those who want to use religion as a weapon? the outcome will resonate far beyond these streets, these neighborhoods and even these borders as the rest of the world borders as the rest of the world watches britain's war within. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >> larry: tonight, he's gone from being homeless to hanging out with oprah and making megamillions at the movies. >> i always believed that it would work no matter what. >> larry: he directs, writes, produces and plays a pistol-packing grandma named madea. >> did i ever ask you for some me time? what the hell is me time? >> larry: tyler perry shares his amazing story. and then -- the one and only dolly parton. >> i'm always ready. >> larry: she knows all about surviving tough economic times. and the scandal press. >> i'm going to get that gun of mine. and i'm going to change you from

a rooster to a hen with one shot. >> larry: she's got a message for tabloids, leave jessica simpson alone. it's all next on "larry king live." >> larry: we welcome to "larry king live," great pleasure to have him with us, tyler terry. actor, producer, director, writer. other than that, what else? the new movie is "madea goes to jail." his new tv show is "house of payne." spelled p-a-y-n-e. "forbes" magazine named him the number three top earning black star grossing $125 million a year. he went from being homeless and living in his car, how did that happen? how did you go from that to this? >> well, listen, that was a great introduction there for me to even think about. i try not to think about it in those terms. >> larry: what were you doing living in a car? >> i had started doing my play back in 19 -- >> larry: playwright? >> yes. i was watching the oprah show -- she said it was cathartic to

write things down. i started writing my first play in 1992. performed that show from 1992 to 1998. had the rent payment, car payment, everything tied up into it. rolled the dice one too many times and ended up out on the streets sleeping in my car back in about '96, '97. >> larry: for how long? >> three-month period i would be sleeping in the car. when i couldn't afford a pay by the week hotel i would sleep in the car. it was character building, i think. >> larry: what got you out? >> just faith. i'm a man who has always had faith in god and always had faith in what i do. i always believed that it would work no matter what happened, that one day it would come to pass. in 1998, i had one last chance. this was going to be my last show. i did it at the house of blues in atlanta. and that show sold out. from that show to -- i came off the road about two years ago with "madea goes to jail," the play. i was seeing about 30,000, 40,000 people a week.

i was playing arenas by the time i came off the road with the play. >> larry: you write plays? s >> that's where i started, yes. >> larry: what was a play doing in the house of blues? >> yeah. right. what happened was the house of blues had, was there for the olympics in 1996 and there was a church they had turned into the house of blues. i had an opportunity to rent the place because it had like 1,100 seats and it was the perfect size of what i wanted to do. >> larry: what kind of plays do you write? >> they're called gospel musicals. they have been called urban theater. chitlin circuit theater. which is a thing i'm really, really proud of. first off, i used to be embarrassed by that term. then i found out the history about it. when black people couldn't perform in the establishments, such as marion anderson, you name it. you go down the list, billie holiday, they would go on this circuit where black people would be -- there would be chitlins there. and she would sing and perform. that's how they supported their families and become famous.

so los angeles before anyone knew my name, i was doing really well on this circuit, and that is why i am able to do the movies and to be in the position i'm in now. >> larry: what are you first? because you perform, you write, you do a lot of things -- are you a playwright who does the other things? >> i'm tired, that's what i am first. i'm tired. i think every part of my brain has to work. i started doing the plays, i had no money. so i did everything. when you train yourself to do everything, drive the car, turn the lights on, turn the sound on, pay the people, i didn't know how to let that go when i got into film and television. i'm still doing everything. i don't know what to call myself. >> larry: what do you like about writing plays? >> these shows were my catharsis. i had a lot of forgiveness to do in my life. i had crazy teenage years. and 20s and trying to get myself together and find out who i was,

i would write, you know, after the oprah advice on her show. what i loved about it is that i could take this work and do a silly character like madea or brown who is another character and these really silly characters and then i can put these great messages insooide o them. when children see them and families see them, they can walk away with something they can use. >> larry: what were you angry at? >> i grew up in a household where my father, and i don't want to make him a villain here, but he was a person who was really, really abusive. i was really upset about that until i found out who he was and why. he was found in a drainage canal at 2 years old in rural louisiana. a white man found him and brought him to 14-year-old woman to raise. the woman who became my grandmother. her parents were a couple of generations out of slavery. so all they knew is to beat. if the child did something, beat that out of them. he brought that. i'm his first son and that's what was done to me. >> larry: you were raised in new orleans? >> i was. new orleans.

