It’s a secret so hot it could have melted the Buffalo snow, and it was sealed with a kiss on New Year’s Eve.

Fans swooned over pictures of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s midnight kiss in Kansas City

– but little did they know the couple was not only ushering in a new year but vowing to spend the rest of their lives together.

The anonymous creator of the Deux Moi podcast broke the news of what she called a secret ‘engagement.’

last week, claiming that a trusted source told her: ‘Taylor and Travis got engaged 12/31. They did it just the two of them alone before that party they were photographed at.’.

But the loved up couple are not ready to make it official yet.

Swift, 34, and Kelce, also 34, have so much on their plates in the coming months it is simply, ‘too soon to go public’ and make it official.

The hosts went on to discuss how it was ‘too soon’ for them to make any public and official commitment with the playoffs then still to come and Swift’s continued tour.

Deux Moi said: ‘They don’t want to overshadow that. It’s too soon.’

But, however level-headed this decision, Kelce had no problems making his feelings for Swift very public during Sunday’s victorious game against the Buffalo Bills.

With temperatures plummeting on the field, he warmed the hearts of millions with a sweet display just for Swift.

At one point he blew a kiss up to the VIP box where she and his family cheered him on.

At another – after one of the two touchdowns scored in what was the game of his life – he turned to where Swift whooped with joy, formed a love-heart with his hands and sent it straight to her.

It was a public declaration, clear as day that while his head was in the game, his heart was with Swift all the way.

For her part, with an ever-expanding wardrobe of hats, shirts and jackets bearing her boyfriend’s name and number 87, Swift has taken to quite literally wearing her heart on her sleeve.

Sunday was no different as she donned her red hat and cream jacket to cheer the Chiefs on alongside supermodel and actress pal Cara Delevingne, new bestie Brittany Mahomes, 28, and her putative sister-in-law Kylie Kelce, 31, whom she was meeting for the first time along with Kelce’s brother Jason.

Never backwards in coming forwards Jason, 36, stripped off to his waist, pounded Budweisers and roared into the night and the crowd as his little brother and team romped to a 27-24 win in a fiercely fought battle to remain in the running for the Super Bowl.

But while Travis has met Swift’s father and she in turn has now met and spent time with all the Kelce clan – mother Donna, father Ed and brother and sister-in-law Jason and Kylie – both Swift and Kelce know that now is not the time to be making any announcements.

In recent weeks there has been a flurry of flip-flopping headlines – they’re engaged, they’re not engaged, he’s shopping for a ring, they may not go the distance.

On January 11, Page Six reported that the couple plans to get engaged this summer.

On January 12 The Daily Mirror reported that there were ‘no plans’ for an engagement.

And on January 15, TMZ reported insiders questioning whether the relationship would even ‘go the distance.’

Day after day the rumor mill churns. And throughout it all Kelce and Swift have remained serenely and graciously silent.

Because the truth is they know exactly where they’re at in their relationship and the promise that they have made to one another.

But for now, Kelce’s focus must remain on the game, with the Chiefs facing the Baltimore Ravens next week and just one victory away from a spot in the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

And for Swift, the consummate professional, it’s time to gear up for the next leg of her blockbuster Eras tour in Japan next month.

With four tour dates leading up to the eve of the Super Bowl on February 11, it seems unlikely Swift will be in the crowd to cheer Kelce in Vegas should the team make it through.

After that she has dates in Australia and Singapore before a couple of months break to decompress before embarking on the monster tour’s European leg which starts in France in May. It is rumored that Kelce – whose hope by then will be to have secured a third Super Bowl ring – plans to join her in Europe.

But however mindful the loved-up couple must be of each other’s careers, their commitment to each other is not in doubt, a fact on which they doubled down as 2023 gave way to 2024.

Shimmering in a silver sparkly dress, celestial-inspired hairpins completing the look, Swift toasted the New Year alongside Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, 28, and wife Brittany with whom she has become fast friends.

