Brightest Young Things

This is a new column in which we take a moment to honor winners- icons whose cultural and social contributions have enriched our lives.....

5 feet tall, 40DD wide, and 25 number-one singles deep, I want to take a moment to say:  Thank you, Dolly Parton. You lady, are a winner.

Not only did you give me one of my favorite quotes ever, "It takes a lot of money to look this cheap" but you've also become a feminist icon, built a multi-platform media empire, and given back to the community- all this from a girl born into a "dirt poor"  family of 12 in Sevierville, Tennessee.

Dolly as a Feminist

While living in the era of first and second wave feminists, Dolly Parton became an unlikely feminist icon- but not because of her role in the 1980 film, 9 to 5, which chronicled a group of working women enacting revenge on their sexist boss.

When asked if her "town tramp party girl" image has gotten her mistreated in the world of country music Dolly responded, "You know, I look like a woman but I think like a man. And in this world of business, that has helped me a lot. Because by the time they think that I don't know what's goin' on, I then got the money, and gone."

Hell yes Dolly.

Dolly as a Businesswoman

Dolly played hard ball with Elvis. That's one tough broad.

In 1974, her song, "I Will Always Love You" was released and went to number one on the country-music charts. Around the same time,Elvis Presley indicated that he wanted to cover the song. Parton was interested until Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker , told her that she would have to sign over half of the publishing rights if Presley recorded the song (as was the standard procedure for songs he recorded).

Thank god she refused, because when Whitney Houston covered "I Will Always Love You" for the cinematic masterpiece, The Bodyguard, Dolly raked in millions of dollars in royalties. It was decisions like these, in fact, that caused her to be called "The Iron Butterfly" in show-business circles.

Dolly as a Philanthropist

The big bucks don't only go to collagen touch ups and wigs, Dolly is also a noted philanthropist. Even her most well-known business venture, her theme park Dollywood, seeks to revitalize an economically depressed region of Appalachia. The Dollywood Foundation is an umbrella organization for many charities such as the Dolly Parton Imagination Library- which promotes literacy in thirty-six U.S. states and old industrial UK towns.

Dolly Kicking Ass

There are many other reasons why Dolly Parton is amazing.... here is just a handful:

• She was in an episode of the animated series Alvin and the Chipmunks!

• Pervert scientists named Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult somatic cell, after Dolly Parton- since the cloned cell was from an ewe's mammary gland.

• Her production company, Sandollar Productions, produced the Father of The Bride movies and the Buffy The Vampire television series

• She's Miley Cyrus's godmother

... and she wrote "Jolene"

Previously in Misc/Awesome:

• 12/28: Terrible Boyfriend/ Girlfriend Generator.
• 12/1: The John Waters Advent Calendar-it starts today
• 11/28: It Chooses You: All I Want for Christmas is Everything from Miranda July's Pop-Up Shop
• 11/3: Things I'd Move to Minnesota For
• 9/6: PHOTOS: Maloof $$ Money Cup
• 9/2: PHOTOS: Chantilly Model Train Show
• 9/1: Libby's List: 5 Things I Want Right Now...
• 8/22: PHOTOS: Best Friends Day
• 8/10: PHOTOS: Lawn Mover Racing, Eastern Seaboard Regionals @ Bowles Farm
• 7/26: Special List: Things the BYGays Want Now That We Can Marry In DC (and NY!)