great town. >> larry: like growing up there? >> there's no better backdrop in new orleans for the stories that i tell or for anything that i have been able to do because you learn and you meet all kinds of people and all kinds of situations. i really did like it. >> larry: they all tyler christian based. >> they're faith based. yes. they are because of my own faith and my own beliefs, i wanted to when i have a character who has a problem, if i don't know how to solve it, that's what i go to for myself, and that's what i go to in the scripts. >> larry: how do you handle making all of -- here, you're a kid -- a guy living in a car not too long ago, making all this money, how do you handle that? >> you mean the money? >> larry: how do you deal with poverty to the opposite of poverty? to the opposite of poverty. >> that's been my life. there's never been a middle. i either had or i didn't. either i was up or i was down.

the thing about it, what's great about it, being on the road for all of those years, for ten years, gaining a little bit at a time prepared me for this situation. i got good people around me who tell me, try this, do this. do that and do this. and i respect their opinions. >> larry: do you fear it coming down? >> do i fear coming down? no. i'm working too hard to come down. i'm going to keep working and working. i really believe you reap what you sow. if you keep working it's going to come to you. >> larry: tyler perry is with us. what is it like dressing in drag? that's ahead. also ahead dolly parton. now this is a coupling tonight. stay with us.

dr. phil's not going to come. stop his show and come down to atlanta to shoot this thing. just hang it up. just put the cameras on and just roll and just let us go. and we went. >> why do you feel the need that you got to get somebody all the time? >> when you're getting got and somebody has got you, when you get them, everybody is going to get got. >> you're getting the gotters when they didn't do anything to get you. >> the got will get me i'm going to get my glock. >> larry: all right. who is madea? >> a cross between my mother and my aunt. she's the pg version of those ladies. yeah, i was doing my old man character person. i wanted to try something different. i saw eddie murphy do the clumps. i wonder if i have a grandmother character to try. that's what i came up with. she is pretty outrageous. >> larry: what was it like to dress in drag? >> i look at it as a costume. people at walmart have their

uniforms. i feel like i'm putting on a uniform to do a movie. i don't feel like i'm dressing in drag. you're embarrassing me, larry. >> larry: i think you look cute. >> oh, cut it out. >> larry: does madea only appear in movies? >> you would. you would think madea's cute. that's awful. no. only in movies? stop it, stop it. you know, well, you know -- it's only been the plays and only been the movies. >> larry: no personal appearances? >> no. only in plays and movies. it has to be an environment that i can control her and i feel safe. that's what works for me. >> larry: how did you name her? >> madea's a southern term for mother dear. there are a lot of madeas out there, and especially in african-american culture, they know the name already. >> larry: are there a lot of comedy in your plays?

>> i'm going the count to one, if you don't get into this house. one -- >> yes, ma'am. >> what the hell are you doing out there? who was you out there with? >> my friend kelly. >> it better not be r-kelly. i know that. >> yeah, comedy's a big part of it. i found myself laughing through situations in my life, if i didn't laugh, i didn't know where i would be. comedy is very important to me. >> larry: you also -- you got a new tv show, "house of payne." what's that? >> a show that i did with tbs. they did a 100 episode order. >> larry: our sister station. >> yes, yes. about a year and a half ago. we shot 100 episodes in a year. we signed on to do 70 episodes of "meet the browns." half hour sitcoms on tbs. >> larry: it is heart to write? >> you know, it depends on what -- where i am in life. like, everything in my life, i pretty much take it to my screen. why did i get married? i was just coming out of an interesting relationship. every woman in the movie was some part of that relationship. whatever's going on in my life

is -- those are the experiences that i write about. >> larry: the christian aspect of your life, your faith, how did you find that? >> well, my mother was, friday nights were tough in our house and saturday nights because my father would go out and get drunk and come home and there would be hell to pay. but every sunday morning she would wake me up and take me to church. this is the only time i saw her smile and laugh and be happy. i was trying to find pictures of her smiling and could and find one. it made me really sad. i thought about those days when she was at church and she would be singing and happy. i wanted to know the god that made my mother happy. that's why i started that journey then. i don't think i fully came to understand it up until the time -- now, when i'm in my mid 30s, going into 40. i'll be 40 in about seven months. >> larry: why is the church so central a part of the black culture? >> when we were brought here, we

