Whitney Houston’s funeral was held yesterday. Even though the family said that they wanted a smaller, more private service, they still allowed cameras into New Hope Baptist Church, and several outlets (including CNN) did wall-to-wall coverage of the event. Guests/mourners at the event included Houston’s family, Mariah Carey, Kevin Costner, Tyler Perry, Alicia Keys, Clive Davis, Stevie Wonder, Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton. Here’s some information about everything that went down:
*Bobbi Kristina sat with her grandmother, Cissy Houston, in the front row of the church. Sources say both Cissy and Bobbi Kristina were very emotional. People Mag reports that Bobbi “broke down.” Come on, guys. That’s her mom. Let her grieve.
*Bobby Brown came to the funeral with an entourage of nine people, and allegedly “demanded” that he and everyone he brought be given front-row seats. Media outlets claim that Bobby was allowed in, but not his entourage, so “He was allowed to go in, pay his respects and then he had to leave. He was red-eyed going up to the casket and then left. He was there for 15 minutes.” And then he left with his entourage. A source tells Us Weekly that Whitney’s family is still pretty pissed off at Bobby: “There are family members who felt Bobby drove Whitney into drugs. But now Bobby is clean and Whitney has unfortunately passed. So there’s resentment.”
*But! After Bobby left the funeral, he gave a statement: “My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston,” he said, referring to his three kids from previous relationships Landon, 26, La’princia, 11, Robert Jr., 10, plus Cassius, his two-year-old with wife Alicia Etheridge. “We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continue to ask us and no one else to move. Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi Kristina. In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene. My children are completely distraught over the events. This was a day to honor Whitney. I doubt Whitney would have wanted this to occur. I will continue to pay my respects to my ex-wife the best way I know how.” Is it wrong that I actually agree with him? Whitney would have wanted Bobby to be there for the whole thing, I think.
*Kevin Costner spoke at the funeral. He talked about how The Bodyguard got made and how Whitney was cast and all of that. He also said, “To you, Bobbi Kristina, and to all those young girls who are dreaming that dream, thinking that maybe they aren’t good enough, I think Whitney would tell you, guard your bodies. And guard the precious miracle of your own life. Then sing your hearts out.” In closing, he got choked up and said, “Off you go Whitney, off you go. Escorted by an army of angels to your heavenly Father. When you sing before him, don’t you worry. You’ll be good enough.”
*Whitney’s casket was carried out to “I Will Always Love You”. That casket was super-shiny, right? It almost glittered.
And that’s about it. I’m sure I forgot to include a lot of stuff, but I’ll admit that I barely watched any of the coverage. It felt like everyone was trying to make this into another Michael Jackson-like “event” when Whitney’s family really wanted everything to be much more private. My guess is that Cissy Houston just figured that if she let media outlets have the live feed of the funeral, the media wouldn’t bother them. It was good to see Whitney’s life and accomplishments celebrated, though, and I truly hope Bobby Kristina and Whitney’s family and loved ones found some peace.
Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and WENN.
Kinda sad that Bobby was treated that way. I really think Whitney would have wanted him there. I didn’t watch the coverage except for the beginning where the choir was singing and a few speeches. I agree that people were really trying to make this into another MJ- like event when the family just wanted privacy, I think.
The thing that really got me was, I don’t know who he is, but there was one man who talked about seeing Whitney the day she died. He talked to her, left and then on his way back he almost went back into her room but then decided that if she needed to talk to him she’d come to him. So he left. I feel like he’ll think that he could’ve done something to save her for the rest or most of his life. A similar thing has happened to me. So sad.
I hope Whitney’s family and Bobby can find some peace.
@Asli, I see your point. However, I feel like funerals are for the living. It was Bobby’s job to be there and support Bobbi Christina; not show up with his new wife, 87 kids and an entourage. He should have had his wife stay back with the kids and sat in the front row quietly comforting Bobbi Chris. By busting in there like that, I think he was trying to make it about him.
I hope you can let go of the “what ifs,” I’m sure there was nothing that could have been done to “save” your loved one. No matter how sad or painful, events unfolded exactly how they were meant to unfold. The same could be said for Whitney.
Of course the media is going to make it seem like he was there with an ‘entourage’, but it looked like it was just him and his kids. And why wouldn’t he bring his older children? Whitney was a part of their lives too.
