Ricky Schroder Faces Backlash Over Dolly Parton Tribute After Bringing Politics Into Her Death
Ricky Schroder’s tribute to Dolly Parton has drawn fierce criticism after the actor used his remembrance of the country legend to highlight political and personal disagreements just hours after her death.
Schroder, 56, shared a photograph of himself with Parton on Instagram following news that she had died Tuesday at 80 after what her representatives described as a brief battle with cancer.
Rather than offering an entirely celebratory farewell, however, Schroder included a pointed reference to issues on which he disagreed with Parton.
“I didn’t agree with her advocating for Transgender & Covid Vaccine support… but Loved her anyway. Thank you for choosing me Dolly to be your Movie Daddy,” he wrote.
The wording immediately sparked an angry response from fans, many of whom felt that Parton’s death was not the moment to draw attention to political differences.
Fans accuse Schroder of turning a tribute into a political statement
The reaction was swift.
Commenters described the post as insensitive, “tone deaf” and disrespectful, arguing that Schroder could have remembered his former co-star without mentioning the causes and positions he opposed.
Journalist Katie Couric responded simply, “ick,” while singer Boy George wrote, “Oh shut up!”
Other commenters questioned why Schroder had chosen to focus on disagreements in a post intended to honor Parton.
One wrote that he could have honored her without using her death to emphasize his objections to her support for transgender people and vaccines.
Another called the phrase “I loved her anyway” a particularly strange choice for a farewell.
Others similarly accused Schroder of making the moment about himself rather than celebrating Parton’s life and legacy.
The Daily Mail has contacted Schroder for comment but has not received a response.
Schroder doubled down with another post about Parton and vaccines
The controversy did not end with his original tribute.
Amid the backlash, Schroder shared an Instagram Stories clip showing Parton discussing her support for the COVID-19 vaccine.
He added his own message beneath the footage:
“I warned Dolly to not support the Experiment. Wished she listened [sad face emoji].”
That second post intensified criticism from people who were already unhappy with the original tribute.
For many fans, the issue was not simply Schroder’s personal views. It was the decision to foreground those disagreements so soon after Parton’s death.
“She lived her life being a light and not talking politics yet you have do it first thing in a post the day she passes?” one commenter wrote.
Another described the tribute as “tacky” and argued that Parton had consistently advocated love and acceptance.
A relationship that began on screen
Schroder and Parton were connected through two television films based on the singer’s childhood and family story.
He portrayed her father, Robert Lee Parton, in Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors in 2015 and returned for Dolly Parton’s Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love in 2016.
The roles gave Schroder a particularly personal connection to Parton, making his tribute all the more notable to fans who expected a warmer remembrance.
His original message did, however, end with an expression of affection for the singer, thanking her for choosing him to play her “Movie Daddy.”
Parton’s views on LGBTQ+ rights were well known
Schroder appeared to be referring, in particular, to Parton’s longstanding support for the LGBTQIA+ community and her opposition to measures targeting transgender people.
A devout Christian, Parton spoke publicly about her approach to her queer fans in a 2014 interview with Billboard.
She emphasized the importance of treating people with love rather than judging them, saying she tried to love everybody.
Her response to North Carolina’s controversial anti-transgender “bathroom bill” in 2016 similarly reflected that approach.
“I think everybody should be treated with respect,” Parton said at the time, adding that she hoped everyone would have the opportunity to be who and what they are.
Those positions became part of the broader public image surrounding Parton: a deeply religious woman whose message of compassion frequently extended beyond political and cultural divisions.
Parton was also closely associated with COVID-19 vaccine research
Her involvement with COVID-19 vaccine research became another defining part of the discussion.
Parton donated $1 million to Vanderbilt University Medical Center to help fund research connected to the Moderna vaccine.
That contribution, together with her public support for vaccination, appears to be what Schroder was addressing in his follow-up post.
His comments nevertheless came at a moment when fans around the world were mourning the loss of an artist whose career had stretched across six decades.
Dolly Parton’s death shocked the music world
Parton died Tuesday at the age of 80 following a brief battle with cancer, according to a statement from her representatives.
The exact type of cancer was not disclosed.
Her death followed months of growing concern about her health, during which she withdrew from several public appearances. TMZ reported that she had been hospitalized Friday at Nashville’s Vanderbilt University Medical Center with autoimmune and kidney problems.
Her death was first confirmed in an Instagram video posted by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also served as her head of security.
A private service for close friends and family was expected to take place in Nashville within the following days.
Tributes poured in from across entertainment and politics, with figures including Hillary Clinton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves and Khloe Kardashian among those remembering the country icon.
President Donald Trump also paid tribute and ordered American flags lowered nationwide for one week in her honor.
A six-decade legacy now overshadows the controversy
Parton leaves behind one of the most remarkable careers in country music history.
Often known as the Queen of Country, she spent roughly six decades building a legacy that extended far beyond recording music, with songs such as “Jolene,” “9 to 5” and “I Will Always Love You” becoming enduring classics.
That legacy is now being remembered around the world.
Against that backdrop, Schroder’s tribute has become a separate controversy of its own — not because he hid his disagreements with Parton, but because he chose to place them at the centre of a farewell posted immediately after her death.
For the fans who reacted angrily, the timing mattered.
Dolly Parton’s career was built on music, generosity, compassion and an ability to connect with people across generations. In the hours after her passing, many believed those were the qualities that deserved to stand at the centre of the goodbye.