Actor who grew up near NJ takes heat for obnoxious Dolly tribute

There are some moments when you probably should just shut up.

Dolly Parton died, and millions of people around the world were mourning one of the most beloved entertainers who ever lived.

But former child star ‘Ricky’ Schroder, who grew up on Staten Island, apparently looked at the outpouring of love for one of the most universally adored entertainers on the planet and thought, “You know what this needs? My right wing paranoid political grievances.”

Rick Shroder was a child star who gained fame in the movie “The Champ” and would later as an adult act in the series “NYPD Blue.” He also played Dolly’s father in two television movies about her life.

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After her death he posted a photo of himself with Parton and wrote that he didn’t agree with her advocacy for transgender people or her support of COVID vaccines.

“But loved her anyway,” he added.

Oh, well, how very generous of him.

 

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Look, you're allowed to believe whatever you want. You’re allowed to disagree with Dolly Parton. You’re even allowed to be skeptical of vaccines or have whatever opinions you have about transgender people.

But when someone dies, particularly someone whose entire public image was built around kindness, generosity and bringing people together, maybe this isn’t the moment to make their death about the things you didn’t like about them and bring your political beliefs into condolences.

Frederick M. Brown, Getty Images

People on social media absolutely let Schroder have it.

One person wrote, “In a world full of Rickys, be a Dolly.”

Another said, “If your condolences or apologies are conditional with a ‘but….’, they are not sincere.”

Someone else wrote, “Dolly gave the world grace; Ricky gave her a tribute with terms and conditions.”

“Ricky, she just died. You could have honored her without using her death to remind everyone that you disapproved of her supporting trans people and vaccines,” commented another.

“You could have just honored Dolly without making her death an opportunity to announce which parts of her humanity you disapproved of. What an incredibly strange and self-important way to remember someone,” another pointed out.

Rich Fury, Getty Images

And then there was the simple response from Katie Couric:

“Ick.”

90s band Garbage was considerably less diplomatic, telling Schroder to “F*** off,” while Boy George offered three words that probably summed up the entire internet’s reaction:

“Oh shut up.”

Honestly? Yes. Shut up.

But I’m sure he learned his social grace from the guy he voted for. A guy who never shuts up. A guy who wrote,

“Robert Mueller just died. Good, I'm glad he's dead.” A guy who wrote that Rob Reiner “has passed away, together with his wife, Michele, reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME, sometimes referred to as TDS. He was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump."

Rick Shroder should really start going by Ricky again. It’s more fitting for a child.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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