Bobby Brown, bringing an “entourage” with him to the funeral… what an a-hole. It was a funeral, not a daggone club opening! He should have attended alone – too much to expect him to behave himself for one day. His actions are just part and parcel of his whole relationship w Whitney – he used her for her $$$$, he used her to boost his own sorry-a** career and then got jealous when her fame and career overshadowed his own. What a selfish turd. Whitney’s family deserved a drama-free day that was focused on their daughter/sister/mom. Staying classy as always, Bobby B… not. Still trying to use Whitney for his own selfish motives. He needs to grow up.
The way I understood Bobby’s statement was not that he brought his wife Alicia, but that he brought Cassius who was conceived with his current wife Alicia.
“…referring to his three kids from previous relationships Landon, 26, La’princia, 11, Robert Jr., 10, plus Cassius, his two-year-old with wife Alicia Etheridge…”
As for this so-called “entourage”, earlier media reports referred to it as an entourage, while later reports referred only to the kids. I would think one or two bodyguards would be necessary considering the fact that Bobby is a public figure and he had four of his children with him. Even more so, since many are bound to blame him for Whitney’s drug use and death.
It wasn’t just that Bobby was kicked out, he was not permitted to speak with his own daugher, that he conceived with Whitney.
The entire thing was handled very badly by Whitney’s family. They should have put their own personal feelings aside for one day. I wonder how Bobbi Christina felt about her father being kicked out? She has been spending time with him since her mother’s death.
Also, the video streaming of Whitney’s funeral is beyond tacky.
The way I have read the reports was that Bobby left on his own because he did not like the seating, not that he was kicked out.
If that’s so, he should’ve known better than to bring a bunch of people along without clearing them in advance, since his being invited at all was an issue, and they’d finally relented to allow him to come. He could’ve acted classy in this particular situation since it is to honor Whitney that they came in the first place, not throw a fit and leave in a big huff. That is a crappy legacy to leave her on her way out of this world.
If there is a lesson here, it’s this, and I’ve seen some really bad behavior at a funeral before myself: Don’t make someone else’s death about YOU – many people have shared the deceased’s life, and even if you were married to or having an affair with that person, it does NOT give you the right to act like an ass or insert yourself where people don’t want you to be! Don’t give this gift of garbage to your loved one – they are watching and are disgusted you messed up their funeral.
Why would anyone bring their entourage to a funeral? Bobby is such a classless jerk. Still doesn’t know how to show respect for the woman he supposedly loved.
It doesnt matter if he brought an entourage or his kids…the invitation specifically said yourself and two other ppl- he has no special rights he is no longer married to Whitney.
YES Trish, exactly! If the invitation said two, you bring frickin’TWO
I bawled like a baby twice this morning. First the incredible eulogy by Ms. Houston’s real life bodyguard, Ray Walston. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYh5IuuBqys Maybe Mr. Walston is the man you are referring to?
The second time I cried was listening to her pretend bodyguard, Kevin Costner, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wjh0N1EzPI, give his eulogy.
I didn’t know that she loved Jesus; I only knew her addictions. From what I’ve heard from people closest to her, Whitney has now been washed clean of all her earthly transgressions against herself and her daughter.
Universe/God/Best Wishes,
I pray Bobbi Christina sees herself as “good enough”, understands she must stop her drug abuse, realizes she can love herself better without the daily use of strong addicting drugs, and gets the help she needs to get out from under the yoke of her own drug abuse. I pray her family commits her, and they all get counseling together so history does not have it’s deadly way with ‘Chrissy’ too.
Amen.
Amen.
AMEN to that.
This whole thing is so very sad. I hate that death and funerals have become this morbid circus. I hope people let Whitney rest in peace…
On Bobby Brown being barred from seeing Bobbi Kristina…I’m starting to think *she* just doesn’t want to see him, not that the family is running interference.
Sadly, I think there’s always morbid curiosity surrounding people who die tragically. My friend’s pregnant wife (who was 1 week away from her due date) was hit in a head on collision and killed. It was all over the news here and 4,000 people showed up to her funeral.
