"She said I've done what I had to do today....I need to rest.." said Whitney Houston's body guard. One thing I am getting from this morning's funeral is how much she gave in spite of being tired and worn out. Her body guard implored us to stop being so hard on the entertainers who give us so much.
I believe that's a message we all need to remember. And I think he and others who knew Houston well and are mourning her death, but also mourning her inability to overcome her drug and alcohol problems, are telling us Whitney did what she did just to keep on going, to really rest, to get away from the demands on her which she seems to have fulfilled maybe better than most of us could. She was kind and sweet and was taken advantage of by some. She did her best.
On Drug Use During Her Marriage, 2009
"There were some times we'd laugh our tails off. We had a ball. Sometimes you do have a good time. But when it gets to the point where you're sitting in your home and you're just trying to cover what you don't want people to know. It's painful. And then you want more just so that you don't let anybody see you cry. Or anybody to see we're not happy."
Rest in peace, sweet Whitney.
And man, the Winans family is THE coolest :-)
z
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39 comments:
A tragic life, a tragic death but that isn't uncommon. Usually it's one of the "extra people" who doesn't have a four+ octave range and a self indulgent vocal style.
What Whitney gave us? Let's be real, she didn't give us much of anything. Neither did Michael Jackson or Kurt Cobain or a number of others who lived similar lives and became darlings of the industry.
Want a tragic life, take Billie Holiday's. When the vice squad is ready to hook you up on your death bed, that's tragic. She had less than an octave and could go places Houston couldn't imagine.
Houston's legacy is Beyonce, Rihanna and more of the self indulgent.
Lot of folks die every day who are far more deserving of the attention being given Houston.
I watched the last portion of the service today.
I lost it with the recessional: "I Will Always Love Her" -- the recording that Whitney Houston made.
I wasn't a fan of Houston's, but not for any particular reason than that I was busy with other aspects of my own life. That said, I must say that her voice was one that doesn't come along very often. Her range!
This is not to deprecated Billie Holiday, who had a different kind of voice and certainly was one of the best -- if not THE best in her "genre."
BTW, yesterday I got my hair done by my Vietnamese hair stylist. She said in reference to Whitney Houston: "This is the great thing about America. Somebody with talent can make it here."
This hair stylist is one of those that fled Vietnam with the Boat People. How she loves America! She often says to me, "We have freedom here." And she smiles with joy.
How sad to feel that way, Ducky. She gave millions hours of pleasure and she always will; she's not to be judged in comparison to any of your heroes. She's no Che or Stalin, that's true. :-)
There are stars with "Self indulgent vocal styles" Hers wasn't one of them, trust me. She indulged herself deeply in the lyrics and made them hers...then ours. Big difference.
Yes, soldiers die who should get more of a send-off than Whitney Houston, no doubt about it.
My post is obviously not about that.
ALWAYS...I cried like a baby when they walked her coffin out of the church to I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU and I don't know how her mother was able to follow her even with two women holding her arms up.
I wasn't a particular fan either but, as a singer who has performed THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL a few times, I felt an affinity with her I honestly didn't know I felt until I heard she'd died. I went to a dinner party that night and gave the weirdest answer I've ever probably given to "So, how are you?" I said "If I hadn't just heard Whitney Houston has died, I'd say 'I'm GREAT'" And I meant it...
She was a star who gave of everything she had....whether she felt like it or not.
Her faith is something I'll be writing about tomorrow; I hope you come by. And yes, I'm with you, did I "lose it!" with that recessional.
AOW, just read your second comment. THAT is the immigrant we want here, isn't it...one who loves and understands the America we had...I hope we can get that back somehow.
I found something weird and wondered what you thought. Dionne Warwick talked about Whitney's amazing STAR SPANGLED BANNER rendition and said she complimented her on selling, immediately, one MILLION of CD's of that...and added "What's next..the phone book?"
Everyone laughed but I found myself wondering if Dionne meant that the phone book had as much meaning as the Star Spangled Banner. I hope not.
What do you think, Always?
RIP,
Off Topic:
Did you know Mrs. Obama was skiing in Aspen, staying at the home of a wealthy Chicago Obama supporter?
I hadn't heard this on the news, had you?
The really crazy thing is Googling and finding pretty much only COnservative blogs and the British DailyMail are reporting this. weird, huh? :-)
Z,
I don't cry easily.
