America's favorite buxom, rhinestone-clad Southern songstress, Dolly Parton, has a "cult following" like no other celebrity. Thanks to her unmistakable image, her "Dollyisms," her theme park, her illustrious music, and her ability to transcend politics, "Saint Dolly" has become so much more than your average country star. But are there any risks to worshipin ... Show More
Oct 13
The Cult of Influencer Snark
When does hate following become its own kind of devotion? This week, Amanda and Iman descend into the anonymous world of influencer snark, where strangers gather to dissect creators’ relationships, bodies, businesses, politics, and every perceived inconsistency in real time. They ... Show More
1h 7m
Oct 6
The Cult of Dancing With The Stars
This week, Reese and Iman cha cha slide straight into the surprisingly culty world of Dancing With the Stars, where celebrities come for career rehab, pros become stars in their own right, and millions of viewers suddenly believe they are qualified to critique a Paso Doble from t ... Show More
42m 52s
Jun 2025
The Quiet Influence and Power of Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton might be the last thing Americans agree on. In this episode, we talk to Will Bonfiglio, the WashU lecturer behind a wildly popular college course on Dolly, about how the country icon became a cultural unifier across politics, class, gender, and generations. From Do ... Show More
46m 54s
Oct 2019
Dolly Parton's America Trailer
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 9-part journey into the Dollyverse. ... Show More
1m 4s
Nov 2023
Culture chat: the unknowable Dolly Parton
This Friday, we’re talking about the deification of Dolly Parton, or, as we like to call her, Saint Dolly. Her new release Rockstar comes out today – a 30-track rock album that features duets with artists such as Paul McCartney, Sting, Elton John and Stevie Nicks on cover version ... Show More
22m 23s
Nov 2020
DOLLY PARTON: A Holly Dolly Christmas
Please excuse my excited squealing! Dolly's been beloved by my grandparents, parents, myself and siblings, as well as my children and grandchildren. She's defied circumstances, stereotypes, gender bias... and age! She is so well known, and so well loved, this guest really needs n ... Show More
23m 33s
Oct 2019
Radiolab Presents: Dolly Parton's America
<p>Radiolab creator and host Jad Abumrad spent the last two years following around music legend Dolly Parton, and we're here to say you should tune in! In this episode of Radiolab, we showcase the first of Jad's special series, <a href="https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/dolly- ... Show More
1 h