Often times if there’s a long line people will leave if they find out the casket isn’t open. However, they’ll wait hours to see someone, like the poor mother I talked about above, lying in her casket with her unborn child. It’s a very strange phenomenon.
That is such a sad story 🙁 Your poor friend! I can’t imagine losing both your wife and unborn baby like that.
@cmc, it was terrible. She also left behind a 2 1/2 year old little girl that he is raising with the help of extended family. I provided a link to the story below. Her family wants everyone to read her story, so that people think twice before texting/driving while distracted.
http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2011/06/02/pregnant-mother-unborn-baby-die-after-gloucester-county-car-accident/
I recall that story on the news (we must live in the region) and was so very saddened by the accident and outcome.
I agree, people have a fascination with morbidity and the dead especially if their any sensationalism or extreme sadness to the situation. I’ve had too much experience with death for my age. I prefer to remember those who have passed in my memories and time shared.
@stella, You sound like you have a healthy outlook on life/death. I hope you don’t have to experience any more loss.
Makes me wonder how bad things were in that family if Whitney’s family didn’t want Bobby sitting with his daughter. So sad.
This is just wrong. Like it or not, Bobby was a big part of Whitney’s life. She loved him. She would probably want him to be there. And they had a daughter together. That’s a very strong bond.
I agree that Bobby probably wasn’t the best influence for someone as self destructive as Whitney.
But it’s just plain stupid to blame him for her addiction and death. Her family should hold her responsible for her own actions instead of looking for someone else to blame.
Holy Cow, THANK-YOU!! It’ so frustrating to see everyone talk about how everyone else but Whitney was responsible for her troubles. Unles she was force fed them a la that scene from JFK, she had a choice. Bobby Brown is no prize, but don’t tell me everything bad was his fault (especially when throwing benzos at his his devastated daughter) when such a thing as free will exists. Because if you’re going to take that route, you have to start blaming yourselves as well–whether it makes sense is irrelevant. With that kind of blinkered thinking, one could say, ‘Well, since her family didn’t physically remove the girl from the house that substances built, they were basically condemning her to the same fate as her mother, so obviously never cared about her well-being.’ I mean, where does it stop? It seems like a whole lot of work and energy to construct these webs of conspiracies around your central thesis that ‘the most useful thing to do is to blame everybody else’. True, she was older, she had ostensibly heard at some point in her life that drug abuse is a really, really bad idea, she knew his reputation when they started seeing each other and she was already a party girl by the time she married him, but ignoring facts is key to assigning blame in the face of incomprehensible devastation. It’s understandable, but it’s the opposite of edifying and useful. We have to examine our own lives, not assume that it’s the job or capability of everyone we meet to teach us right from wrong and hold our hands throughout the entirety of our lives to keep us from self-destructing. One of the most damning and illuminating endorsements of free will is this: stand in a field and scream as loudly as you can: why won’t someone do something about all of the bad things I choose to do when I know the consequences?
I remember reading something years ago about the perfect, strict, morally upstanding and God-fearing Houston family. The piece was falling into raptures over the choirgirl stories and focused on Whitney’s mother being a saint among us for going ape-scat when 16-year-old approached her mother with a mind to wear pantyhose. I thought then what I think now: so….so the heck what? But that’s how it is with celebrities, the persona swallows up the reality of the person and neither the sycophants nor the self-righteous had the power to stop what they refused to believe was really going on.
I don’t know why people keep marrying and/or having kids with Bobby Brown, but I also don’t see two decades detailing the downward spiral of his other women or the teenaged children who already have addiction issues. I know that sounds harsh, but the finger-pointing is so toxic and counter-productive. If we’re going to blame Bobby for Whitney’s problems, why not examine the behaviours in him that she likely enabled? I don’t know any junkies, but I doubt a person with addictions is going to stay married to a person for almost fifteen years without being clean for a lot of it if that spouse isn’t supplying something.
The rage is expected, but impotent.
I totally agree with you…society today is always just looking for someone to blame no matter what happens…addicts are attracted to other addicts…Bobby Brown was an addict and Whitney was an addict…Whitney was not a saint that was tied up and injected with drugs by Bobby…she wanted to do drugs…not saying she was a horrible person…addicts aren’t bad people…they are people with bad problems…However, I do feel that Bobby should have shut up and sat down whereever they told to…he had to make it about him…typical…
@ Jo Mama,
Well said , and covers everything I have been to tired to say. I loved Whitney and that hasn’t changed because of her failings. Whitewashing her weaknesses doesn’t serve anyone and as most addicts will tell you quite the reverse…pointing the finger at everyone but themselves only prolongs recovery.
