Dolly Parton lost a look-alike contest searching for someone who most resembled the legendary country singer. Did this happen, or is this humanity’s fondness for absurdity?

Did Dolly parton lose the Dolly Parton look-alike contest?

According to the country music icon herself, she did indeed lose a look-alike contest. Years ago, Los Angeles hosted a drag queen celebrity impersonation contest. At the time, she kept her participation a strict secret. She explained to ABC, “They had a bunch of Chers and Dollys that year, so I just over-exaggerated — made my beauty mark bigger, the eyes bigger, the hair bigger, everything.”

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The story gets more incredible. Parton went on, “All these beautiful drag queens had worked for weeks and months getting their clothes. So I just got in the line and I just walked across… but I got the least applause.”

Accidentally forging memories

“Me and a bunch of friends decided to go down {to a local gay bar] because we were all dressed up, and me being Dolly,” Parton explained, revisiting how this shocking turn of events happened. “They had these big drag queens—I mean they looked great too, they were prettier than I could ever dream of being—but anyway when they walked across the stage, if they applauded, you won the contest by the amount of applause.”

“All these beautiful guys were walking across, these Dolly Parton’s, and here I come walking across the stage and I got the least applause of anybody. I’ve always said it’s terrible when you lose a Dolly Parton look-alike contest,” she concluded. Turns out, a well-dressed guy nailed the Dolly Parton look better than Parton herself and won the look-alike contest over her.