had nothing but faith. you know, and i think as we have grown, we don't -- in general, as african-americans, as black people, we don't have therapy, we don't have -- can't afford the therapists or the release, so we go to church. the pastor becomes that for us. that's why it's so important. >> larry: it's been said many times the black woman is the strongest individual figure in america. >> wow. >> larry: the black mother. >> wow. you know what i agree with that. i absolutely agree with that. the strongest individual figure. yeah, because the things that they have to take on it's just -- it's unreal. and it makes me proud to, you know, wear the skin. >> larry: did you ever think about giving up? >> oh, yes. yeah. >> larry: lots? >> yeah. >> but the thing that kept me going was the faith. there was always this little bit of a spark of life that said, it's going to be okay, just keep going, just keep moving.

the thing that i had to do, is and what i tell people to keep going on in these economic times, to keep moving, every step. no matter how small. some days you don't want to get out of bed. if you take one step every day, you get there. yeah. >> larry: when he speaks, hollywood listens. oprah, tyra banks. t.d. jakes are all his friends. we're getting to them. more with tyler perry and the secret of his success in 60 seconds. big deal. i'll just use my phone. let's say we crashed. whoops, your phone's gone. onstar automatic crash response can call to see if you're ok. if you don't answer, they can automatically send help. i think i'll ride with you. now during the chevy red tag event, get an '09 malibu with 0 percent apr for 72 months. see red and save green. now at your local chevy dealer.

>> larry: we're back with tyler perry. when he makes a movie, audiences go to see it. guaranteed. his latest film "madea goes to jail." here's a look. >> all rise. the honorable judge mathis presiding. you may be seated. first case -- dec decalb county calls -- >> is that who the hell i think it is? >> i'm looking at this case and your record is ridiculous, ma'am. >> thank you. >> i don't know how you're on

the street. >> your honor. >> i'm talking. you should have been locked up a long time ago. >> be quiet. >> madea. >> what do you have to say for yourself? >> now it's my turn to talk? >> you've heard the saying speak when you're spoken to, or otherwise shut up. >> it's time for some sentencing. bailiff. what time do you have on your watch? >> 5 to 10. >> 5 to 10, that's your sentence. >> come on, what are you going to do? you ain't going to take me back to jail. i ain't going. i ain't going. i ain't going. >> they could have found a different clip to show. >> larry: we'll be back with the megatalent that is tyler perry right after this.

you saw me take this spot.

>> i took it. >> my god, look at your car. >> i run this prison. >> young man. i guess nobody told you i'm madea, ma to d-e-a. >> did you see "basic instinct?" this ain't that kind of movie. ♪ she's a lady, and the lady is mine ♪ >> larry: first parody i have seen of that. that's going be a big hit. "madea goes to jail." the guest is tyler perry. you were spotted with oprah last year in italy. are you now a power couple. >> i love it. oprah's very, very special to me. she's an amazing woman. my life has come full circle from her inspiring me to write my first scripts. to me knowing her and us being

personal friends. no, we're not a power couple. she's just a very good friend of mine. >> larry: you're inspired by watching her. >> yes. to have her as a friend is really great. >> larry: one of your plays is a staging of bishop td jakes book "women, you are loosed." >> yes. >> larry: you are friends with the bishop? >> yes. you ask me how i handle it. knowing those kinds of people, knowing tyra, knowing oprah, knowing him. they can give me advice. they can help me navigate through all of this stuff. >> larry: you're not afraid to say i need help? >> oh, no. are you kidding me. >> larry: some people get big, i'm the third largest grossing in dollars, black person in america. i don't need help. >> that's an idiot. that's a complete idiot. walking through this life, i think there are people who have gone before us that we have to pay attention to because they have things that they can offer