While I’m not a Bobby Brown fan the lack of dignity with which the father of Whitney’s only child was treated is a reflection on the family.
It’s easier to blame than show the grace of god they profess to want/have at every opportunity.
I was really surprised by Kevin Costner. Really touching, heart-felt words he had to say – it really made me like him again. And he looked way more handsome than I thought he would!
The funeral drama – you KNEW that was coming. Bobby is nothing if not manipulative.
Lets hope that they get BC into rehab, bc she appears to already be partying hard and with her parents history – she could be the next casualty in this mess.
i agree with you on Costner’s speech (i like the bodyguard’s speech also) and even if i disagree with Whitney’s family on how they treated Bobby Brown (he was the big love of her life after all) during the funeral, i knew he was going to do his drama queen
@bea, I read elsewhere, they found Bobbi Chris passed out in a tub the day before Whitney passed out and died in the tub. Plus someone from Whitney’s entourage gave Bobby Chris benzodiazepines to calm her down after she found out about her mothers death. She then drank and had to be hospitalized. I believe she and her mother have been chasing benzos with alcohol for awhile. Hence the Bobby Chris episode in the tub the day prior to her mom’s death.
I got choked up just reading about Kevin Costner’s speech.
Supposedly, BB had invites for himself and “plus 2,” not the 9 or 15 other people who showed up with him. When they couldn’t all be seated, he said his goodbyes and left with his “entourage.”
Frankly, I don’t think a ten- and two-year-old belong at the funeral of someone who’s not related to them. Particularly a funeral that clocks in at three-and-a-half hours. The older two, who probably knew Whitney while she and BB were married, that I understand.
I don’t know what BK’s relationship with her father is like, but if I was mourning the death of my mother (at ANY age) I would be very upset to learn that my father wasn’t allowed to sit with me. (Unless it was a DV situation that killed my mom.)
ITA, In my 10+ years directing funerals, I have yet to see one 2 year old child make it through the 1 hour service that most people have.
Mortician, I didn’t realize you were an actual mortician. Is it as hard of a job as people make it out to be?
Girl, it’s all I can do to get my 2-year-old to sit through an episode of Umi Zoomi!
There is no way I’d bring him to a funeral, even of a family member. He’s just too young and wouldn’t understand. He also gets very upset when people cry.
@Leeloo, hmmm. At times it can very stressful and emotionally exhausting. It’s particularly difficult when a child dies or when the death is tragic. However, when people have time to say goodbye to their loved one before they pass (and there is a sense of closure), the funeral can be a wonderfully happy experience. One woman, who died of terminal cancer, was cremated and placed in a beer stein. Everyone who knew her got a good laugh when they got a look at her “urn.” Another woman made her husband promise to bury her nude. She said she came into the world without clothes and that’s how she intended to leave! Needless to say, she was covered with a blanket for her viewing, although her husband said she would have liked to shock people with a totally nude viewing. Apparently she had a very naughty sense of humor!
Mort, I worked as an FD for about 5 years and, when possible, made it a point to watch out for for the little ones. In part to help keep a loud, restless tyke occupied as they could really disrupt the proceedings, but also to help the child (or children) cope with all the somber goings on of the day. It seemed to me that children under the age of 6 or 7 couldn’t really grasp the situation and often feel lost and confused (and sometimes forgotten) at funerals. I made some lovely little friends over the years but I always wondered why people even bothered to bring such young children along – didn’t seem very appropriate or fair to other folks (unless of course, the parents simply had no choice).
PS LOL about the woman wanting to be buried in the nude! Good for her!!
@skuddles, ITA. Children really have no concept of the permanence of death before the age of 7! I’m sure the families really appreciated your distracting the children too! You definitely went above and beyond the call of duty. Were you an embalmer too? Why did you leave the business?