But, like you, I sobbed when that recessional came down the aisle. When I told Mr. AOW about those moments, I cried again. I embarrassed myself. Really.
And, yes, we need immigrants like my hair stylist. We never much discuss partisan politics. But the few times we have done so, she always reminds me that America is great -- in spite of faults. "We have it so good here," she says.
I don't attach significance to Dionne Warwick's comment about the phone book. I think that she didn't realize that the analogy could be interpreted the way you mentioned.
She was beautiful and talented. That's her legacy. Her songs touched people emotionally, and that cannot be discounted
AOW, I think Dionne didn't mean it that way, either, or she'd not have said it to the crowd on television.
It sure didn't sound good, though!
Yes, I could cry right now thinking of that casket being walked out with that song playing...my GOSH.
SF...anybody who can touch us emotionally in such happy or heartwarming ways is to be applauded.
I agree.
"Rest in peace, sweet Whitney."
Indeed-Z-
Carol
Such a common theme with some hugely popular entertainers.
Many people do much less (touching others) with their lives.
We need laboratory designer drugs that do far less harm and let this garbage go the way of the dodo. People will always do drugs, whether they're legal or not. Let's lock the crime out of the process and improve the product.
Kid, how? You mean create the high the addict's looking for but 'far less harm'? How do you mean!?
"I think that she didn't realize that the analogy could be interpreted the way you mentioned...."
Here's how I interpret that anecdote. She meant that Whitney could pick up anything and sing it...and even the phone book would sound great coming from her
Whitney had unlimited talent, range and musical ability.
Given the fact that the SSB was meant as a poem..it's proved extremely difficult to sing successfully and properly. And yet..Whitney was among the few that could do it.
Impertinent, good answer, mate.
Z, Yes, less addictive, less damaging, controlled and inspected manufacturing, but just as much 'fun'.
I don't do drugs. No one should do drugs, but the reality is that they always have and always will. Let's improve the process.
I point out that Portugal decriminalized All drugs about 10 years ago, and the very quickly reduced their addict population because people were not afraid of being arrested when considering seeking help. Portugal doesn't supply them, but no longer arrests them.
Amsterdam has trucks that go around every day (like the blood donor trucks you see here) that shoot up the heroin addicts, using known drug properties and clean needles.
The related crime trade no loner exists there.
It'll never happen here, so I'm not being naive, but I think it would be a great improvement over what is going on now.
-Prisons stocked with drug offenders. My wife is on Grand Jury Duty every Wednesday here. All the cases are drugs.
-You can't imagine how much we spend on the 'war on drugs' and after 40 years, any 13 yr old can get pretty much anything on the street.
-the drug cartels. Mexico, all that crime, murder, torture.
-Addicts robbing, sometimes violently, old ladies walking back from the store with 5 bucks change in their purse. Friends of my Mom.
The whole situation is absurd.
And I don't feel any need to save people from themselves, like a Hannity for example. It's a waste of time and counterproductive.
I will have a blog posting tomorrow morning about Whitney's faith. As to her significance in life, all we need to do is compare our expected legacy with hers.
Most of us can expect a legacy that depends on the results of our DNA propagation, and whatever wealth we leave to the resulting progeny.
Whitney, on the other hand, created art, lasting art that will be enjoyed for generations. We will be forgotten within two generations, and only remarked on in blurred photographs.
You can see Whitney Houston as a sad case of someone taken in by the drug culture, or abused by a jerk of a husband. I think she will be remembered for her art, and for a long, long time.
If you have something to offer humanity in addition to your DNA, make it evident, now. Write your book. Sing your song. Lead your revolution. Whitney did her thing. Where's your contribution?
The first time I heard and saw Whitney Houston I was taken by her voice and her beauty She was admired by so many and her voice imitated by many young girls,e included.
So I agree yes did leave a legacy behind. I cried watching too.
I remember watching the Super bowl when she sang Star Spangled Banner, It was awesome then and it is awesome now,then the fighter jets flew over after she sang. It was a 'moment in time' for sure.
Hey did anyone hear that Bin Laden wanted to marry her even though that culture is against music. I have to look into that.
I guess it was true.Here is one of many links
"you can't imagine how much we spend on the 'war on drugs' and after 40 years..."
Right along with the "war on poverty", I see a connection, don't you?
Basically...it's anything the government wages "war" on has failed miserably since WW2.
