The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Dolly Parton Through the Years on The Daily Show

Episode Date: January 19, 2024

Happy Birthday Miss Dolly! Jon Stewart sits with the famous country singer to discuss the making of her country album "Those Were the Days" and what it was like working alongside Queen Latifah for the movie "Joyful Noise." Plus, Trevor Noah sits with Dolly and author, James Peterson, to share their journey co-authoring their book "Run, Rose, Run," and the power of Dolly Parton's legacy across generations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Stewart here, unbelievably exciting news. My new podcast, The Weekly Show, we're going to be talking about the election, economics, ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches. Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. You're listening to Comedy Central. My guest tonight, a legendary country singer currently on tour with her latest album, Those Were The Days. Please welcome Dolly Parton. It's very nice to see you. It's very nice.

How are you? And a good show you have as well. They're very, very nice. It's so nice to meet you and we're delighted to have you here. Well, thank you. We watch your show at home and we have a lot of people that love you a lot. So they couldn't believe I was going to be on the show. Dolly, I couldn't believe I was going to be on the show. Dolly, I couldn't... So here I am. Hey, I thank you.

I also couldn't believe you agreed to be on the show. I was a little nervous. They said, I said, he's not going to get all political with me. They said, nah, I don't think so. Can I tell you something? Honestly, I'm just reading. I don't th th th. I don't th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I that. I that. I that. I tha. I tha. I that. I that. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I that. I tha. I tha. I tha. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I th. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. Thank tha. I tha. I tha. I tha. I thtime. I don't. Well, don't give me I don't know anything about it. I'm about like George Bush. President. I don't know what to say. As far as I know, Eisenhower's president. I haven't. I don't like to follow this sort of thing. But you know what is

interesting about you. You transcend red blue politics, any of that. Everyone No one has anything bad to say about Dolly Parton. Everybody loves Dolly Parton. What is the secret, just kindness, goodness, or talent? Oh, I've just been around so long. I think people just kind of know me. And I'm sure there's a lot of people that know a lot of bad stuff about me, but we don't want to hear from there, but actually I've been in the business for a long, long time. And I like people, I'm not a bit political, but I'm very patriotic.

And that's kind of why I did some of these fun songs to kind of have a voice and all that's going on today, but not trying to make any big statements. But I'm just glad people like me, and it's kind of like an that, I think. I think that how people feel about you is not so sisterly and antish. You don't think, I don't, I don't, uh... I don't know. Maybe some old horny goats or something out there. If that's what you want to refer to them as, I think that's fine. Now Whitcher, this is an album, it's called

Dolly Parton. Those were the days. And you collaborated with a lot of interesting people on this. I did. These actually were favorite songs of mine from the 60s and 70s. And I decided to do them, because I'd always love these songs. And right in the middle of recording, and I thought, I wonder how many of the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original the original, the original, the original, the original, the original, the original, their, their, th. th. th. th. I was, th. I was, th. I was, th. I was, th. I was, th. I was, th. I was, to, to to to to to to to to to th. I was, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, thi. I'm toe. I'm toea. I'm toea. I'm toea. I'm th. I'm te. I'm te. I'm th. I'm toe. I writers would be willing to sing on this. So I started looking around and ask a bunch of them, like Judy Collins. You know, she sang on, we did both sides now and Leanne Mollmack, same with her. And we even got Cat Stevens. Now, how did you get Cat Stevens? I mean, as far as I know, he's, he's ungettable.

Well, actually, he's been out of the business for the most part, certainly out of this country. Joseph Islam, I think he's 20 as he goes by now. Yeah. But I had always loved him and I've recorded songs of his before. I did a song of his called Peace Train. And he had many years back, sent me a fax in an email saying how proud he was of that. And I think he used used he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he he th. th. th. th. thi thi thi thi thi thi th. He thi, he was thi, he was thi, thi, thi, thi, th. I've to, th. I've, th. I've, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He, th. He's, th. He's, th. He's, thi, thi. He's, t. He's, t. He's, toge. He's, too. He's, tog. He's, t. He's, tog. He's, toge. He's, t proud he was of that. And I think he used the choir that I had used on his peace train on some things he did. And then I wrote a song called Hello God that he had heard on an airplane.

