CNN Apologizes to Dolly Parton’s Family After Using Photo of Vegas Impersonator During Death Coverage
CNN said it regretted the mix-up after airing a photo of Las Vegas performer Kelly Vohnn during a tribute to Dolly Parton.
- On Tuesday evening, CNN mistakenly aired a photo of 58-year-old tribute artist Kelly Vohnn instead of legendary singer Dolly Parton during the 11 p.m. ET hour of 'Laura Coates Live' while covering Parton's death.
- Parton died Tuesday, August 25, at age 80 after a 'brief battle with cancer,' prompting the network to air a tribute segment where the error occurred just over six minutes into the broadcast.
- The incorrect image was taken December 16, 2025, in Las Vegas, where Vohnn attended a screening of the film 'Song Sung Blue' at Brenden Theatres inside Palms Casino Resort, according to the photo agency.
- Vohnn told The New York Post on Thursday that the snafu was 'quite embarrassing,' emphasizing she has 'never represented' herself as Parton in her life.
- CNN issued a formal apology to the Parton family on Thursday, stating 'We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family,' as the network continues honoring her seven-decade career.
15 Articles
15 Articles
CNN Apologizes To Dolly Parton’s Family After Embarrassing On-Air Mix-Up
CNN was supposed to be honoring Dolly Parton. Instead, the network put a picture of a Las Vegas impersonator on the screen. Now CNN has apologized to Parton’s family for the mistake during its coverage of the country music legend’s death. The woman in the photograph was tribute performer Kelly Vohnn. She was grieving Parton herself when friends started telling her she had appeared on national television. Watch the moment from CNN’s broadcast: U…
CNN Apologizes For Airing Dolly Impersonator Photo Instead of Late Singer
CNN apologized to the family of Dolly Parton for mistakenly airing a photo of Las Vegas performer Kelly Vohnn. “We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family,” CNN said in a statement to Variety. The error occurred just over six minutes into the network’s celebration of Parton’s life and legacy Tuesday night. Anchor Laura Coates introduced a segment featuring network correspondent Shimon Prokupecz, who was in Nashville the day Parton di…
CNN Apologizes to Dolly Parton’s Family After Using Photo of Vegas Impersonator During Death Coverage
CNN is apologizing to Dolly Parton’s family after the news network accidentally used a picture of a Las Vegas impersonator while covering the iconic singer’s death. “We regret the error and apologize to the Parton family,” CNN said in a statement to The New York Post on Thursday, August 27. The network broadcasted the image […]
CNN uses picture of Dolly Parton impersonator during death coverage
Cable news network CNN aired a photo of someone who was not legendary music star Dolly Parton during its coverage of her death, and was forced to apologize to her family afterward. The network aired an image of a 58-year-old tribute artist instead of Parton. In the photo, Parton impersonator Kelly Vohnn is seen in true Parton fashion, donned up in all the glitz and glamour fit for the star, wearing a white dress with shoulder pads covered in rhi…
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