Dolly Parton Makes Surprise Appearance on Claim to Fame After Her Niece Is Eliminated

The celebrity relative of one of the Claim to Fame contestants was revealed on the July 10 episode, and that famous family member is none other than Dolly Parton.

By Elyse Dupre Jul 11, 2023 2:25 PMTags
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Here you come again—the latest elimination on Claim to Fame, that is.

Contestant Jada Star Roberts, who went by Jane, reached the end of her time on the ABC series after fans learned that her aunt is none other than Dolly Parton

In fact, the singer even made a quick cameo, sending a video message to her niece following her elimination.

"Hey, Jada. I am so proud of you," Dolly said in the clip. "It's been a joy watching you grow up. You know how much I've loved you and how close we've always been, being your aunt and all. So proud of you, girl."

And Jada—who noted that her aunt was the one to name her—sent the love right back.

"This is why I wanted to be here in the first place," she said, "because I wanted a chance to tell the whole world that she is exactly what you hope she is."

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Dolly Parton's Best Looks Through the Years

Jada's elimination came after she was put in the hot seat and picked fellow contestant Chris as her target, giving her the chance to guess Chris' celebrity relative. But when she found out her guess of the late Elvis Presley was wrong, her famous family member was revealed.

And she took the moment in stride, explaining before the big reveal, "I can't wait. I love them so much."

Casey Flanigan/imageSPACE/Shutterstock, ABC/John Fleenor

While the elimination was a heartbreaker for Jada, she couldn't be happier to talk about what it's like having Dolly as her aunt. 

"I got further than I ever thought I would," she added. "I really was in it to win it. However, how can you hide a superstar like Dolly Parton from anybody?"

As for what the 10-time Grammy winner thought of her appearing on the show?

"I didn't get on the show for me, who am I?" Jada told USA Today, noting she called Dolly to hear what she thought of her doing it. "I got on the show because my aunt is everyone's fairy godmother. Everyone loves her. When she saw what it was, and when I explained it to her, she said she was really proud. She told me she knew it was scary for me because she knows that I have a lot of anxiety. She was a little worried about me there but she was also really proud that I was getting out of my comfort zone. She's the best cheerleader on Earth."

And just remember, Dolly—Jada will always love you. 

"It's wonderful," she added about their relationship. "She is the absolute best aunt you could ever dream of—for all of my cousins and our family, she's [our] mom and she's [our] confidant. She's got you when it feels like no one else has got you. She would always make jokes about, ‘Well, I'm like a grandma. You get to come, and I spoil you, and then you get to go home to your parents.' So we just called her Aunt Granny."

Claim to Fame, hosted by Kevin and Franklin Jonas, airs Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.