CNN has apologized for using a photo of a Las Vegas Dolly Parton impersonator when announcing her death instead of the actual country singer.
The mea culpa occurred during broadcast of Laura Coates Live as part of a tribute to Parton roughly 12 hours after her passing. Rather than presenting an actual photo of Dolly Parton, CNN instead featured a photo of 58-year-old Kelly Vohnn – a known impersonator in Las Vegas. After backlash online, CNN apologized.
“We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family,” CNN said in a brief statement on Thursday.
Vohnn told the California Post that friends began bombarding her with text messages after her photo aired on CNN.
“I started getting all these texts in from friends saying that I was on CNN, and I couldn’t believe it,” Vohnn said. “I was already heartbroken at losing Dolly because of how much she has given to me as a woman and an artist. But then to see these images of me on screen was just weird.”
“Somebody at CNN really messed up and didn’t do their research,” she added. “I felt so sorry and apologetic for Dolly, because over her career there are so many wonderful images and moments that they could have chosen from — and CNN just picked something not appropriate. To be clear, I have never represented myself as being Dolly ever in my life. I have always been known as a tribute act for her and many other stars.”
Reps for Parton confirmed to Page Six on Tuesday that the American icon died following a brief battle with cancer, though they did not specify exactly what type of cancer.
“After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones,” the statement said.
“Our beloved Dolly Parton spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched,” they added. “Her unmatched generosity reached the lives of countless people whom she would never meet, yet she was always there to offer a helping hand.”
“Whether it be the hundreds of millions of books donated through her invaluable Imagination Library or funding research that helped create a lifesaving vaccine used around the world, Dolly’s unconditional love for all people was the guiding force for her lasting impact,” the added.
The beloved singer’s death was announced on Monday in a video from Bryan Seaver, Parton’s nephew and her longtime head of security.
“I am representing the Parton and Owens family today, announcing the passing of my Aunt Dolly Rebecca Parton Dean,” Seaver began. “Sister, sis and Aunt Granny to one generation and Gigi to the next.
“This video announcement is something Dolly asked of me years ago before I fully absorbed it as a future reality,” he continued. “As her head of security for more than two decades, a role my father, Larry, held before me, I have imagined the heaviness of this moment but haven’t truly felt it until now.
As noted by Variety, Parton’s health issues became “headlines in the fall of 2025, when she announced that she would not be able to follow through on a six-show December residency at Las Vegas’ Caesars Palace that had been announced as a long-awaited return to the concert stage.”