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Dolly Pardons Jessica

Fri., Dec. 8, 2006 2:18 PM PST by Natalie Finn

Dolly Parton doesn't know what the big fuss is about.

Hoping to dispel the tongue-wagging set off by Jessica Simpson's less-than-stellar rendition of "9 to 5" during the 29th Annual Kennedy Center Honors on Sunday, Parton stuck up for the admittedly starstruck pop singer.

"Jessica is so talented that I'm sure that someday they will be paying tribute to her, and I would be honored to perform for her," Parton said in a statement Thursday. "But I'll probably be so nervous that I'll forget my wig!"

The buxom country music icon was referring to Simpson's onstage comment Sunday, when she said, "Dolly, you make me so nervous, I can't even sing the words right," after flubbing a line of Parton's Grammy-winning tune, despite being aided by cue cards. Simpson then rushed off the stage while fighting back tears.

Various accounts of the event had Simpson pacing nervously backstage before she was scheduled to go on, breaking down during a video tribute to Parton and then getting a comforting pat on the shoulder from Reese Witherspoon, who was also on hand to give a shout-out to Dolly.

Reuters observed that Parton didn't look quite as honored during Simpson's appearance as she did during performances by Carrie Underwood and former duet partner Kenny Rogers.

Rep Cindy Berger later told USA Today that Simpson, 26, was "overcome with emotion" during her tribute to Parton, 60, and that "she wanted the song to be perfect, and she was upset with herself when it wasn't."

The A Public Affair singer was charitably given a do-over by show producers after the ceremony, however, and viewers catching the event later this month on CBS will see a more polished Simpson performance.

Parton's fellow honorees this year included Motown legend Smokey Robinson, filmmaker Steven Spielberg, Broadway mastermind Andrew Lloyd Webber and conductor Zubin Mehta, all of whom were feted by fellow industry greats Aretha Franklin, Tom Hanks, Phantom of the Opera muse Sarah Brightman and violinist Itzhak Perlman.