Stephen Colbert is all of us ten months into 2020!
The Late Show host was interviewing Dolly Parton on Tuesday’s episode of his CBS show when the music icon burst into song — which caused the comedian to burst into tears shortly after.
The emotional incident went down while the two were discussing songs the Jolene singer’s mother, Avie Lee Owens, used to sing to her. Dolly started to sing Bury Me Beneath the Willow in her signature angelic voice, and Colbert, who lost his mother Lorna in 2013, was so touched that he broke down in the middle of their interview.
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After the funny man started miming to someone off-camera that he was getting “goosebumps,” the country crooner asked in between lyrics:
“Oh, you’re crying? I better hush before you cry yourself to death and we can’t finish the show.”
Ha! She must get that all the time!
Colbert then wiped away his tears and laughed, telling the superstar:
“Like a lot of Americans, I’m under a lot of stress right now, Dolly. You got my tripwire right there, I’ll tell you. That was pretty beautiful.”
Dolly understood, telling the 56-year-old host she’s also been moved to tears by the power of music. She said:
“We used to cry when Momma would sing. Momma would cry, we’d cry. Those old songs were just amazing.”
Now we cry by turning on the news, LOLz!
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Colbert then asked the 74-year-old musician:
“Isn’t it funny that sometimes there’s nothing happier than a cry?”
To which she replied:
“Yeah, I think that cleanses your soul. Water washes it out. That’s what it’s for, I think.”
For Dolly, the best way to have a good, cathartic cry is through music. Earlier in the interview, she opened up about turning to music to help herself and others, telling Colbert:
“I just feel like I can express myself in ways that I don’t need a doctor for, I don’t need therapy, I just sing it all out, write it all out. I can write for other people too, like you said. Because I see things happen to other people and I think, ‘They don’t know how to express how they feel.’ They’re depressed or they’re sad, so I write songs for them as well.”
AH-Mazing!
Have yourself some free therapy by watching the clip of Dolly’s interview with Colbert (below):
[Image via CBS]