Every war we've been in since the PC revolution...we've lost. Period. And if anyone here thinks we've won in Iraq, Afghanistan or all the dung holes in the "new" Mid East...please...consult one of Obama's psych czars.
Imp, the connection I see is either or both of:
-Liberals have very poor ideas and no follow through capability
-Liberals just dream up feel good nonsense to launder money to themselves and their friends.
We Are being robbed blind deaf and dumb btw. They'll blame it on the repubs and the masses will eat it up.
Afghanistan is a non-winner. We saved some people from the torture of islam for some length of time and stacked up a lot of taliban. In the final, nothing was accomplished since Afghanistan does not want to be or has the capability to be a unified country productively engaged in being a responsible world partner. Course, None of the ME countries have anything to contribute worldwide outside of oil.
I'd say we won Iraq. saddammo and sons, and the baathist party are gone, and Iraq has a smoldering ember of a chance of being a unified country and world partner.
Shiites versus Sunnis though is going to make it tough, but at least they'll keep it internal I think.
I don't see an Iraq invading a Kuwait for some time to come anyway.
KID
What it boils down to essentially is this....we've expended way too much BLOOD ( the most precious commodity of all ) and treasure on all of them.
This "feel good" nonsense comes with a significant loss for all of America. Prestige being the one I'm least concerned with.
The fools talk of China dominance. BS....China has one aircraft carrier that they resurrected from a Baltic junk yard 10 years ago.
We have 11....11 nuke carriers that dominate the seas and oceans. One..and only one like the Stennis...has an air force larger than 70% of the worlds forces.
We have many nuke "boomers: under the seas. One of which carries enough ICBM;s and MIRV's...to take out 50+ targeted cities.
All this is current. Assuming that the commie in chief fails to neuter our army, navy, airforce and combat ready Marines.
Imp, I think you're right about what was meant....it sure didn't sound good :-)
Kid, if the drug makes you feel high and impedes your judgment, it can still be dangerous if you drive, etc.
I suppose it sounds great to not have crime but the thought of anybody driving around and shooting addicts up is creepy, don't you think?
Bob, my post tomorrow is about her faith, too... I'm really pleased with it and hope you like it, too.
Lisa...definitely "one moment in tiiiime" :-) And ya...Whitney bin Laden, it has a ring to it!! He'd probably have been better for her than Bobby Brown.
Imp and Kid; Mr. Z used to say "Build a wall around the area and let them fight it out amongst them".
I wish
IMP "What it boils down to essentially is this....we've expended way too much BLOOD ( the most precious commodity of all ) and treasure on all of them."
I agree.
I'll add -
When some vermin kill 3000 people on your own soil (or bomb the WTC in 92, or the USS Cole) you must do something.
We can debate what the something should be, but I'm glad we did something in contrast to clinton doing nothing.
We did do a horrible job supporting our sons and daughters in Iraq an A-stan against their favorite weapon the IED. Big subject really, but I'm happy we did something. They've been actively at war with us since the 1970's in modern day history.
I don't mind the nukes so much. All violence sucks but you're never going to reform a bully in shoving matches. The only way to deal with bullies is convince them that they will pay too high a price every time they step out of line.
If we'd have used them in N Korea, Far fewer people would have suffered. How long is that nonsense going to go on? How many millions of people will be eating grass in NK? For how long?
It was right to use them in Japan. It saved the Japanese culture. It's right to use them in other situations.
Z, Same as alcohol..
Anyway, I've met No One who agree with my stance on drugs, so no problemo. I put it out there from time to time.
Actually, I would rather see local authority trucks running around shooting up heroin addicts versus having them commit crimes, spread disease, support crime, become even more of a drain on society by us providing room and board in prison. I see it as pluses. I understand others don't. Not a problem.
Kid, you're right about the comparison with alcohol, generally.
As for your ideas, I think they're terrific, I DO really, but I think it's creepy to see heroin trucks driving around and, as you suggested, it would never fly here. Would it be good for America? Maybe. It would cut down on the Mexican drug war on our border, right?
Z, to me, if you made all the stuff legal, it would:
cut the mexican drug war and all the drug action on the border
eliminate all the crimes against individuals, shop keepers, anywhere addicts get money
excessive prison over-crowding and the related expenses for that.
It's a big subject, but imagine a heroin addict meets with a health professional a couple times a day to get a fix. Maybe some of those people get help and get off. Certainly more would than do now when the only people they meet with are the drug dealers who want to keep customers. As an example.