Little did others know that they were watching a couple seal a secret promise they had made to each other earlier that evening.

Because hours earlier Kelce, fresh from the Kansas Chief’s 25-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, and Swift, a now almost constant presence in Arrowhead’s VIP box come gameday, quietly agreed that theirs is a relationship that is heading to the altar.

But, for now, the couple has agreed to keep the news on the down low giving them space to fulfill their promises to their fans and their followers, secure in the knowledge that their promise to each other will keep.

When Shaquille O’Neal had Jason Kelce on an episode of The Big Podcast with Shaq in February, the former NBA star warned Kelce, 36, not to make the same “dumbass mistakes” he made with family amid his retirement.

O’Neal, 52, told the now-retired Eagles center, “Enjoy your family, brother. I made a lot of dumbass mistakes to where I lost my family and I didn’t have anybody,”

on the podcast, calling himself “an idiot” who lives in “a 100,000-square-foot house by myself.”

In a new interview with PEOPLE, O’Neal reflects on his conversation with Kelce.

“What I was telling him was some good information,” says O’Neal. “And with this world we live in, you release information. Some people will like it, some people won’t like it.”

O’Neal, who retired in 2011 after 19 years in the NBA, says he’s “not the guy that’s looking for feedback, whether it’s negative or positive,” as the podcast interview with Kelce garnered social media discourse around O’Neal’s life these days.

“The only time I respond to feedback is if it’s super, super negative or if I’ve done something crazy, and in that sense, I had done something crazy. So I wanted to explain to him that, don’t do this. This is what you should never do,” O’Neal explains.

Shaquille O’Neal poses with his children. CASSY ATHENA/GETTY
Proud Shaquille O’Neal Presents Daughter Me’Arah with No. 24 Jersey for McDonald’s All-American Game

The four-time NBA champion has six children and shares four of them with ex-wife Shaunie Henderson: sons Shareef and Shaqir and daughters Amirah and Me’arah. He also shares daughter Taahirah with former girlfriend Arnetta Yardbourgh and stepson Myles, from Shaunie’s previous relationship.

O’Neal has been honest in recent years about his infidelity during his marriage to Henderson. Over the course of their relationship, which began in the late 1990s and ultimately ended in 2009 when Henderson filed for separation, the couple struggled with his cheating. In Shaq Uncut: My Story, his 2011 book, the basketball great admitted to not being the “best partner” to her.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Kelce officially announced his retirement on March 4, roughly two weeks after his conversation with the former Lakers star.

O’Neal tells PEOPLE he hasn’t seen the full 40-minute speech Kelce tearfully delivered in front of his brother, Travis Kelce, his wife Kylie, and parents, Donna and Ed, but he’s seen parts of the announcement.

“I didn’t see it, but I saw clips of it,” O’Neal says. “He is just a nice guy, him and his brother. I can tell by conversing with him that we had similar lifestyles going on.”

Jason Kelce #62 of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce #87 of the Kansas City Chiefs wave onstage during Super Bowl LVII Opening Night.
Shaquille O’Neal Says He’s ‘Just Happy’ These Days: ‘Happy to Be Working, Happy to Have Friends’ (Exclusive)

“I actually do have a little brother who I used to beat up on, but he’s not in the pros,” O’Neal says, referring to his half-brother Jamal Harrison, who played college basketball at LSU, where O’Neal won the NCAA Player of the Year award in 1991. “But when he was talking about the interactions with his brother and all the stuff they went through, and we have mutual friends, so I already knew he was a great guy,” O’Neal says of Kelce.

Expanding on his perspective regarding public opinion, O’Neal tells PEOPLE he’s learned to take feedback with a grain of salt. “I don’t take myself seriously. So if I hear something crazy, I go strictly into laugh mode,” he says.

“I mean, there’s not really much you can do, so I’ve just got to laugh it off. I’m not one of those guys who has to portray myself as a regular guy. I make mistakes. But I live by certain principles. Be nice to people, respect people and be who you are. That’s me.”

