Christie Brinkley Nominates Dolly Parton for ‘Sports Illustrated’ After Wearing Cheerleading Outfit

Dolly Parton has earned the love of fans all over the world throughout her decades-long career, including Christie Brinkley! The supermodel hopes to see the country singer take on an exciting new project next — posing for Sports Illustrated.

On Thanksgiving Day, Dolly, 77, wore a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader uniform while performing at the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Commanders game in Arlington, Texas. While some took to social media to criticize her look, others, like Christie, 69, came to her defense.

“Whoever had the nerve to suggest that the one and only Dolly Parton should dress her age should sit down!” Christie captioned a throwback photo with Dolly on Instagram on Wednesday, November 29. “You should know you can’t define an icon like Dolly Parton by a number! Also immeasurable are her too numerous to count talents, her boundless good energy and effervescent humor and her golden philanthropic heart full of love!”

The Parks and Recreation alum continued, “The fact that she can also rock a Dallas cheerleader outfit too, is inspiring and fun!” adding, “Oh, and not to mention, @dollyparton is also topping Billboards chart this week! Brava! You go girl! I’ll cut this short like your killer outfit and just say, I LOVE YOU DOLLY! Maybe @si_swimsuit is next?”

In the comments section of the post, Christie’s followers agreed that Dolly would be the perfect candidate to front the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue in the future. She would join the ranks of Martha Stewart and Maye Musk, who both posed for the magazine after age 70.

Christie was just one of the stars who voiced their support for the “Jolene” singer’s flashy outfit after the halftime performance. The hosts of The View praised Dolly for her gorgeous look.

“If I look like that in one of them Cowboys things, I might have everything out,” Sunny Hostin said during an episode of the talk show on Monday, November 27. “I don’t know if that’s a belly ring or what, but I want what she has.”

Dolly performed a medley of her biggest hits during the NFL broadcast, as well as covers of Queen‘s “We Are the Champions” and “We Will Rock You.” She wore colorful eyeshadow and large silver earrings with the rhinestoned top and bottom that bared her toned midriff.

“Are you OK with 77-year-old Dolly Parton dressing like a 20-year-old Dallas Cowboy cheerleader?” one person wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, after the performance.

The songwriter’s sister Stella Parton later took to Twitter to support her sister amid online criticism.

“I personally thought my big sister, Dolly, was cute as hell in her Dallas Cowboys cheerleading costume at the halftime show on Thanksgiving,” she wrote on X on November 26. “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.”