I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb . . . And I also know that I'm not blonde.

Dolly Parton has long been the target of “dumb blonde” stereotypes because of her deliberately glamorous, platinum-blonde image—an image she has often described as a self-created persona rather than a reflection of her intellect. The remark is typically quoted from interviews in which Parton addresses public assumptions about her appearance and the way humor can be used to disarm prejudice. By turning the joke back on itself, she frames her look as performance and branding, while insisting on being judged by her work and savvy rather than by a sexist cultural cliché.

Dolly Parton uses self-deprecating wit to disarm a sexist stereotype. By saying she isn’t offended by “dumb blonde” jokes because she knows she’s neither dumb nor truly blonde, she flips the insult back onto the assumption behind it: that appearance (especially a hyper-feminine, “blonde bombshell” look) signals intelligence. The line also reflects Parton’s long-standing public persona—strategically embracing glamour and caricature while insisting on her agency, business acumen, and talent. The punchline (“I’m not blonde”) underscores the performative nature of celebrity image and gendered expectations: the “blonde” is a costume, and the joke is on anyone who mistakes the costume for the person.

1) “I’m not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know I’m not dumb… and I know I’m not blonde.”
2) “I’m not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes, because I know I’m not dumb—and I also know I’m not blonde.”