‘Worried’ Dolly Parton Offers Support to ‘Emotional’ Kelly Clarkson Amid Difficult Time (Exclusive)
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Dolly Parton is ready to take Kelly Clarkson under her wing and help her get through a dark time as she struggles with juggling the pressures of fame and her personal life, according to a source.
The “Because of You” singer, 43, is “in a bad place right now” after canceling her first two Las Vegas residency shows at Caesars Palace, and Parton, 79, is “very worried” as she tries to “get to the bottom of what’s wrong,” the source exclusively tells Star.
“Dolly’s calling and checking in with Kelly and offering support,” the source continues. “She wants to get together and have a talk, just the two of them, without any interruptions.”
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The “Jolene” songstress has even invited Clarkson out to her farm in Tennessee and “hopes” she takes her up on her offer soon “because this can’t go on,” the source says.
“Dolly wants to give Kelly some country comforting,” adds the source, “[and] also just give her some serious pep talks on how to handle the pressure cooker of fame and learn to delegate more.”
Clarkson’s friends have realized that she’s “stretching herself too thin and trying to do it all, plus be a parent” to her and ex-husband Brandon Blackstock’s kids, River Rose, 11, and Remington Alexander, 9, following their 2020 split. Despite having finalized their divorce in 2022, she is still “extremely emotional and affected” by it, per the source, and Parton “wants to be there for her.”
As Star previously reported, the “Stronger” artist recently faced considerable backlash from fans after canceling her July 4th Vegas show less than two hours before she was set to hit the stage. That same day, she explained that she did so to avoid risking damage to her vocal cords.
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“The show is truly incredible. The musicians and singers are outstanding, and I want us all to start out strong,” she said on Instagram at the time. “I can’t wait to be back next weekend and show y’all what we’ve been working on.”
Fans flooded the comments section with criticism for her decision to make a last-minute announcement as many people flew in from out of town and were already at the venue when the show was canceled.
“I’m literally here in a homemade Kelly Clarkson T-shirt. I spent $700 on flights and $1,000 on [the] hotel,” one upset fan wrote, and another said, “I wish you would’ve done this sooner than 15 mins before doors opening.”
Earlier this month, a staffer who works on The Kelly Clarkson Show said “the whiplash is a lot” with the singer right now.
“She’s all in on the talk show, then she’s not, then she is again,” the staffer told the Daily Mail. “She’s performing in Vegas, now she’s not. It’s her voice. It’s personal issues. It’s enough to make you crazy.”