Hey Mort, no, I was not an embalmer. In fact, I didn’t earn my license the usual way. I was hired on to be a pt admin… loved my job, got my hours bumped up, then about 6 months in they said they’d like to grandfather me in as an undertaker (due to upcoming change in legislation); they were only allowed to give it to 3 people so I was deeply flattered to be asked. Then about 6 months later I was granted my FD license. Some of the guys liked to tease me about my “$2.00” license :). I was very conscious of the fact I had little experience and some folks had been there for many years so I really buckled down, worked any and every service, put in long hours in the office, and tried to respectfully absorb every bit of knowledge I could from the more senior people. Earlier on they also had me doing hair and makeup (totally loved that part of the job – I could do one mean Marcel!) and so over time I covered pretty much every task with with the exception of embalming. But I set features, did hair, make up, dressing and casketing. I witnessed many embalmings and always marveled at the skill and talent that went into it – truly an art form.
Why I left…. sigh, no one easy answer. I was doing pretty much everything from A to Z the last few years (the corp I worked for was in trouble so we ran on too few staff). In order to obtain full time status (despite already putting in full time hours) I accepted the position of office manager, yet they still wanted me to do FD work too. So I’d often take first call, do the removal, deal with all admin and paperwork for deceased, arrange, direct services, prep room tasks, assist with cremations, bill out and close files, plus even offer aftercare in some cases. It was excellent experience and nice for families as they only had to deal with me for pretty much everything but it meant high burnout factor due to the seriously long hours I was putting in. I’d come in at 8 am and often not leave until close to midnight. When I wasn’t going at warp speed in the office I was arranging or working a funeral… no rest for the wicked. What kind of sealed the deal was when I was asked to start taking call every other weekend on top of everything else (yet still had to be in the office first thing each morning). The job was threatening to leave me with NO life whatsoever. I used to wonder, who ministers to the folks who minister to people?? I was becoming very burned out. So when a job offer from a law firm came up I took it. Still love and miss funeral work very much though – the only work I’ve ever felt was a perfect fit, and so much more rewarding and meaningful than anything else I’ve done before or since. I used to say nothing makes life more real than death. I plan to go back at some point and I maintain my license to this day.
Boy sorry… what a long winded answer eh! I’ve always wanted to mention this to you but figured I’d wait until I’d been around a bit longer. So Mort, cheers to a fellow ‘homey’! 😀
@skuddles, wow! That’s how I was treated as an intern! The first funeral home I worked for didn’t give me 1 day off call for an entire year and a half! The place put on 400+ calls a year, so some nights I was waking up and doing removals 2 (sometimes 3) times a night. They were also paying me $2/hr less than my male co-worker was making when he was an intern 5 years earlier. My co-worker freely admitted that the discrepancy in pay was due to the fact that I’m female and my boss was “old school” and didn’t really believe in female funeral directors. Needless to say, I left that place because I was finishing my Bachelors degree and couldn’t do it without sleep! Now I work for two funeral homes, doing mostly embalming, dressing & casketing (including makeup) and arrangements. This allows me to spend plenty of time with my kids and have a life outside of the funeral industry. As you said, it can become all consuming and the burnout factor is high. You sound like you were great at what you did and it’s unfortunate that you’re no longer in the business.
Hey Mort, hope you still see this and sorry for being so slow – got a flu kicking my ass right now. Our FH did over 400 calls a year too so can totally relate to what you must have gone through as an intern! And very much a boys club too… no female EFD’s while I was there. I guess that’s why the guys liked having me around, I could deal with all the female touches and wasn’t freaked out by what went on in the prep room.
I’m very glad to hear you’ve found that elusive work/life balance – so critical for funeral home folks IMO. I used to split my time between 2 FH’s too although I bailed on one after about a year.
It sounds like you really know your stuff on top of being a very bright and interesting gal – really glad we’ve had a chance to get a bit acquainted here! You make me remember the things I love about the funeral business 🙂
@ TOB – I agree. Bobby was given 3 invites to an invite-only event with very limited seating, especially in the family section. The Houstons gave him an opportunity which he took advantage of and more.
He decided to bring 7 extra people then expected everybody else at the funeral to give up their own seats IN THE FAMILY SECTION for his OWN liking and at the very last second. Did he tell anybody else he was going to bring all those extra people? Probably not.
