Whoopi Goldberg Has a Message for Critics of Dolly Parton’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Outfit: ‘Bite Me’

Don’t mess with Dolly. Both Whoopi Goldberg and Dolly Parton‘s sister are coming to her defense after the 77-year-old country star’s sizzling Dallas Cowboys cheerleader costume at last week’s Thanksgiving NFL halftime show took some heat from critics who thought that the revealing outfit wasn’t age-appropriate.

Goldberg especially had some strong words — two of which may or may not have been “bite” and “me” — for the “9 to 5” singer’s haters. On the Monday (Nov. 27) episode of The View, the EGOT winner passionately brought up Parton’s outfit, joking that her own social media stir regarding her gloveless Thanksgiving turkey preparations wasn’t “the only subject online that people were hating.”

She continued, “77-year-old superstar Dolly Parton stole the show on Thanksgiving at the Cowboys-Commanders game dressed as a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader, but some critics told her to act her age.” Then, looking into the camera, the Goldberg firmly said, “Bite me!”

“Everybody that participated in this,” added the Sister Act star, “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Her comments seemed to earn a rare unanimous agreement from her View cohosts, with Sunny Hostin chiming in, “If I looked like that in one of them Cowboys things, I might have everything out. I don’t know if that’s a belly ring or what, but I want what she has.”

Also sticking up for the 10-time Grammy winner is Stella Parton, who tweeted Sunday (Nov. 26) to say, “I personally thought my big sister Dolly was cute as hell in her Dallas Cowboys cheerleading costume.” She added, “To those of you being so critical of a 77 year old kicking up her heels, I say f–k yourself. Shame on you not her.”

Parton rocked her polarizing look on Thursday (Nov. 23), singing some of her own hits along with a mashup of Queen‘s “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You” for the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kickoff Halftime Show. The performance came shortly after the iconic songwriter released her first ever rock album, Rockstar, which features collaborations with Paul McCartney, Sting, Steven Tyler, Debbie Harry, Rob Halford, Elton John, goddaughter Miley Cyrus and many more. 

See Whoopi Goldberg and Stella Parton defend the superstar’s outfit below: