When Dolly Parton ‘Married’ Hulk Hogan on TV: The Delightfully Absurd Story Behind a Legendary Skit

Long before celebrity cameos became a late-night staple, Dolly Parton and Hulk Hogan gave television one of its most delightfully unexpected pairings — and it all culminated in a fake, over-the-top wrestling ring wedding that fans still fondly remember.

It was September 27, 1987, the premiere night of Dolly, Parton’s high-profile ABC variety show. Packed with glitter, guest stars, and big laughs, the show aimed to showcase everything Dolly — her humor, her music, and of course, her love for theatrical flair. But nothing in the hour was quite as unforgettable as the faux-romantic union of the Queen of Country and the King of the Ring.

The skit was introduced with Dolly teasing a tongue-in-cheek music video for her new song, “Headlock on My Heart” — a cheeky response to tabloid rumors that she was dating a 300-pound professional wrestler. Enter Hulk Hogan, billed in the video as “Starlight Starbright”, wearing his trademark red-and-yellow gear and exuding peak ’80s wrestling bravado.

The music video unfolds like a campy fever dream. In it, Hogan takes to the ring against wrestler “Iron” Mike Sharpe, with Dolly watching adoringly from the crowd. As Hogan body slams and flexes his way to victory, Dolly, ever the dramatic fangirl, shrieks, “Starlight Starbright!” from the sidelines, barely able to contain herself.

Throwback To When Dolly Parton Married Hulk Hogan On TV

Then comes the punchline: an in-ring wedding, with Dolly donning a white veil and Hogan lifting her into his arms like a conquering hero. Parton sings:

He’s got a headlock on my heart
It was a takedown from the start
I love the heart that beats beneath his massive golden chest
I guess you could say he’s pinned me down for a lifetime…

Equal parts absurd and endearing, the video was classic Dolly — blending glam, humor, and just the right touch of self-parody.

Years later, Hogan shared the backstory of how the surreal scene came together in his 2002 autobiography. According to him, the whole thing started with a phone call — from Dolly herself.

“She called my house personally to pitch the segment,” Hogan wrote. “When I first got there and she kept telling me she loved me, I thought I was something special. Then I saw she told everybody she loved them… Apparently, that’s just her style.”

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For a moment, Hulk Hogan, one of the most recognizable wrestling stars on the planet, was caught off guard by Dolly’s megawatt charm and southern hospitality. But as filming went on, he realized that her affection was sincere — not just for him, but for everyone on set. “From the cameraman to the key grip to the other 80 guys walking around,” Hogan noted, “she treated them all like family.”

The segment never charted on the Billboard Hot 100, but it cemented its place in TV history as one of the most bizarrely lovable celebrity crossovers of the decade. Fans didn’t just tune in for Dolly’s music; they tuned in for the spectacle — and Dolly never failed to deliver.

Today, “Headlock on My Heart” remains a hidden gem in Dolly’s vast catalogue, and the skit itself is a perfect encapsulation of her essence: playful, unexpected, and unafraid to lean into the ridiculous — if it means making people smile.

So no, Dolly Parton and Hulk Hogan never actually tied the knot, but for one rainy Sunday night in 1987, they gave America a marriage of country and chaos it didn’t know it needed.

And as far as TV weddings go, this one was pure body slam bliss.