Jason’s doing his best adjusting to post-NFL life.

Just over a week after Jason Kelce announced he was retiring from pro football in an emotional press conference,

his younger brother Travis joked around with him after hearing Jason’s surprising post-NFL workout regimen.

On the March 13 episode of the Kelce brothers’ podcast, New Heights, the two were finishing up when Travis asked Jason, “Got anything fun planned today?”

While there’s no way to know what Travis was expecting to hear, when Jason revealed that he was “going to try and go swimming,” the 34-year-old incredulously said, “Swimming?”

“It’s a good cardio workout for people with bad ankles and knees,” Jason explained, causing his brother to joke about his retirement, saying, “You’re one year retired and you immediately go to the YMCA’s senior citizen workout?”

But Jason was confident in his choices, replying, “Trying to hang onto these joints, baby!” with Travis laughing in response. The elder Kelce brother then revealed that he’s also going ice skating soon, leading the duo to come up with the unique idea to do a podcast episode from an ice rink.

 

While Jason is trying out ice skating and swimming in retirement, fans eagerly wait to see what else the 36-year-old decides to do now that he’s no longer playing football. He has plenty of options, and the History Channel already extended a fun offer to try out being a blade smith, and Jason seemed interested.

The brothers also considered Jason possibly exploring music again during an episode of their podcast, as the father of three was very active in the school band growing up and even called out his band director in his retirement speech.

But for the time being, Jason still has the successful podcast to do with his brother, and he now has some extra free time to spend at home with his wife Kylie and three daughters, Wyatt, Elliotte and Bennett.

My Daughter will be the one crying the most after losing Winnie. They were close friends, always playing together. Winnie had a special love for kids, and I don’t think I can find another dog quite like him

My child will be the one crying the most after losing Winnie. They were close friends, always playing together.

Winnie had a special love for kids, and I don’t think I can find another dog quite like him.

Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce gushed about his two massive dogs when asked for advice on whether to get one by a fan on social media.

Jason and Kylie Kelce’s family of five expands beyond their three beautiful daughters with the couple, who tied the knot in 2018, are also proud owners to two Irish Wolfhounds, Winnie and Baloo.

In a previous photo shared by the Eagles center, one of the wolfhounds can be seen reaching for a slice of pizza on its hind legs. The dog towers over Kelce, despite the NFL veteran’s 6-foot-3 frame.

Dolly Parton, 76, reveals she starts her day at 3 A.M. saying she doesn’t require much sleep: ‘It’s kind of a Parton family trait’

Dolly Parton has revealed one of the secrets to her longtime success, confirming that she starts her day at 3 AM.

The 76-year-old musician and businesswoman was promoting her new line of Southern deserts with Duncan Hines in a new interview with Insider.

She not only revealed that her work day starts at 3 AM, but she also insists that’s when she does some of her best work.

‘I don’t need a whole lot of sleep. I go to bed pretty early, but even if I’ve been up late — it’s just kind of like a little clock inside of me that says “It’s 3 o’clock!”‘ she said.

‘I do some of my best work there, but I get enough sleep. I don’t require as much sleep as a lot of other people do, that’s kind of a Parton family trait,’ she added.

The country music legend added that her early rising traits were passed down from her father, Robert Lee Parton.

‘I’m like my daddy. He was always up early, even if he had to go to bed late,’ Parton clarified.

The singer added she doesn’t have any particular skin care tips or tricks, adding, ‘I don’t do any big rituals with my skin or anything, and I don’t think you have to pay a ton of money to have good products.’

‘Most of the products that cost less are just as good, and sometimes better than the ones that cost a fortune,’ she continued.

She did admit that perhaps one of her secrets to her luminous skin is due to the fact that she never went sunbathing when she was younger.

‘I never got out in the sun. I don’t have a lot of the same problems that women my age do ’cause I never baked myself in the sun,’ she said.

‘I would’ve if I’d been able to tan but I couldn’t, so now I’m glad!’ she added.

