A few weeks ago I watched Six by Sondheim an HBO (kind of) documentary, and (totally) kitsch love poem to the late, great Stephen Sondheim. The accolades to Mr. Sondheim’s talent were eclipsed only by the accolades—from everyone—for Stephen Sondheim the man. This is no case of revising a legend after death. Stephen Sondheim has long been considered the Mensch as well as the Master of Broadway.

I am hesitant to recommend the film to the general public, but to a theater geek like me, it was a sumptuous dive into the creative process; a master class in communicating the human condition through song.

The film also got me thinking about those people whom everyone loves. It’s awesome that everyone who knew Stephen Sondheim, loved Stephen Sondheim, but I must admit, the man is a bit of a niche celebrity. Broadway’s impact on America just ain’t what it used to be.

So, I started asking around: name someone who is both universally known and universally loved.

My exploration soon split into multiple threads.

First, there are the individuals that everyone likes, despite the big organizations they represent. We have the world’s best, friendliest, most conscientious mailman. Everyone in our neighborhood loves him. And I’ve heard many others love their mail carrier too. Which is not to say that any of us are big fans of the US Postal Service.

Second, there are the fabulous folks—the social glue—that bind families and friends. My boyfriend Dave is one of these. I can honestly say that everyone loves Dave. He’s easy going, funny, big-hearted, generous in an everyday way. You might think it’d bother me that he is universally liked (while I am most definitely not). But that’s part of Dave’s charm: no one is the least diminished by his glow.

Still, neither mailman nor boyfriend achieve the scale of affection required for my inquiry. A universally loved person needs both 100% favorability ratings and worldwide recognition. They have to be a celebrity!

Celebrities pretty much come in three flavors: politician, athlete, or entertainer. Given our ideological divide, no politician is universally loved. So that leaves athletes and entertainers.

Tom Brady? Too stand-offish. LeBron James? Too edgy. Tiger Woods? There was that cheating scandal. Michael Jordan comes close. Squawky clean, affable. (How come I don’t know any female athletes? That’s a whole ‘nother problem.)

The range for entertainers is wide. Movie stars, TV personalities, comedians, rock’n’rollers. Not to mention, ‘influencers,’ which I won’t since I don’t know any and therefore dismiss them categorically. Comedians are excluded because these days, if you’re not insulting somebody you’re not funny. Same for rock’n’rollers. Except maybe the Boss. Pretty much everyone likes George Clooney, right? Brad Pitt: the Angelina thing hovers. Tom Hanks, for sure. Denzel Washington: except for that brutal Training Day. On the female side, Meryl Streep is a tad elitist. Oprah’s sincerity is corporate bleached. Jane Fonda’s politics don’t fly, though Lily Tomlin gets a pass for hers. You can’t not like Viola Davis because, let’s face it, she’s soooo good. Barbara Streisand is too much of a diva. Ditto Cher, Adele, Bjork, and anyone with only one name. Except for Selena. Ya gotta love Selena. I am personally and forever in the thrall of Michelle Pfeiffer…but there I go getting niche again.

The entertainment category is definitely the ripest for finding someone whom everybody loves. Yet even there: is there any single person who transcends the divisiveness of our world?

Aha! I found her! The ultimate movie star, musician, goodwill ambassador, and commonsense hero that everyone—and I do believe everyone—loves. Dolly Parton!