He just faxed me saying it was a song that needed writing and it had touched him. And I know he's very involved in charities. Since I love his songs I had recorded a song in this CD called Where Do The Children Play? And I thought, well, it's where it's a chance. So we sent an email and Steve Buckingham, who helped me round up a lot of these artists, we kind of collaborated and he said, sure, I'll come play the guitar. So he did. And we sent it over there.

He didn't come here to do it, but, you know, what? The idea of you and Yusef Islam like blackbering each other. Like this whole story is like, I'm me and then he was on a jet, so I get a blackberry and then I... It's got so, I just... I know, but that's the way it is with riders. And that's the way it went down. And so you got to, uh, a sweet man, oh, he's a precious man. he. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He. He, he's, he's, he's, he, he's, he, he's, he's, he, he, he, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's, he's like, I. So, he, he's like, he, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, and he, then, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I. And, I. And, I. And, I. And, I. Then, I. Then, I. Then, I. Then, I. Then, I. Then, I. Then, I. Then, then, then, then, he. Then, then, he, he, he, then, he, then. Then, he, he, he, he, he's, he's, he's, he's, I, he's, he's, I then, he was. And, he was, he was, he was, then, he was, he was, he was, he was, he was, he was, he was, he was, then, he's, then, I. pressure lately, but I think he's out to try to save the world, not destroy it. Anybody try to say, Delia, huh? Yeah, Bob Dylan.

Yeah, I did. I would be fair to him. He wrote the song, and that's all he needed to do. But I didn't actually speak to him personally. I'd send a message to him because I wanted him to sing to sing to sing to sing to sing to sing to sing to sing a to sing, to sing, to sing, to sing, to sing, to sing, to sing, to sing, to sing, to sing, to, to sing, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to him, to, to him, to him, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, the the the the the the they.. to, to, they. to, to, to, too, too, toy.y. too, toy. Yeah, too, too, to byea, to, to, to, to on the answer is blowing in the wind, you know, at least that much. But I got the message back that he didn't want to do it. So I got Nickel Creek, this wonderful new group to sing on it. So in a way, it worked out better because had I got Bob Dylan, I wouldn't have had them and they did such a beautiful job. If I may say this, you are the, your life force could have infused him with, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so I, so I, so I, so I, I, so, so I got, so I got, so I got, so I got, so I got, so I got, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, so I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, I got, th... th. th. thi, I got, I got, I got, th. th. So, th. So, I got, th. So, I th it would have been good at him to just touch you and it would have been like one of those things where he would touch you and all the All the like blood was said go

Guzzo Zuh. Well actually in like I say in all fairness I didn't speak to him personally so I don't know if he actually even got the message from me Oh, you got the message. That's what I thought so So. Please welcome back to the program, Dolly Barton! We're today, Barton! You can talk to me. Let me say this. I don't say this to everybody. I've missed you. Well, thank you. You're on the show a while ago and then you, I haven't seen you in a little while, I'm missing your,

your, your personality, it's just very, I guess the word. I'm very, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let me, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, let, on the show a while ago, and then you, I haven't seen you in a little while. I'm missing your, your personality, it's just very, I guess the word would be vivacious, is that what they would say? I don't know, but thank you. Everybody. Everybody. the, I was excited about thso. thso. th. th. th. the. the. the. the. the. the. to. to. to. to. to. the. to. to. the. the. to. the. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I the the the the the t t. I. I t. I. I t. I t. I t. t. t. t. t. the. I the. the the the the the the the the the the send the letters. It's not what you would call, let's say, harassment.

Tell me about this joyful noise. What is, is this a movie about gospel? Is this? Well, it's all got all this great gospel music in it. And it's a story about a small town in Georgia that's fallen on hard times and the economy's bad. So pure fiction. Exactly. So it's about this church that's always competed in competitions, but they can't afford to do it.