KID
"The only way to deal with bullies is convince them that they will pay too high a price every time they step out of line."
They already can...it's called methadone...another failed government "war" against addiction by supplying purer heroin in that form...than street heroin.
Apparently in the junkie havens across the country....they haven't heard of it.
IMP, ROE's are designed for conflicts where all participants at least pretend to play by the basic rules. Combatants wear uniforms or otherwise identify themselves away from the general population as the main one.
I agree, no reason to follow ROE in the conflicts in the ME.
There are many such quesions tho eh?
Why do we even give a dime to the UN?
Why are we giving 1.3 billion to the muslim brotherhood in Egypt
Why will we be giving afghanistan 4 billion a year forever?
probably a million more.
"The only way to deal with bullies is convince them that they will pay too high a price every time they step out of line."
Outstanding Kid. You won't get an argument from me on that score...but I suppose then we must ask...why the ROE's then?
We've failed to push back with a ferocity that scares the shit out of them...makes them quake when they see a contrail overhead or a Marine ready for battle.
The world respects us less because we haven't unleashed the hell and fury a country so wounded must demand.....but the dweebs and "feel gooders" like the weak leftists ( and women in power like Clinton and Big Sis have made a joke out of defense..sorry girls but testerone ain't he same flavor as estrogen...especially among misogynistic Arab heathens...who believe in and support FGM) have put us into more jeopardy.
Take Iran whom we've been at war with for 32 years now. 32 years and their invasion and sacking of our Embassy was and is...in any country...an act of war.
We have failed to answer it yet..and like the NK's...they will cause us more damage because...Congress hasn't the balls to end pure evil...period.
Why...I have to ask? Don't they care about America as much as we do?
( Yes Ducky...some of us still feel that way )
We should leave the UN and create the "League of Nations who Commit to Freedom and Basic Human Rights"
That would leave many countries out and create a clear boundary between what this country and others who qualify stand for versus the rest of the world. I can't see any islamic nation ever being a part of it since their religion specifically calls for a horrific lack of human rights for women.
Multi-culturalism is much more dangerous than a nuke.
Imp. Thanks. Geeez, what do we do anywhere that makes sense anymore.
" I think it's creepy to see heroin trucks driving around and, as you suggested, it would never fly here."
Nor would "Trojan" trucks fly around "here" either. In most of America at least.
Maybe in SFO where they're sorely needed along with "Aid's mobiles"?
Yet...look at where we are now.
50% of all births are to single women. 73% of all black births are illegitimate.
59% of all Hispanic births are the same. And 24% of white births are to single mothers.
Welcome to the "new" improved, hip America. Welcome to the new American family. Mostly brought to you by...the Hollywood creeps who disdain marriage ( look no further than Pitt and Jolie ). Or Sarandon and Robinson who begat children...and now...they're tired of each other.
Welcome to an America hooked onto the welfare state...hooked onto poverty...hooked onto dependence...hooked onto the new slavery.
We claim that "education" is the way out of this cesspool of generation after generation of failure.
How long has it been and how many trillions of dollars have we squandered on that foolishness?
The guy who stated that in his day....birth control was easily solved by a woman placing an aspirin between her knees....was spot on.
PP...hasn't worked...has it? Education hasn't either.
""League of Nations who Commit to Freedom and Basic Human Rights"
You...jingoist!! / sarc off.
Z - Wow!
You can't find any better Discussion & Conversation than right here on geeeez! - now can you?
You've come a long way - Baby.
: ]
I sobbed like a baby the night of the Grammys, Z. Death is so hard on those left behind. Yesterday, Whitney's mother, Cissy, looked so thoroughly devastated. I cannot imagine what this loss will do to her. She staged numerous interventions to get Whitney clean. Cissy was right about Bobby Brown's bad influence on her daughter. Who can blame Cissy for being bitter?
I have always been a huge fan of Whitney Houston, right from the start. I have worn out several of her CDs and had to replace them. I was so hoping she'd make a comeback. Alas, it was not meant to be.
FW, you see the big stink Bobby Brown's making now about being told to move several times during the 15 min he was at the funeral, etc.?
That man's ALL about BOBBY BROWN.
Man, he must have done SOMETHING WELL to have won over a girl like Whitney with her faith and good upbringing. ifyouknowwhatimean? :-)
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