So of course his group of 10 was asked to move constantly, since 7 of them were sitting in other people’s seats! So instead of just sitting down with 2 other people and just shutting up and going along with the funeral arrangements, he left. HE COULD HAVE STAYED. NO ONE TOLD HIM TO LEAVE. He should have decided to stay with his PLUS 2 and he would have been able to comfort Bobbi K had he chosen to get along instead of trying to shake things up. BUT HE CHOSE NOT TO.
And after all of this, I can understand if certain people didn’t want him to talk to BK, cuz then she would have to sort out daddy’s hot mess for him, when all she should be expected to do was grieve for her mom.
If Bobby had come in with his plus 2, then there would have been no scene and he could have sat thru the entire funeral.
I wish we had a thumbs up feature here because you’ve summed up what I’ve been thinking. If he wanted to be there without the drama he would have stayed and allowed his 2 older kids who grew up with Whitney and Bobby Kris to stay. Instead his ego took over after he wasn’t allowed to bring his new family in. Just so tacky imo.
I actually agree with Bobbi on this, those kids he brought are Bobbi Christina’s brothers and sisters and they probably wanted to support her.
Also i think Whitney would have wanted him there, I hate when people use funerals to settle old scores…
It was a beautiful service though, I watched the whole 3 hours and it flew by it was really joyful and the music was amazing (*side eye to Alicia screaming keys*) and there was so much love shown to Whitney. It was nice to hear some of the storys about how sweet and down to earth she was too, drugs do not make a person a monster you know so some people need to stop with the hate.
I don’t know why some people think “OH Whitney would have wanted Bobby there” WHY…They were divorced…A lot of people HATE there ex’s…Her family knew her feelings more than us, speculating…and maybe they knew that Whitney would not have wanted him there…
Let’s stop all this BS that Bobby got her on drugs, they both were on drug way before they met. Whitney would have wanted him there. I think its sad that all parties involved couldn’t put aside their differences for 4 hrs just to honor this woman’s life. And when I was watching CNN someone said when that incident took place Cissy Houston and Bobbi Kris wasn’t in the church and that they was still in the car, they didn’t even know what was going on at the time. So I don’t know what to believe *shrugs* the whole situation is just sad.
We should be talking about the fact that Bobby has children aged 10 and 11 which means they were born during his marriage to Whitney. Am I missing something about that?
Yeah, I was confused by that, too. If those are his kids in the pictures, they look older than 10-11. Probably a typo.
I believe those ages are a misprint. The 11 and 10 year olds should really be 21 and 20 respectively. Bobby Brown has 5 children including Bobbi-Kristina and 3 of those children were born before he married Whitney so their ages should be 26, 21, and 20.
La’Princia isn’t 11 she’s older than Bobbi Kris in her 20s. I don’t believe Bobby Jr is 10 or 11 he’s closer to Bobbi Kris’s age or older.
a friend said me Whitney started cocaine after Bobby’s birth to lose all gained weight
All I know is that after Bobby Brown, Whitney started looking ROUGH, she was drunk in public, started missing shows and when not missing shows she would slur her words. All the visible signs of drug abuse became apparent for all to see. Which ever came first….he made it WORSE. Yes it was her fault but some people should never be together.
You would think just for one day Bobby would get his act together and stop the mess. He didn’t treat her right when she was alive, can’t even do that in her death.
Totally agree. I remember that before they got together I was a fan and refused to believe when one of her makeup artists told me and my friends that Whitney had quite a foul mouth on her sometimes and was high a lot. In hindsight Bobby probably wasn’t the culprit but they were happily getting high together. Shame. But drugs often go with the territory. No wonder Costner spoke about the pressure she felt that came with the fame.
I’ve heard that Whitney was on drugs before Bobby. I think that some of her actions around when she met Bobby was to make up for the things that were being said about her. There were a lot of complaints from her “urban” audience that she wasn’t “urban” enough and then there were also the gay rumors. Bobby solved both of those issues.
I know it is awful to say, but I think there is a lot of truth in the part about her family blaming Bobby Brown for Whitney’s drug use. I am old enough to remember them first getting together. It was shocking because she had such a stellar reputation. It was worse than her marrying a “bad” boy. I thought he said his drug use went back to his New Edition days, so he would have been using when he met Whitney. I think that is when she starting going downhill when she met him. I know there is “free will”, and he cannot soley be responsible. But, I am sure her family does blame him and maybe some of her fans?