So anyway, Christopherson, who plays my husband, he dies early on, he's the choir director. So I think that I should be able to take over the choir. And of course, Latifia. Yeah, of course the rub starts there so we we kind of fight all the way through. But it's about and there's a lot of fun in it, a lot of laughs. Now you are in stature obviously a legend in the business but physically a smaller individual. Latifa is if I may also a legend in the industry but a larger was there ever was their physical fighting where she gets me in a choke hold hold.................. A.. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. A. th. A. th. th. th. th. the. th. th. th. th. the th. the the the th. Latif. Latif. Lathe. Latif. Latif. Latifah. Latifah. Latifah. Latifah. Latifah. Latifah. Latifah. Latifah. Latif. Latif. Latif. Latif. Latif. Latif. Latif. Latif. Latif. Latia. Lat. Lat. Lat. Lat. Lat. Lat. Lat. Lat. Lat. Let. Let, th. Let, th. Let, th. Let, the the the the the the the the th. Let, the the the th. Let, the th. thi. the the thi. t. t. t. the t. t. t. the t. t. the the the tie. the the the the tiea. the thi. there., was there physical fighting? Yes. She gets me in a choke-holt. And I'm this tiny little thing down here.

I'll call us Biggie Small. From that world, she's wronged there. But anyway, we do at the end, when they sum up this whole thing, she really has me in a choke-holds, and she's got me and she could have hurt me bad if she wanted to. But she didn't, but she's great. She is big. She's what, what, five, nine, five, ten? And I'm just, like, five, five, that is bad. I'd like to say to you, yeah, that's not much, but I look at that and think, oh, God, if only. But she's great.

I love her. Her, it's great, their, tie, t, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, th, th, th, th, th of the main songs in it and I had a chance to, you know, to sing all the great stuff that I hadn't had a chance to do. They brought music. You started gospel, is that something that you had done? Yes, well gospel, well I was brought up in the church, Pentecost, the holy roller, where we just, same, same, sauncts. Same.

Same. and up praising the Lord and all that. We Jews are like that except with complaining. What? What? We all get together and do that like, Oh, my back! It's unbelievable. Well, what's funny about this whole thing, it's very Christian. It's all about Jesus and all these wonderful gospel choirs. But it was written by a Jew.

Todd Graf who wrote that direct it. It's what we do. Yeah, I know. But he did a great job. He did a wonderful, he really got, you know. Were you able to harken back to your days in gospel? Was that just, you know, where you got the love of the music and where it all came together for you? Yes, my grandpa was a preacher and a great singer, great musician. My mother's people were all very musical, mostly in the church, thirty, mostly, mostly, mostly, mostly, ch, mostly, ch, than, than, thu, thu, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, the thi, their, their, thi, thi, their their their their their their their their their their their, their, their, was their, was their, was their, was their, was tho, was tho, was tho, was thi, in thi, in thi, in thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, their their thi, their thi, were their thi, their thooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, were their, were out of it. But I still, to this day, because that's where I learned to sing in church. We always went to church. And I still have a feeling singing gospel music that I don't get anything else. I love the sense.

And this may be an absolute sort of stereotypical picture that I have my head of it. Of these communities and these families gathered together and everybody's got the music and they're all sitting around on a Saturday night and just going around. I used to look at that and maybe romanticize it, that feeling of, I don't know, just that that talent but also with family and doing it together. Is that made up in my head or that's a real? That's exactly what we used to do, especially my family and my brothers and sisters, we all used to sing at all the funerals, tunerals, tunerals, thuner, th and sing, th and sing, thuner, th and sing, th an fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun fun an fun and and andian, th andian, th andian, and sing, and sing, I's, I'm, and thian, and thian, and thian, and thian, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's, I's, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, and th and th and th and th and th and th and th...... And, th. And, th. And, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thin, thin, thin, tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. tho. than, tho. thanks at all the funerals, all the weddings, all the square dances, anywhere there was music in the community and certainly around our house and on Sundays, you know, we'd get up in church too and do all that special singing and we'd play our guitars and all the instruments and it was great. So exactly what you have in your mind is how I did grow up with a family of 12 children, just country people, and the church and the music was what kept us going.

Yeah, after school, what I would do is come home and there's a key that was put under a carpet. And then I'd go in and heat myself up some spaghetti o's. So it's very. Well, we would have prayed for you. We will keep you in our prayers. You're a lovely woman. It's so great to see again. Come back and see us. Thank you.