Even at 76, Parton is still keeping quite busy, as it was recently announced she will guest star in the final season of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie.

It was also revealed in March that she will star in an adaptation of Run, Rose, Run for Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine production company.

She also recently performed at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas last month.

Dolly Parton reveals the hilarious reason why she turned down afternoon tea with Kate Middleton

Dolly Parton has revealed the hilarious reason why she turned down an invitation for tea with the Princess of Wales.

The country singer, 77, explained she received the coveted invitation from Kate Middleton, 41, whilst she was in London for work.

Whilst sharing her love of the capital, the Jolene singer admitted she almost brushed shoulders with the residents of Buckingham Palace, but unfortunately ‘couldn’t go’.

Dolly said during an appearance on BBC Radio 2: ‘This time, Lordy, I even got invited to have tea with Kate but I couldn’t even go.

‘I thought it was very sweet and nice of her to invite me and one of these days I’m going to get to do that – that would be great.’

Then, in true Dolly Parton style, she cracked a joke as to what made her decline Kate’s invite. She said: ‘But she wasn’t going to promote my rock album so I had to say no.’

She explained her regret at not having explored more of the city while on tour, but concluded she didn’t ever have enough time to play tourist.

The singer told presenter and host Claudia Winkleman of her admiration for the capital.

Dolly said: ‘I love the people, the feel of London. I don’t unfortunately [get time to sightsee]. I have in the past, me and my band, in a tour bus when we have it planned.’

It comes after the star said she would rather ‘drop dead’ in the middle of a song on stage than hang up the microphone in a new interview.

Despite approaching a six decade-long career in the music industry, Dolly has no plans to retire.

‘I would never retire. I would hopefully drop dead in the middle of a song on stage someday – and hopefully one I’ve written – but that’s how I hope to go,’ she told Ken Bruce on Greatest Hits Radio.

‘I don’t have much of a choice in that but in the meantime, I’m going to make hay while the sun shines.’

Dolly owns a vast catalogue of some 3,000 songs, penning iconic belters such as Jolene and I Will Always Love You.

While the country music sensation is determined to keep performing, she admitted she has scaled back her work schedule in some aspects.

‘I’m not touring anymore but I will continue to do special shows here and there now and then like a long weekend or festival shows,’ she said.

‘But as far as touring I think those days are pretty much behind me… you have to stay gone so long on a tour to make it productive and prosperous and that’s a lot of time at my age – I ain’t got no years to waste.’

Instead of living on the road, Dolly said she wants to host more TV shows or act in more movies.

‘I want to have my own story called The Life of Many Colours where I have a whole TV series of my life,’ she said.

‘Stuff that people haven’t seen or heard about me and where I come from and how I got to be how and who I am. The bad, the good and the ugly!’

‘So that’s one thing I want to do and then just host more TV shows, do more movies. I want to have my own line of makeup, own line of wigs and clothes.

‘Once you get to a certain place in your career you get a lot of offers and some of them are just really hard to turn down.’

The interview comes after Dolly’s announcement for her new album Rockstar; her 49th studio album, which is set to release in November.

The album will feature 30 songs – nine original tracks from Parton and 21 classic rock covers with collaborators such as Elton John, Sting, Pink and more.

EXCLUSIVE PICTURES: Dolly Parton’s reclusive husband of five decades Carl Dean seen out for the first time in 40 YEARS

Dolly Parton’s husband of 53-years Carl Dean was caught in a rare public sighting late last month.

The 77-year-old looked nondescript as he stepped out near the family estate in Brentwood, Tennessee aided by a personal assistant.

It was an unexpected outing for the ‘reclusive’ figure, who has been with country superstar Parton since 1964 but has avoided being photographed for a whole four decades.

Apparently Dean is partial to quite a reclusive lifestyle,  according to the National Enquirer.

A source explained: ‘He barely leaves the house and doesn’t really interact with people unless he absolutely has to – the total opposite of Dolly.’