like i talk to cicily tyson and sidney portier -- they all helped me. absolutely. >> larry: quite a night recently, the naacp image awards here in los angeles. you and cast members with trophies in nearly every category you were nominated in. >> and the image award goes to -- >> tyler perry's "house of payne." >> larry: and you co-hosted with halle berry. let's take a look. >> sit down. all of the walking up and down the aisle, we're on tv. i'm sorry. i'm sorry. we're live. we're live. dr. maya angelo couldn't be here so i said i would do this. we have gathered tonight to celebrate the power and the influence of images have had on the world. >> larry: what was that like for you? >> it was really great. this is the 100th year for the

naacp, 100 years ago to the day was the night of the show. to stand there with halle berry to have al gore, and for the show to win, it was all so surreal. i had to take it all in. >> larry: the election of barack obama has had an emotional effect on many people, and for example colin powell cried on camera. what did it mean for you? >> you know what, larry, i got to tell you. i was beginning to see the world as black and white. i opened the studio and we had -- the biggest thing that has happened in film a long time and had no coverage of it, there was very little -- cnn did something of course. i was surprised and i started to think, why is that? is it because of black? i began to see things as black and white. the night he won, i sat -- the night he won, i had fallen asleep, i heard screaming. i opened my eyes and it was a

looking at the church, and they were going crazy on cnn. it was ebenezer. that moment for me meant its content of your character -- that's how he was judged. if you see the world in black and white that's what it will become. for me now, because he won, i realized we're all human beings. we're all people and our experiences are all similar. >> larry: that multimillion studio is in atlanta. >> yes, it is. >> larry: all of your work is done there? >> yes, everything is done, there and we have five sound stages there. back lot, new york city street back lot. 200,000 square feet. 30 acres. five-acre pond. it's an amazing place. good to be able to go somewhere where you feel good. >> larry: and that's home, atlanta? >> it's home. i have a house in l.a. and a place in new york. but atlanta's home. sure. >> larry: we'll be back with tyler perry, what a guy, don't go away. ♪

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>> larry: we're back with tyler perry. let's take a look at a scene from the new winning comedy series, "house of payne." watch. >> curtis, can you help us? >> yeah, we stuck. name two great kings. >> i got it. two great kings for $200. the first great king is smoking and second one is drinking. smoke and drinking. write that down. >> larry: she's a character. >> smoking, drinking, larry king. great kings. >> larry: it's an african-american family, three generations of family in it. pure comedy? >> pure comedy. but we put a lot of drama into it, too. it's really important for me to leave a message.

we talk about breast cancer awareness to hiv and aids. we have covered so much in this show. great thing about it is having this show. what people don't know is the ratings among african-americans are higher than "csi miami." they're higher than "oprah," they're higher than "desperate housewives" and "american idol." it's a fantastic thing to have and have people appreciate for what it is. >> larry: it's been around. it's new in syndication on tbs. >> it has been around for a year, a year on tbs and this is the first year it has been in syndicati syndication. it is doing very well. >> larry: you're only 39, right? >> right. >> larry: all of this success, where do you go from here? >> you know, opening the studio, i got really depressed after it was done that was a huge goal of mine. once i got it, i was like, what's next? i had to search myself for a minute. but i want to own a network. >> larry: oh. >> give myself five years. >> larry: you got one in mind? >> i got my eye on something. but to own this network so that

every time you turn it on, no matter if it is five minutes or five hours, you are totally inspired. everything, the commercials are inspirational, the stories are inspirational. that's my plan. >> larry: cable network. >> yes. cable network. >> larry: does making money come easy to you? >> i don't think about it. i honestly don't think about it. >> larry: it's just an after thing? >> yeah. >> larry: it is an occurrence from what you do? >> it's an occurrence from doing what i love. from day one, i never, ever chased the money. never thought about money. it's all about how is this going to better serve humanity and me as a person? the messages that i'm leaving with people is something that they can use, something -- everything that i have done with this tyler perry brand means faith, family and forgiveness. that's what all of my things have been about. that is the bottom line. so the money -- the money comes. >> larry: great pleasure meeting you. >> and you, too, my friend. thank you so much for having me here. >> larry: tyler perry what a story. dolly parton's here. got a message for all of those

people tearing into jessica simpson. dolly will shoot from the lip next.

