It’s hard to imagine a more beloved human being than Dolly Parton. The country singer/actress/songwriter/author/style icon/theme park owner/COVID vaccine advocate/Beyoncé collaborator/office sharpshooter died on Tuesday at age 80. Her team shared a statement that read, “After bravely facing a brief battle with cancer, Dolly departed her Earthly life today at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center surrounded by loved ones.” Obviously, the world was gutted by the news, with fans young and old flooding onto social media to share their grief. Dolly occupied a rare place in pop culture, built over the course of her 50+ year career, where just about everyone loved her. 22-year-old Bushwick hipsters have Dolly Parton tattoos, while my 86-year-old grandfather in Michigan plays her music on his guitar. She was one-of-one, and as her volunteering to get the COVID vaccine early proved, she brought a sense of hope, warmth, and stability even in the scariest of times.

My first memory of Dolly Parton came as a child spending the night at my grandmother’s house while my parents were out of town. My grandma broke out a VHS copy of 9 to 5, and I was instantly enamored by Dolly’s charm and perfect sense of comedic timing. I listened to the catchy title track for weeks afterwards, and still play it on days when I’m commuting into the office early.

Over the course of her career, Dolly appeared in hit films like The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Steel Magnolias, guest-starred in Hannah Montana and Grace and Frankie, and was awarded an honorary Oscar for her humanitarian work. She earned 11 Grammy Awards and over 50 nominations and wrote timeless classics like “I Will Always Love You,” “Coat of Many Colors,” and “Jolene.” Not to mention she’s got an entire theme park named after her. She will be greatly missed, but her legacy will live on.

Update On My Close Personal Friends — The Dolly Parton tributes prove just how loved she was

Over her long career, Dolly Parton worked with nearly everyone in Hollywood and the music business, and so touching tributes came pouring in on Tuesday, following the announcement of her death. Here’s just a handful of the many kind words she received.

• Taylor Swift wrote that “She was truly the gift that kept on giving. Dolly gave us someone to look up to while encouraging us to be who we are as individuals. Somehow she was able to give us her lessons about the world gently and honestly, simultaneously, and oftentimes hilariously.”

• Jane Fonda, Dolly’s 9 to 5 costar, wrote, “I am devastated. More than anyone I have ever known, Dolly will always be with us because she was so present, so powerful, so generous and playful that she is woven into all our lives and hearts forever.”

• Sally Field, who starred with Dolly in Steel Magnolias, wrote, “If there are truly angels on earth, then we just lost one, Dolly Parton. There will never be another. I adored her with all my heart and will always cherish our time together.”

• Julia Roberts, another Steel Magnolias costar, wrote, “I hold knowing her as a treasure in my life. The sun has dimmed today.”

• Beyoncé, who collaborated with Dolly on Cowboy Carter, wrote, “You were the barometer. The North Star. Bold and brilliant. Talented and Tenacious. You taught so many lessons on how to be uniquely oneself.”

• Country music icon Reba McEntire wrote, “Dolly, thank you for all the wonderful things you did for us here on earth. Your love, your music and you gave us so much with your huge, huge heart. There will never ever be another you.”

• Even Eminem posted about Dolly, sharing, “Even for a kid who mostly listened to rap music, she was an icon. A superstar in every sense. Rest easy Dolly.”

The Couch Report — Adults is back for Season 2

In cheerier news, Adults comes back on Thursday, August 27 for its second season. The FX hit about five friends living in Queens became an instant hit in 2025, and is finally back with eight new episodes, which will drop two-at-a-time over the next month. This comes just a month after a one-episode special that focused on the backstory of Paul Baker (Jack Innanen) aired. Returning alongside Innanen are Malik Elassal, Lucy Freyer, Amita Rao, and Owen Thiele, but Season 2 will also boast an impressive lineup of guest stars including Raven-Symoné, Gaten Matarazzo, Jake Shane, Isaac Powell, Ben Marshall, and Girls star Zosia Mamet. Will Adults become the Gen Z Girls? Only time will tell.

Be So For Real — This Harry Potter show is having trouble finding actors

Speaking of guest stars, HBO’s upcoming Harry Potter TV series will boast quite a few across its planned seven seasons. While Season 1 has wrapped filming and will premiere on Christmas, Season 2 is struggling to fill out its cast. Nicholas Hoult was announced to play the role of Gilderoy Lockhart in Season 2, but after a deluge of negative feedback related to J.K. Rowling’s anti-trans political statements, he dropped out, citing “scheduling conflicts.” Game of Thrones actor Kit Harington was then announced as his replacement. This is only the latest in a string of casting controversies, however, that included Jon Lithgow facing intense public blowback for signing on to play Albus Dumbledore and SNL pointing out that casting a Black actor, Paapa Essiedu, as Severus Snape, the one professor who Harry hates, might not be the wisest choice. Perhaps the biggest issue with casting the new Harry Potter TV series, however, is the sheer number of iconic UK actors who were already in the Harry Potter movies. It seems like we could be destined for a half-American cast by the time we get to Order of the Phoenix. We’ve already got an American Dumbledore after all.

Current Hyperfixation — Taylor Lautner’s baby name

For those of you who are unaware, Twilight star Taylor Lautner married a woman named Taylor, who took his last name. That means that yes, Taylor Lautner is married to Taylor Lautner (or Tay as she goes by now). However, the two are expecting their first child together, and the internet obviously wants them to name the child Taylor Lautner as well. On an episode of Call Her Daddy, Tay said that the naming choice isn’t off the table and that they’ve joked about just calling the baby TJ. “I feel like if I don’t name my baby Taylor, the Internet’s literally gonna cancel me,” Tay quipped. “I’m gonna get canceled.” I would feel really bad for a second child, however, if it’s named Greg Lautner when all three of its immediate family members are named Taylor. Like, imagine those Christmas Cards. “Happy Holidays from Taylor, Taylor, Taylor, and Greg.”