‘Carl is still extremely reclusive and in any given week he will only leave the house a handful of times,’ they continued.

While the Jolene songstress and retired business owner Carl have been going strong for years, they’re reported to live quite independent lives.

‘Carl lives in a different building on the couple’s property in Brentwood, Tennessee,’ a source revealed.

The couple first met outside of a Nashville laundromat in 1964. They were wed two years later in a small Ringgold, Georgia ceremony attended only by Dolly’s mom and the pastor’s wife.

Throughout their five-plus decades of marriage, Dean has eschewed the spotlight, opting not to appear at events or on red carpets with his love.

Dolly even admitted that her love has only seen her perform live one time when she sat down to talk on the Ellen DeGeneres show in 2011.

Still, the Islands In The Stream singer calls Dean her ‘biggest fan behind the scenes.’

‘He’s always supporting me as long as I don’t try to drag him in on it,’ Parton told People during the October premiere of her Netflix project Heartstrings. ‘He’s always been my biggest fan behind the scenes, but he’s at home.’

Despite their differences, Dolly is very protective of her and Carl’s relationship.

‘She still loves him with all her heart but they’re largely living separate lives and have been for some time,’ a source told the Enquirer.

Dolly has long said that the distance keeps their love strong.

‘I always joke and laugh when people ask me what’s the key to my long marriage and lasting love,’ Parton told People in 2018. ‘I always say “Stay gone!” and there’s a lot of truth to that. I travel a lot, but we really enjoy each other when we’re together and the little things we do.’

The child-free couple reportedly renewed their wedding vows back in 2016 to mark their 50th anniversary.

Though the couple prefer to keep their relationship private, Dolly has assured fans that their love is steadfast.

‘We’re really proud of our marriage,’ the Islands In The Stream singer said of their union in 2011. ‘It’s the first for both of us. And the last.’

That doesn’t mean their relationship has been without drama.

Dolly admitted that she once had ‘an affair of the heart’ in the 2017 book Dolly On Dolly: Interviews And Encounters With Dolly Parton.

‘It just about killed me,’ she revealed in an interview, ‘I cried an ocean. But I ain’t gonna talk about it anymore. I’ve got to keep some mystery.’

Still, Parton has said that trust is at the foundation of her relationship with Dean, which she described as ‘open’ but not ‘sexually.’

‘He’s not jealous and I’m not jealous of him. He knows I flirt. He flirts too. Yes, it’s an open relationship, but not sexually and I would kill him if I thought he was doing that. He would shoot me too. At the end of the day we love each other madly,’ she said.

Dolly Parton Thinks Beyoncé Recorded a “Jolene” Cover for Her Upcoming Album

Beyonce’s Act II comes out on March 29!

Dolly Parton may have just leaked some exciting news about Beyoncé’s upcoming album, Act II: Cowboy Carter.

Beyoncé is stepping into the world of country, and covering a Dolly Parton song may just be on her country music to-do list. In a recent interview with Knox News, Parton hinted at the possibility of Beyonce covering her 1973 hit “Jolene.” “Well, I think she has! I think she’s recorded ‘Jolene’ and I think it’s probably gonna be on her country album, which I’m very excited about that,” Parton told Know News.

Parton has, thus far, been nothing but supportive of Beyoncé and her entrance into the country music space. “I love her! She’s a beautiful girl and a great singer,” the “9 to 5” singer said. Dolly even gave Beyoncé a shoutout on her Instagram when her single “Texas Hold ‘Em” hit number one on the Billboard Hot Country Chart, making her the first Black woman in history to do so. “I’m a big fan of Beyoncé and very excited that she’s done a country album. So congratulations on your Billboard Hot Country number one single. Can’t wait to hear the full album,” Dolly wrote on Instagram.

Beyonce first announced her album and dropped two singles, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” in February. She revealed the surprise in a Verizon commercial during the Super Bowl. As for the remaining songs on Act II, Beyonce has her lips sealed until its official release on March 29.