♪ >> larry: what a great pleasure to welcome dolly parton to "larry king live." the entertainment legend, she has sold over 100 million records. a winner of seven grammys, 11 cmas. a kennedy center honor.

and two oscar, five golden globes and an emmy nomination. her new show, "9 to 5 -- the musical," is about to hit broadway. she's in washington. i'm in new york. what are you doing in washington? >> i'm here all day doing press. because i'm going to be the international ambassador for the 75th anniversary of the great smoky mountains national park this coming year. i'm out talking about that. trying to get people to come down to the smokies. we have done a lot of wonderful work today. getting people aware of that. lot of fun stuff going. i have done a cd. i have written a musical for the dollywood opening about the people in the smokies. and how it was when they were being moved out of the mountains to build the park. so it's just a fun thing. we got all the cherokee indians and everybody in east tennessee involved in it. >> larry: it's a great place. the smokeys. i have been there. i have never had a better time

than in the smokies and they could not choose a better ambassador than you. you're a businesswoman. have you been hurt in these times? >> i think everybody is a little scared right now. with dollywood our theme park, we were down a little last year. but of course we're very concerned about it and we've put a few little things on hold until we see what the economy is going to do. but we have our big dreams and trying to get people to come down. certainly at the smoky mountains, it's all free. so, you can come and have a good time there, and if you have a little money left over, you cocome to see me at dollywood and all of my places of business. >> larry: everybody knows how poor you were growing up. life right now is a hard candy christmas. your great record for a lot of people. do you have advice for people down on their luck? >> well, i know that people are very scared and i know it's hard to be poor. i have been poor, so i know what it's like to be without and i know what it's like to have. a lot of people that were poor to begin with, they're having an even harder time. so i'm just hoping that things work out good.

i think we have to keep our faith and not be so scared and have to lean on our faith a little bit and pray a little bit and hope a little bit and hopefully things are going to be okay. >> larry: one thing good in times like this, family spends more time together. >> i think that's true. these kind of things do draw you together, if nothing else out of fear and concern. and we take so many things for granted. and when times like these happen, i think it does draw es closer as a family and so it's natural i think for people to react and to be scared and justly so. if they don't know what's going on in washington, d.c., people like us we really don't know what to think. >> larry: what do you think of president obama? >> well, i'm very excited about the fact that we've got someone new in the white house. i think obama is going to be a great president and like i said today, different times when they asked me, i think we all need to

get behind him, pray for him and support him and hope hfor the best. this is a great country. we've been through hard times many times and we've come out ahead. so i'm hoping that things are good and i really hope that he knows what he's doing. he seems to. and we all need to have faith in this whole new change we're going through. >> larry: would you serve in washington, if asked? >> me? no. i'm not a politician and i don't want to be. i make jokes about it all the time and in fact i think they're showing some clips i did today where i was talking about me not running for president because they asked me if i would. i said i think we've had enough boobs in the white house and they don't need mine. >> larry: ever worry about being poor again? >> well, i don't say that i sit around and worry about it, but i give it some thought. i do remember how it was to be poor. i do remember that in my early

years, we had to grow and raise all of our food, even our animals. i remember in my early life, we didn't even have electricity. so it was very, very hard times then. so i still remember how to do those things, if i had to go back, i think i would. i would hate to have to give up my nails to claw in the dirt but i would know how to do it if i had to. i think i would have a little head start over some people. that's never grown up that way. but lord knows, you know, it's like i don't want to have to do that again. but i've written many songs about that, like no amount of money could buy from me the memories i have of then. but no amount of money could pay me to go back and live through it again. i would only do it if i had to. but i would if i had to. >> larry: quincy jones wants the president to create a new cabinet level position, secretary of the arts and culture. what do you think of that? >> that sounds like a good idea. i think first we better get our

food on our table, don't you? >> larry: i guess. how many songs have you written? >> well, you know, i don't count them, larry, but i've been writing since i was a little bitty girl. i was probably 7 years old when i started playing the guitar and writing serious songs. so i know that i have at least 3,000 songs that i've written. i've got songs in boxes, drawers, stuff i carried from home when i left that i still haven't gotten through. and i write something almost every day, at least an idea down. but that's not to say they're all good. but that's what i do, and that's what i love to do. >> larry: have you had to lay off people at dollywood? >> right now we're doing pretty good at dollywood. right now we're doing our best to not have to lose a bunch of people and we're like everybody else in business, we're shuffling around, trying to figure out how to do it, putting some things on hold so we don't have to start running people off and making them lose their jobs. so we're trying very hard to be considerate in all that, because