You're going to do a big musical. You're going to come back and that's here. I am. Anytime I get a chance to help you, all come back and go see the movie. It's great. It's called Joyful Noise. And it's fun. John Stewart here, unbelievably exciting news. My new podcast, The Weekly Show. We're going to be talking about the election, economics, ingredient to bread ratio on sandwiches.

Listen to the weekly show with John Stewart, wherever you get your podcast. My guests tonight are legendary singer songwriter Dolly Parton and best-selling author James Patterson. They're here to discuss the novel that they've co-written about the country music industry and the album Dolly wrote to go with it. James Patterson, Dolly Parton. Welcome to the Daily Show. Well, hello, Trevor. How are you? I'm, I could not be in a better place because you realize I am talking How are you? I'm, I could not be in a better place because you realize I am talking to two of the most successful people in the fields that they do anything in. I mean, James Patterson, you've written books that have gone around the world. I mean, hundreds of millions of people have consumed them.

Dolly Parton, we're familiar with your music. I grew up listening to my mom, like, they're driving around in our like fox, Beatles singing to your songs with Kenny Rogers and I would like sing your part my mom would do Kenny Rogers it's it's it's a it's a really different side to their part now Trevor I can't sing Dolly Parton to Dolly Parton James don't put me on the spot run run it's not dark but it's thrilling I mean it's a it's a really different sides of the music industry than I I I I I I I I I I I I th I th I th I th I th th th th th th th th th th th th th thin thin thin j j j j. thin j. it's a. it's a. it's a. it's a. it's a really. it's a really. it's a really. it's a really. it's a really. it's a really. it's a really. it's a really. it's a really. it's. I I I I I I I I I I I. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. I. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really. It's a really think what a lot of people would have expected. You know, James, I maybe would have expected something like this from you, but Dolly Parton, what made you think, you know what, I'm going to, I'm going to show you guys maybe another world in music that you might not be familiar with. And yes, it's fiction, but, thii's fiixt, but at the same time, it touches on touches on some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some some touches on, I I thea, I thea, I the-a, I the-a, I tho-a, I thi, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I'm, I'm, I'm, I maybe, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I'm thi, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I maybe, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I'm, I've never written a novel before. I've written books, written children's books, and so I know what it's like to kind of

write, but I had often thought I'd like to write a novel when I was older. And so when James presented me with this, I thought, yes, why would James Patterson even be searching me out? And I thought why? He don't need me, look at all he's done. But it made complete sense when he told me what the book was going to be about. And I knew I really could. Because you know, I mean, Dolly came out of the hills of Tennessee and I came out of sort of a similar situation in upstate New York.

And the character in the book also, I mean, we were both kind of million to one shots. He's very talented, any league keys. any Lee Keys, but that doesn't mean you're going to make it. But also her story, everybody has a story when they come to town. Everybody's got to pass their childhood and how they grew up. And everybody's story is different. Everybody's life is a soap opera. And so it's really about her story.

She was running to something. She loved the music, but she was running from something. So I knew that I could write great songs like all the bad people in town, like Snakes in the Grass about the bad managers and things, the guys that we, because I've experienced a lot of that myself. You know, when we met, so I go back home and two days later, I had some notes on it for Dolly to reactive, she sent me notes on the the the the to, to, the to, to, the to, to, the the to, the to, their, the their, their, their, their, to, to, th. to, to, to, to, to, to, to, the the their, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, tho, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, threat, to, to, to, tooomomorrow, tooomorrow, tooomorrow, tooomorrow, tooomorrow, too, too, tha, tha, their, tha, the Dolly to Reactive. She sent me notes on the outline, and she sent me the lyrics for seven songs. Well, I got right on. I said to him, I said, now look, if I'm not the kind of person, but if we're gonna work together,