Considering country is not Beyonce’s default genre (Act I: Renaissance consisted of her usual dance tracks), her new music has found some detractors. Dolly came to her defense once again saying, “A lot of people don’t realize Beyoncé is a country girl. She’s from Texas. I think we belong wherever we can do good, and her song is number one across every chart in the whole world, I think. So, I mean, who can argue with that?” Dolly said in her Know News interview.

For now, we’ll have to wait until March 29 to see whether or not “Jolene” made the cut for Cowboy Carter.

Dolly Parton’s Family Hated The Way She Looked Before Becoming A Hollywood Legend

Dolly Parton’s unqiue style became one of her calling cards but her family hated the way she looked early in her life.

Highlights

Dolly Parton’s family did not approve of the way she dressed and tried to get her to change.
Parton’s fashion choices were judged by both the media and her family, but she stayed true to herself.
Despite her family’s disapproval of her clothes, Parton had a deep love for her grandpa and was extremely close with her parents.

When Dolly Parton’s career began, she was known as a country music star. However, that has changed over time as Parton became so universally respected that she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Parton has also notably become very rich thanks to everything she has accomplished.

Before any of that, however, Parton was an unknown singer from a huge family. In an ideal world, the members of Parton’s family would always have supported who she is. The reality of the situation is that Parton’s family hated the way she looked as she was trying to launch her career.

Dolly Parton’s Family Tried To Change The Way She Looked

Of course, Dolly Parton has written and recorded a slew of songs that mean the world to her fans. No matter how impressive that is, however, it can still be argued that the most incredible thing about Parton is who she is offstage. With that in mind, it is sad that her family did not approve of how she expressed herself.

Seemingly born with an innate vision for herself, one of the most interesting aspects of Parton’s career is her fashion sense. After all, Parton spent years getting blowback about her clothes from people who were ignorant about how smart she is.

For the most part, it has been people in the media who’ve judged Parton’s clothes in the past. However, it turns out that Parton’s family also used to hate the way she dressed, and they went to extremes in an attempt to get her to change.

In 2023, Parton was interviewed by Howard Stern for his radio show. At one point in the resulting conversation, Stern and Parton had an in-depth conversation about people judging the way she dresses. Amazingly enough, Parton admitted to Stern that she was even struck by members of her family, partially because of her fashion choices.

Where did Dolly Parton grow up according to Biography?

Born on January 19, 1946
Born in Locust Ridge, Tennessee
Has described her family as “dirt poor”

At one point in their interview, Stern asked Parton if she had to deal with the casting couch early in her career. In response, Parton stated that she was never physical with anyone for that reason. However, Parton went on to own that she knew her fashion choices would affect powerful men in the entertainment industry.

“I was pretty sharp too. I was pretty clever and knowing the nature of men and understanding that. If I was going to dress like I dressed and look like I looked, I would have been disappointed if somebody hadn’t noticed me or, you know, have paid attention to me.”

In response to Parton’s comments, Stern explained what about her fashion choices interests him.

“The whole Dolly look, the whole persona, I find fascinating. You saw the town, whatever they called it back then, the town tr**p or something and you said to yourself, ‘Wow. That’s an outrageous look. I’m going to dress like that. And your grandpa, did he hit you or something because of the way you were dressing?”

After Parton laughed out loud at Stern’s question, she went on to explain how much her family hated the way she dressed.

“Well, my grandpa was just always preaching to me. You know, looking like, he would just call me Jezebel and which. I love my grandpa. He was great but he’d always say, ‘Don’t you want to go to heaven?’ And my famous line is that I would say. I would get smacked around just for sassing, you know. I’d say something like, ‘Yeah, I want to go to heaven but do I have to look like hell when I get there or to get there?’ And then you got to get your, you know, backhanded or something”

Based on Parton’s comments to Stern, it seems clear that she deeply loves her grandpa whether he disapproved of her clothes or not. Unfortunately for Parton, however, it wasn’t just her grandpa who was angry about her clothes as she explained to Stern.