we're very proud of all our people. and as you know, it's not easy having that many people depending on you. and you certainly don't want to have people lose their jobs. >> larry: dolly has a special blog you'll see only on our website. go to cnn.com/larryking and you'll read what dolly has written exclusively for you. next, dolly knows what it is like when your looks grab the attention. her advice for jessica simpson? we'll ask her after this. as the great recession? or as the recession that made us great? allstate has seen twelve recoveries. but this one's different. because we're different. we realized our things are not as important... as the future we're building with the ones we love. protect yours. put it... in good hands. ♪ announcer: there's an easier way. create your own business site

with intuit websites. just choose a style, then customize, publish and get found. sweet. get a 30-day free trial at intuit.com. ♪ joline joline >> larry: welcome back. dolly's been busy blogging for us. check it out only our website. cnn.com/larryking. one thing you can always count on, dolly's never dull. we'll take a look at some great dolly moments from over the years. >> i have a special surprise for you tonight. >> ready? >> i'm always ready. ♪ why do you come in here looking like that ♪

♪ in your cowboy boots and your painted on jeans ♪ ♪ all decked out like a cowgirl's dream ♪ ♪ why'd you come in here looking like that ♪ >> you don't whether to scratch his watch or wind his butt. i'm going to get that gun of mine and change you from a rooster to a hen with one shot! there are two kinds of people in this world -- and you ain't one of them. ♪ traveling mind ♪ big ideas, little behind ♪ out with a different woman every night ♪ >> would i want to disappoint my little honey? ♪ why did you come in here looking like that ♪ >> you hold your horses. besides, i want to do it. sometimes you got to honk your own horn. because if you don't, nobody is going to know you're coming. go get them, animals. imagine a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. howdy, boys.

>> larry: classic dolly. still to come -- "9 to 5 the musical" don't go anywhere or you'll miss it. there's a big reason to lower high cholesterol... dangerous plaque that can build up in arteries. it's called atherosclerosis--or athero. and high cholesterol is a major factor. but crestor can help slow the buildup of plaque in arteries. go to arterytour.com and take an interactive tour to learn how plaque builds up. and then ask your doctor if crestor is right for you.

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♪ >> i'm don lemon in new york. here is what is happening right now. the failed christmas day attack was a stark reminder of al qaeda's top goals and this is a word of a top government official who says that al qaeda is testing u.s. defenses as they pln to launch and attack on u. soil. they say that the counterterrorism department knows that with an absolute certainty the terrorists are working to refine their methods. no u.s. service member lost their life in iraq. this is the first time it has happened since the top of the war. the top commander is calling it a significant milestone. since march of 2003, 3,477 have died in combat.

after three days of rain and mudslides, rescuers are pulling bodies from beneath huge mountains of mud and dirt in brazil. the coastal city in brazil has been hit hard. rescue teams are on duty round the clock, but hope is fading for survivors there. at least 60 people have been killed in the southeastern part of that country. those are the headlines this hour. i'm don lemon keeping you informed. cnn, the most trusted na me in news. ♪ ♪ stumbled out of bed ♪ stumbled to the kitchen >> you always say that. >> when i'm trying to get myself out of trouble. ♪ working 9 to 5 ♪ what a way to make a living ♪ barely getting by it is all taking and no giving ♪ ♪ they just use your mind ♪ and they never give you credit ♪

>> larry: we're back with dolly parton. you're jessica simpson's idol. and jessica has gotten a ton of attention about her figure lately, front cover of "people" magazine. what do you say to her? >> well, i say people always treat her bad. they always talk bad about her. i just recorded a song with her a few months ago. i never had -- i have never been around a person any sweeter in my life. she's a great singer. i have been fat and skinny. i'm not about to say something about somebody else's weight. i know how hard it is when you gain 5 or 6 pounds and certainly 10 or 12. i don't know how overweight she is. i have not seen her. i know that jessica is a good girl. she's beautiful to me. i'm sure that she's going to get some weight off just because people won't leave her alone. she'll have to get skinny just to get people to shut the hell up. >> larry: what do you say to people calling her fat? >> i said that's not a nice thing to say. >> larry: on the heels on the weight controversy, things got worse for her. i know you like her so much. she had a bad performance in michigan.