I'm not gonna just put my name on a book. You know, if you put my name, if I don't really work. And I'd to put my my put my my my my the name my the name my to put my the name my to put my to put my to put my to put my to put my name to put my name to work to work to work to work to work to work to work to work to work to work to to work to to work to to their to work to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to work.... to me to me their. their. their. their. their... to me. to me.. to me. to me. to me. to me. to me. to. to. to. to. to. to me. to me. the toooooooooooooom. the the toooooooooom. tooooom. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to contribute the most to it? And then one day I thought, well, I write songs and I know these stories. And I would love to write a book, I mean an album about these situations and the characters in the movie. So it just seemed to fall so natural and it just really helped us both, I think. So it was just such a magical thing. It worked very quickly. It was kind of like a TV show where every week we would have another

episode or another two or three chapters to mess around with. And I really enjoyed it because it just seemed to work so well together. I'll tell you with the best thing all, we really become really good friends. Yeah, we did. You know, from my birthday, she's saying happy to me over the telephone. I mean, that's that's what that's that's that's that's that's that's the that's the the book. the book. the book. the book. the book. the book. the book. th. the book. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thirty. thirty. thi. th. to me to me to me to me. to to to to to to to to to or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. or. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the the th. th. th. th. th. th. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. At will? That's everything. That's everything. The book is already a success in your world just because of that. Actually, James, from your side, you worked with President Bill Clinton writing a book together. Now, you're a successful author on your own.

I mean, this is what you do. You're one of the most beloved authors around the world. But now, when you're writing with somebody who has their their their their their the world. But now when you're writing with somebody who has their own point of view, who has their own fan base, who has their own style, I'd love to know how you find a way to meld those two worlds. You know, and the second part of that question is, what were the biggest differences between writing with Dolly Parton and Bill Clinton? Well, the sax? He did play the sax.

Unless he plays the sax. You know, they were both great to work with, and they're both friends. I mean, it's really, that's the most precious thing to me about both of the relationships. But the authenticity that built, the president brought and then the authenticity that we worked on in terms of run run and no egos. There was never any bumps in the road, ever, not one, no bumps. But I think people are... Except that she says I can't sing, I didn't like that.

Well, you can't sing and let's just move on from there. I know that perfect, but he can write. But I really think people are enjoying this book or going to enjoy it because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because because, because, their their their their their th. I their their th. I th. I th. I their th. I thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their their, their, and their their, and their their, and their their their their their their their their thi, and thi, thi, and thi, thi. And thi and thean, thean. And thean. And thean. And thean. It's thean. It's thean. It's thi, thi. And th people are enjoying this book or are going to enjoy it because I think like you said earlier, they love to see the inside and the stories of these people. You know, some of the stories behind the scenes and what natural is kind of like, kind of gives them an insight into the business in them, it not just the entertaining, not just the entertainment side. You know, James, last we spoke, we talked about your family foundation and how you have scholarships and how you get books out to kids and to just people who want to read and it's really important to you.

Dolly, I didn't know why you got into it. Dolly, I didn't know why you got it. to tho'eaned it. I've always known you as a philanthropist. I've always known you as somebody, to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the the to the the to the to the to the the the, you, you, you, too, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, too, too, too, to, to me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the to, the tto, the to, to, too, too, too, too, and too, to read? And so you said, you know what, not only is this important to me, but I think it should be important to everybody to be literate. I absolutely started the imagination library because of my father, who I loved to death. And he seemed to always be embarrassed and kind of almost crippled, you know, that he couldn't read after he was grown. But my daddy was so smart and so good and

I just, I just, one day I just thought, you know, I'm going to start something where children can learn to read when they're in their young days. That's when they're most impressionable. And I wanted to get my daddy involved with me in it. So my daddy, I took him, with all the little things and he just loved to hear the kids call me the book lady and I'd say, this was my dad and of course I didn't say anything about that, but he couldn't read and write at the time. But anyhow, I was, he got to live long enough to see the imagination library doing so good and he was so proud. that I have ever, I'm proud of that I mean, as anything I have ever done in my whole career. That is so good. That is so good. That is so beautiful.

I mean, I'm sure he's proud of you. I'm sure you know, and I'm glad that he got to see it, as you say, in his lifetime. People have been eternally grateful to get me books which changed my life forever. I was actually surprised to see that, you know, I think it was a Kentucky state state legislator who said they don't want some of the books that you were offering because they didn't think it was appropriate for young kids. What do you think some people miss in and around, you know what kids can or cannot read or how we process what we're reading. Well, I would never in a million years begin to think that I would choose those books. I don't shoot, we have a whole committee

of people that choose the books that are made up of parents and all different people. So I would never be so bold as to think, I knew what other people's kids should read. But it goes through a whole committee, and so we do the best we can and I'll let people, you know, fight that out. So I just want to be there for the, I mean, they're from birth to five. I mean, how hard can it be? They're not going to be reading going with the wind. You know, so anyway, we'll let people figure that one out.

