Social Media Prank
Ted Cruz Deletes Dolly Parton Tribute After Falling Victim to an NSFW Prank
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Key Points
1
The clip Cruz cited dates to Dolly Parton's 1979 appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, showing her at age 33 performing a song created for the occasion.
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The account Cruz quoted changed its display name to 'Ted Cruz’s tiny d***', and its reply to Cruz’s post included a taunt referencing his 2016 RNC moment and Trump’s criticism of his wife.
3
The post drew significant engagement, with reports noting tens of thousands of likes and millions of views (about 85,000 likes and more than 4 million views) during the period it remained visible.
4
Reactions spanned the political spectrum, with conservative-leaning outlets and groups (e.g., The Lincoln Project) and media personalities (e.g., Tucker Carlson Network) highlighting and amplifying the moment.
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The incident is framed as part of a pattern of Cruz online mishaps, including a notorious 2017 episode in which he liked an incest-themed clip from the account 'SexuallPosts' before unliking it.
Senator Ted Cruz deleted a Dolly Parton tribute after falling victim to an X prank that turned his respectful post into a viral embarrassment. Head Topics reported that the account Cruz quoted changed its display name to an explicit insult, placing his tribute beneath a crude jab and drawing widespread mockery across media and social platforms.
The post remained visible for roughly 17 hours, accumulating about 85,000 likes and over 4 million views before Cruz took it down, Yahoo reported. The incident comes as Parton, who died at age 80 from cancer, was being remembered by public figures—making the misstep a stark contrast to the moment's somber context.
How the Prank Unfolded on X
Cruz quoted a video from the X account @lebatardshowfan showing Dolly Parton performing on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson in 1979, when she was 33 years old. Mediaite explained that after Cruz's repost went live, the original account holder changed their display name to an explicit insult referencing Cruz. The reply then taunted him further, invoking his 2016 RNC moment and Trump's past criticism.
The Post Racked Up Millions of Views Before Deletion
During its roughly 17-hour window online, the embarrassing thread drew massive engagement. AOL reported the post accumulated approximately 85,000 likes and surpassed 4 million views, amplifying the ridicule across the platform. The visibility ensured the moment reached millions before Cruz removed it and the account restored its original display name.
Part of a Broader Pattern of Cruz's Online Mishaps
This incident fits into a documented history of Cruz's social media gaffes. Daily Mail noted that critics have pointed back to a 2017 episode in which Cruz accidentally liked an adult video from an account labeled SexuallPosts before unliking it. That earlier stumble resurfaced in commentary on his current misstep, painting a picture of repeated digital judgment lapses.
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