forgot lyrics, mumbled through songs and fought back tears. has that ever happened to you? have you ever had a night where everything goes wrong? >> yeah. i think every entertainer have nights when things go wrong. you can't remember everything all the time. especially if you're having hard times personally, things going on that you -- and if people make it worse, that makes you feel worse. like i say, i think she's very sensitive, because she had been treated bad. i have been treated nicer in my career, but, yeah, i have made a mistake here and there. in fact, last week i did a charity show and i sang with kel kelly pickler, and we couldn't hear the sound on stage. the band was playing in one tempo and kellie and i were singing in another. we were singing with each other and singing to an echo in the house. everybody was doing something different. that came out and made us sound like we couldn't sing.

we didn't sound like we could that night. we didn't know what had happened. we didn't realize we got out of time with the band. >> larry: at the kennedy center honors in 2007, jessica sang a song and it was cut from the show. do you know why? >> yes. that song was "9 to 5." they asked her to come sing because she was a fan of mine. she sang the song, she got nervous. she looked up in the balcony and saw me and got intimidated and lost the words. i should have my own butt kicked for writing so many words in that song. i told her that song's hard for me. she just got -- she kind of lost track a little bit and couldn't get all of the words in. she asked to go back and sing it again after the show. i have to tell you, several people went back and resang their songs. they didn't talk about that and they just talked about jessica and how bad that was. i don't know jessica all that well and i wouldn't say we're friends or big buddies. i just go help her out when i can. she asked me to sing with her

and when they ask me things, i say it. i just think it's cruel to hammer somebody to death. >> larry: she gets hit a lot with the paparazzi, have you had trouble with them? >> no. i've never had much trouble with the paparazzi. i don't run the same circles that a lot of these people do get hounded by the paparazzi. if i got out, certainly they take pictures. and after a while, you get weary and it gets on you their nerves. but they don't run after me like that, i don't think i'm all that popular. in that way. >> larry: you make the tabloids a lot, though? >> yeah, do i. there always saying something about me. i always try to read them so i can see what i'm up to now. >> larry: some people don't read them. some entertainers don't read them. you read them? >> i do. because i believe everything about everybody but me. i want to see who's doing what. >> larry: you're unusual in many respects. you're a great entertainer. the kennedy center honors don't happen to many. you also have a lot of gay fans. you have dealt with gay rumors yourself.

what is your appeal, you think, to the gay community? >> i think the gay people have liked me because i have always been myself. i am not intimidated by how people perceive me. i don't judge nor criticize people. i think that is another reason they at least know that i'm sympathetic. i think that all people have a right to be who they are. we are all god's children and god should be the one to judge and not other people. so i have a lot of gay friends and lesbian friends and i work with a lot of people. i am not gay. i have been accused of that, but i have been happily married for 42 years to the same man. he is not the least bit, you know, threatened by the fact that i may be gay, and he knows that i have a lot of friends, but i love everybody. it does not matter to me. >> but your husband does not seek the limelight at all? >> no, my husband would never dream of talking to you in a million years, but he will watch you. >> what does he do for a living?

>> well, he was in asphalt paving with his father and he is retired now and takes care of the things on the farm, and takes care of some of the business, and he likes to do a little banking, and that sort of thing. he does what he wants to, and he doesn't have to do that much, but i work all of the time. >> is this the slimmest you have ever been? >> the slimmest? >> larry: the slimmest. >> well, a couple of years back, i got smaller, because i had a problem, but i am okay now. i had a little bit of a stomach ache here and there and now and then and i was not holding my food down as good as i should, but now i have my weight in a good spot. i am tiny. i am only five feet tall, so 100 or 110 is plenty of weight for me. >> larry: well, you have had great plastic surgery by the way. >> you have, too, ain't you? >> larry: no, not me. i'm too scared