But we do have other people that choose, they choose the books, not me. James, are you going th, the their their their their th. th. th. th. tho th. thi tho. their thi thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. their thi. thi. their tho. tho. tho. to be to be their to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be from to be from to be from from to be from to be from. to be from. to be from. to be from. to be from. to be to be. to be. to be. to be. to be. to be. to be. to be. to be. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. th. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. their. to. to. to. to. hand at songwriting? Is this bug going to rubble for you on your side now? You know, no. The answer is no. But when I was down here at Vanderbilt, you can't help yourself. So I did when I was down here, I did try to write some songs. It wasn't a good idea. What do you think is actually harder? Honestly, do you think it's harder to write a song for you specifically? Well, for me, no, for me, I can't, no, because I can't write country songs or any other kinds of songs. But I bet you could. I mean, you're a writer. Yeah, maybe.

I don't think so. The novel thing, I've kind of, I kind of have a groove on it now. Yeah, I believe so. I know what I can do and what I can't do. Let's put it that way. Dolly, on your side, you've said, and, you know, it's crazy that you have wishes that haven't been fulfilled in life yet, but I know one of your wishes is you've said that you wish that Beyonce would cover Jolene. There are over 400 renditions of Jolene, multiple different languages, people have done it. And you thi thii, that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's crazy, that's crazy, that's crazy, that's crazy, you have that's that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that you have that's, you have that's, you have that's, you have that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's crazy, I, I have that's crazy, I have that. that. that. that. that's crazy, I have that's crazy, I've that's crazy, that's crazy, that's that's that's that's that's that do that. Are there any updates? Is there, like do you know of this happening, you know, and why Beyonce? Maybe that's even more important.

I don't know if she's even got the message, but wouldn't that be killer? I think she's fantastic and beautiful and I love her music. I would just love to hear J that can take my little songs and make them like powerhouses. So that would be a marvelous day in my life if she ever does do JoLene. Jolly one last thing. You famously donated a million dollars for the research that went into helping us get the the vaccine for COVID-19. How is it that you've always been on the right side of history? You know, you've said amazing things during the civil rights movement,

you know, when many people were far behind. You've said amazing things like, you know, about equality, about women's rights. You've said amazing things now in and around the vaccines. Like, what is the God light and everybody always keep my ear and eye trained on what's going on and I saw right away that that pandemic was going to be awful. I just sensed it. And I thought, well, what can I do to maybe help a little bit? So I donated the money to the research. And I'm happy I did. I got a lot more credit than I deserve. to. to. to. to. to. to. to. the th. the th. the the th. the the the th. the the th. th, the the the th, to. the the the to. to. to to. to to the to their. their. their. their. their. their. their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, their. Well, the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the their. their. tr. tr. tr. true. true. I. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I try. I t the money to the research and I'm happy I did. I got a lot more credit than I deserve, but I am very proud of whatever effect that I had on that going on because it's still going on. But I just kind of be aware and want to help when I can. I think when you get in a position to help you should. And you know, the other thing is is, um, you know, Dolly does what Dolly does, but having been around here now for a year

and a half, she is the smartest person I've ever dealt with. Oh, please. So that's a piece of it. Well, thank you both for the compliments. Well, thank you both. James Patterson, Daly Parton. Thank you for your partnership and thanks. And thaugh, thi. And we just love you. You have a lot of fans too. You've just got that God glow and I love

it. So keep up what you're doing. Thank you very much. There are a few moments in life that I think my mom would actually like consider as me making it. Interviewing Dolly Parton is one of them. Like of all the things in life. That is it. I'm gonna go back to her and be like, huh? This now? And she'd be like, oh, you did one thing. Well done. James, really wonderful seeing you again. Congratulations, guys. It's a fantastic book. Well done. Thank you so much, darling.

Thank you so much, darling. Great meeting you. Say hi to your mom for me. I will do. I will do, definitely. I'm gonna clip this and send it to her. All right. Explore more shows from the Daily Show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show, wherever you get your podcast. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Fairmount Plus.

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