Dolly Parton & Carl Dean's Marriage Wasn't Swayed By Affair Rumors: 'False Reports Were Silly'

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Dolly Parton was an entertainer in every way, and she knew that part of being a star was having a public persona and a look that was instantly recognizable. Parton's personality was like her outfits, loud and brash, and never hiding who she was or what she believed. As open as Parton was, that didn't stop rumors from spreading, including ones about her stepping out on her husband, Carl Dean. But, according to a source that spoke to the Daily Mail, "Dolly always seemed happy and laughed at any rumors; she thought the false reports were silly."

Long before the internet made it easy to happen, stories about Parton having affairs were plentiful. The chemistry she shared with Reynolds in "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" led people to believe the two must have had a tryst while making the movie. Parton put an end to the whispers in her autobiography, "Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business." In the book, Parton recalls being asked about the leading man and responding, "Shoot, no! Burt and I are too much alike to be involved. We both wear wigs and high heels, and we both have a roll around the middle."

There was even talk that Parton and Miley Cyrus' dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, were doing more than just touring together in the 1990s. The "Achy Breaky Heart" singer recalled her reaction on Instagram, writing, "In true Dolly fashion, she just looked at me, winked and said, 'Honey, this trash sells records!'"

What Dolly Parton said to Billy Ray Cyrus wasn't off the cuff. The legendary singer once told Playboy, "You've got to have a gimmick. You've got to have something that will catch the eye and hold the attention of the public," and that belief applied to rumors of affairs behind her husband, Carl Dean's, back as well. Talking with the National Enquirer, Parton explained why she was slow to dissuade people from thinking she had quite a few lovers outside of her marriage, saying, "You might even say I enjoyed fanning the flames by not giving a flat 'yes' or 'no' answer to all the questions." She further fanned the flames in 2012, telling ABC News, she's "been accused of being involved with every man I'm ever seen with or worked with. Maybe I have, maybe I ain't. I never tell if I have."

Parton explained how her marriage to Dean worked to the Irish Mirror, saying, "He's not jealous, and I'm not jealous of him. He knows I flirt. He flirts too. Yes, it's an open relationship, but not sexually, and I would kill him if I thought he was doing that. He would shoot me too. At the end of the day, we love each other madly." Parton admitted that people might not know she had at least one emotional affair that left her devastated. But through it all, Carl was there for her, and she was there for him. As she explained it to the Daily Mail, "I've had crushes on some very unusual men, but Carl knows I'll always come home."