>> well, i'm the type of person that if i need something, i get it done. i say if i have something sagging and dragging, i will get it nipped, tucked and sucked. >> larry: we will be back with dolly parton. louis, keep up the good work with our shipments. it's -- it's peter. great job, everybody! that's a closet. you know what, guys? take the afternoon off! we can't. that is why i hired you. world's proudest boss. [ male announcer ] we understand. you can never have too much help. fedex office. and all of these. paid invoices go right here. bang! - that hasn't been paid yet. - what? - huh-uh. - all my business information is just a phone call away-- to my wife... who's not answering. announcer: there's a better way to run your business. intuit quickbooks online organizes your business in one place. it easily creates invoices and helps you stay on top

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♪ ♪ stumble out of bed ♪ stumible ble to the kitchen ♪ we're back with dolly parton, who is the ambassador for the great smoky mountains. she has a new cd out. the proceeds benefit the great smoky mountains park. it's available at dollywood.org.

or friends of the smokys.org. can you sing a few bars of this? >> the name of the album means land of blue smoke. it's about the cherokee indians in the smokey mountains. it's like a oo-a-oo-a-ee ♪ listen to the sound of the cherokee ♪ i forgot. it's just a fun thing. any how, there's a lot of songs, that's the only indian one, but there's a lot of songs about the great smoky mountains. "my mountain is my home" and "my tennessee mountain home" and similar songs to that. "my heart lives in the smokys,"

and there's eight songs on the cd. and all the money goes to benefit the park. >> everyone loves "9 to 5," one of the classic comedies ever made. >> i got a gun out there in my purse, and up until now i've been forgiving and forgetting because of the way i was brought up. if you ever say another word about me or make another indecent proposal, i'm going to get that gun of mine and change you from a rooster to a hen with one shot. don't think i can't do it. >> larry: why did you never follow up that movie with "9 to 5, ii"? >> i wondered that too. after all this time, they're doing a musical. i was fortunate to write the words and the music to it. it's to open on the 30th of april on broadway. we're going into rehearsals on the 7th of april, and then hopefully everything's going to work out good. >> larry: it is a nervous time

to open up on broadway, dolly. a lot of concern. >> it is. i think there's a lot of concern about it. a lot of people i'm working with are concerned. some of the shows have closed on broadway. some of them were leaving anyway but, it's a tricky time. we're going to go on with it, as far as i know. unless something changes that i'm not aware of. >> larry: has the original cast seen the musical? >> yes, jane and dabny and lilly came to the opening night there in los angeles for the workshop. they came to the opening night there, and it was wonderful to see all the new people, dabney, lily, jane and i sitting out in the audience watching everybody. they got a big kick out of it. the musical is going to be good. i have a new single out called "back woods barbie." it is one of the songs in the musical, and i have a video coming out on that, too, that will be released in march, just after the show opens. >> larry: is the musical the

storyline of the film? >> well, i tried to write -- actually, the show is -- basically what it was in the movie. we just added some great music that -- well, i like to think it was great. we added music, and that was a great element to the story. the characters are true to what they were in the movie. the people that we have, we have a wonderful cast, and i'm proud to be part of it. i would hate for it not to get its just do, so let's hope for the best. >> larry: last season you mentored the contestants on the "american idol," what do you think of that show? >> i think it's a great show, people love that show. i can't believe the viewers that they have. they've all been very nice to me. i had a lot of comments when i was on the show. maybe i will have a chance to do it again. >> are the judges too hard on the contestants? >> well, that's what they do. they are there to judge. they've asked me at different times, different places, different shows to judge people and their talent, it's just hard for me to do, because i know how sincere they all are.

i know the ones who are great don't work any harder than ones who are not so great. and i know that the ones who are not so great are just as sincere, so it breaks my heart to tell somebody that they suck. >> larry: among the many things that dolly does is write children's books. she has a new children's book titled "i am a rainbow." what is that about? >> i give a book a month to every child through my imagination library through the dollywood foundation at dollywood. this book is called "i am a rainbow." and it is all about the different moods of children. it is very simple and sweet and kind of done in rhyme, and it is talking about the colors and the moods of children. >> larry: dolly, you are ageless. you are a delight. you are an amazing, amazing performer and i thank you for being with