“I was pretty outgoing and I just knew how I was going to look. That daddy couldn’t whip it out of me, mamma couldn’t talk it out of me, and grandpa couldn’t preach it out of me. I was going to look the way I looked and I still do because that is how I felt.”

Was Dolly Parton Close With Her Parents?

Based on today’s standards, Dolly Parton’s description of how her family reacted to her fashion is shocking. With that in mind, it would make sense if some people assumed that Parton wasn’t close with her parents.

No matter what people may assume, Parton actually was extremely close with her parents before their passings. A perfect example of that is the fact that Parton has taken great pride in buying gifts for her parents. In 2015, Parton discussed the cars she gifted to her parents once her music career took off.

Who were Dolly Parton’s parents according to People?

Robert Lee Parton Sr. and Avie Lee Parton
Married in 1939
Had 12 children
One of their children passed away at four days old
Dolly Parton’s song “Coat of Many Colors” was inspired by her mom
Took pride in Dolly Parton’s career

First off, Parton spoke about the truck she got for her father.

“It was always my wish to do something great for my family. I loved my daddy and my mama. My daddy always drove a truck. I bought my daddy a big blue truck, and he was always so proud of that. He never would trade it in. He kept it. The truck is still very much in the family today. Daddy’s gone now, but I still have the truck. It’s on some of the property that I bought that daddy used to own,”

Parton then went on to describe the series of cars she got for her mom since she was willing to trade them in.

“That same year, I bought my mama a Cadillac. Of course, I traded hers in every few years, and she was so proud of that. The last one was a gold Cadillac. That went back to me when Mama passed on. I wouldn’t take nothing for it. My husband drives it a lot. Because it was Mama’s car, and I still drive it some, I call it the ‘Dolly-Mama.’ Everybody knows not to mess with the Dolly-Mama, because that was such a precious thing. I was always proud that I could do for my family when I started making some money.”

David Letterman Proposed To Dolly Parton During An Interview Despite Her Marriage To Carl Dean

Dolly Parton had been married for years but that didn’t stop David Letterman from asking her to marry him.

Highlights

David Letterman was infatuated with Dolly Parton’s looks and personality during her appearance on his show in 1987.
Letterman made flirtatious remarks to Parton and even asked her to marry him, despite her being married at the time.
Dolly Parton has been happily married to Carl Dean since 1966.

During David Letterman’s career, he interviewed most of the top music stars. In most cases, Letterman didn’t seem fazed by sharing the stage with music legends, which makes sense, since he was rich and successful enough to enjoy an incredible lifestyle.

Similar to Letterman, music supertsar Dolly Partonbecame extremely rich and famous. However, it wasn’t Parton’s riches that Letterman was struck by. Instead, Letterman clearly couldn’t get enough of Parton’s personality and looks which is why he asked her to marry him.

Why Did David Letterman Ask Dolly Parton To Marry Him?

Throughout Dolly Parton’s time in the public eye, she has always been known for her flashy fashion choices. While Parton’s family hated the way she dressed, David Letterman clearly enjoyed the way the country legend looked.

When Parton appeared on Late Night with David Letterman in 1987, she came out wearing a typically eye-catching outfit. Mostly made up of black clothing that looked pretty skin-tight, Parton’s outfit also featured shiny silver highlights.

Of course, Parton was also sporting her trademark large hair that always made her stand out. Between her clothes, makeup, and hair, it seemed like Letterman was instantly taken with Parton when she walked out onstage.

Instead of simply greeting Parton as he normally did with his guests, Letterman kissed the singer’s hand and pulled her in close to his side. With his hand around Parton’s waist, it looked as if Letterman was showing off her looks to the camera and studio audience. Letterman then proceeded to comment on how he and Parton looked like as a pair at that moment.

“I think we look good together. Don’t you think we look nice together? We should work together. We’ll go out and do shows together.”

