Now vowing to give away most of his $124 billion fortune, Jeff Bezos has made Dolly Parton the latest recipient of his Courage and Civility Award — awarding her $100 million USD to donate to the charities she sees fit.
While the monetary value calls back to Dr. Evil — and it wouldn't be the first time Bezos took inspiration from the fictional villain — Parton has assured us that she will use the money to "do good things."
"We have in this very room, the recipient of the next Courage and Civility Award," Bezos said in a social media video. "The woman you're about to meet embodies these ideals so thoroughly. She gives with her heart. What she's done for kids, for illiteracy and so many other things is just incredible. It is my great honour to welcome the 2022 Courage and Civility recipient up on stage: Dolly Parton."
"Wow! Did you say 100 million dollars?" Parton said as she took the podium. "When people are in a position to help, you should help."
"And I know that I've always said I try to put my money where my heart is, and I think you do the same thing," she continued while gesturing to Bezos. "I'm going to do my best to do good things with this money. Thank you, Jeff."
Parton has donated much of her own wealth over the years, most recently paying for 100 percent of Dollywood staffers' tuition fees and contributing to the creation of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. She has also been historically apprehensive of accepting awards that only benefit herself, originally bowing out of the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame race before accepting her recent induction.
While the monetary value calls back to Dr. Evil — and it wouldn't be the first time Bezos took inspiration from the fictional villain — Parton has assured us that she will use the money to "do good things."
"We have in this very room, the recipient of the next Courage and Civility Award," Bezos said in a social media video. "The woman you're about to meet embodies these ideals so thoroughly. She gives with her heart. What she's done for kids, for illiteracy and so many other things is just incredible. It is my great honour to welcome the 2022 Courage and Civility recipient up on stage: Dolly Parton."
"Wow! Did you say 100 million dollars?" Parton said as she took the podium. "When people are in a position to help, you should help."
"And I know that I've always said I try to put my money where my heart is, and I think you do the same thing," she continued while gesturing to Bezos. "I'm going to do my best to do good things with this money. Thank you, Jeff."
Parton has donated much of her own wealth over the years, most recently paying for 100 percent of Dollywood staffers' tuition fees and contributing to the creation of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. She has also been historically apprehensive of accepting awards that only benefit herself, originally bowing out of the 2022 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame race before accepting her recent induction.