Once Letterman removed his hand from Parton’s waist, the two of them sat down. However, Letterman almost instantly said something that could have indicated an attraction to Parton or could have been entirely innocent. “Boy, you smell great.”

What awards has Dollywood won according to Dollywood.com?

Tripadvisor’s #1 Theme Park in the United States
Ticket Awards for Best Kids’ Area
Ticket Awards for Best Christmas Event
Ticket Awards for Best Guest Experience

From there, the pair then proceeded to have a fairly typical interview for several minutes. Letterman asked Parton about Dollywood, the theme park the country singer had recently bought and begun running at the time of the interview.

At the end of Letterman and Parton’s discussion about Dollywood, the country singer asked the host to come to her theme park. As Parton pitched Letterman on coming to Dollywood and maybe even filming part of his show there, she said something he easily could have been insulted by.

“I want you to come down sometime and, cause I know you do fun stuff on your show and what you like. It would be a good place for you to come and act stupid and have fun doing it.”

When Letterman and his studio audience had a big reaction to Parton’s comments, she tried to clarify what she meant. “I didn’t mean it bad. I meant fun stuff.”

Throughout David Letterman’s career, he has dealt with many celebrities taking verbal shots at him. In most of those cases, Letterman has used his infamously sharp tongue to unleash a savage comeback at those guests.

When Dolly Parton said something to David Letterman that he could have been insulted by, he didn’t have a witty retort. On top of that, Letterman didn’t seem to have much interest in Parton’s clarification. Instead, Letterman’s only response was to ask Parton to become his wife.

“Please, please marry me. Please. Will you consider it?”

After Parton stated she would consider Letterman’s request, the host asked her a follow-up question. “Are you married now?” In a truly hilarious moment, Parton confirmed she was married at the time which the studio audience laughed uproariously at. At this moment, Letterman’s trademark wit seemed to come back to him.

“You’re married now, but yet, you’re gonna consider marrying me? Well, don’t expect to treat me that way if we get married.”

Who Have Dolly Parton And David Letterman Been Married To?

When Dolly Parton told David Letterman she was married during their 1987 interview, it was far from a new marriage for the country singer. Instead, Parton has been married since the ’60s, and she seems to be very happy from all reports.

After Dolly Parton and Carl Dean got married in 1966, they have been together ever since. Furthermore, there has never even been a hint of a suggestion that Parton or her husband have been romantically interested in anyone else. In 2022, Parton spoke to ET Canada and revealed two key factors that have allowed her marriage to last. First off, Parton credited each of them having their own space.

“I like it when people say, ‘How did it last so long?’ I say, ‘It’s stay going. You know, there’s a lot to be said about that. So, we’re not in each other’s face all the time. He’s not in the business so we have different interests, but yet we have the things we love to do together. So it was meant to be, I think. He was the one I was supposed to have and vice versa.”

Secondly, Parton credited her lasting marriage to having a similar sense of humor as her husband.

“We both have a warped sense of humor. And I think humor, honestly, is one of the best things when you’re married like that. Even if you have a problem, if you have a great sense of humor, if you say something you can’t take back [you] usually have some crazy way of getting out of it.”

Unlike Parton, Letterman’s love life has been a lot more tumultuous. After all, Letterman infamously engaged in affairs and someone tried to blackmail him over them. Much to the shock of the blackmailer, Letterman decided to go public with his affairs instead of being extorted.

Who has David Letterman been involved with according to Whos Dated Who?

David Letterman began dating Regina Lasko in 1986
David Letterman and Regina Lasko got engaged in 2001
David Letterman and Regina Lasko have been married since 19th Mar 2009
David Letterman and Stephanie Birkitt had an affair between 2001 and 2003
David Letterman had a fling with Terri Garr in 1990
David Letterman dated Bonnie Hunt

Even though Letterman hasn’t always been faithful, he has been in a relationship with a woman named Regina Lasko for decades. After reportedly starting to date in 1986, Letterman and Lasko’s son was born in 2003 and they got married in 2009.