I went back and read some older interviews Whitney did including one with Bobby for sister2sister magazine – not sure what year but during their marriage and it was a little hard to read (it is almost like she had two personas). I don’t know if she was making herself sound tougher than she really was at that time but she said her drug use started pre-Bobby when she was in the projects. He said his drug use of marijuana started in the projects also.
I’m confused, Whitney Houston grew up in the projects?
@kwm, Whitney grew up in Newark,NJ. As a Jersey girl, I can tell you that it is definitely a rough neighborhood, although I don’t know if I would refer to it as “the projects” (certainly not in the proper sense).
I thought that Bobby was invited but it was him plus 2 guests not 9 and that is why there was an issue. The church was not made to seat the 1000 plus people that were there and bringing extra people would cause a headache not to mention the rudeness of it. In any case the service was lovely and hopefully served as closure and comfort to those who loved her.
What’s up with that first pic of Whitney in red? She looks to have a scar down the middle of her chest. Weird.
I hope her family feels peace and comfort now. I can imagine that is difficult now though, especially with all the scrutiny.
Yes! I noticed the same thing. Anyone know what was going on with that?
Bobby knew there was no room, literally or figuratively, for him and his entourage of NINE people, whether some of them were his kids or not. Classless.
I think it’s her boob crack.
It looks like shadow that distorted her cleavage a bit. A little off topic, but I think she also got tweaked in the years before her death. It looked to me like she got really bad breast implants and messed with her face. She was really pretty in a girl next door way when she was younger. Sad to see how drugs and stardom messed up her looks entirely.
It’s just a shadow of the line of her jacket.
“That casket was super-shiny, right? It almost glittered.”
Whitney’s casket (The Promethean from Batesville Casket Company) was the same one Michael Jackson and James Brown had; and for $20,000 + it better sparkle!
love that you know that
Thanks. The only time I’ve ever seen one in person was at the funeral directors convention. It’s pretty spectacular! I work in an upper middle class area in NJ, and the most I’ve ever seen anyone spend on a casket is $10,000.
Mornin’ Mort. You crack me up! A little levity is just what this thread needs.
Mornin ladies….Amen to that!
OMG, you even know the style name! Is it solid silver or something? And where does one order a golden hearse???
@alix, it’s actually polished bronze with 24-karat gold hardware (which would mean handles, hinges, etc.) They call it “The Golden Send Off.” The “golden” hearse is just a paint option from Cadillac (who makes hearses). The standard hearse color is black and some places opt for white.
@the original bells, thanks. You might want to skip over the one sad story I posted to @CMC and read the ones under your original post above. I don’t want to upset anyone.
@Brin, mornin’
@asli, can you tell? I hope I’m not annoying anyone with the over posting! I’m a huge han biology geek.
My dad tried buying a place when I was 12, but they wouldn’t sell it to him because he wasn’t licensed. So I told him I would become a funeral director when I grew up and we could buy a place. We have yet to buy a place because we’re still waiting for the opportunity to present itself.
Bobby was told to bring two people and he brought nine. He took that day that was supposed to be about people Whitney and made it all about himself. Btw BK is 18 old enough to make her own decision. I don’t think she and her father is all that close
Finally this circus is over. Let’s move on.
If they really didn’t want him there they shouldn’t have invited him then and is blaming Bobby gonna bring her back!? If that was the case we wouldn’t be having this discussion……Seriously they all need to heal and learn from this and make sure they focus on taking care Bobbi Kris so she won’t go down this tragic road.
Replies to MANY of the above comments: I agree, Costner was eloquent on his speech, shockingly so. I reay don’t think of him as a good or even passable actor but man when he spoke from the heart it was amazing. Wonderful tribute.
Bobby Brown could have stayed and chose not to. Douche bag move. I’m sure if he and the kids had wanted to stay – sans entourage, accommodations would have been made.
Agree that Bobby didn’t get Whitney into drugs per se but I think he was a terrible influence on her and likely encouraged her into hard street drugs.
Also hope Bobbi gets into treatment, for her grief if nothing else. My daughter is roughly the same age and I would hope if I died someone would care enough to pull her in close and not let her go.
Yep, just a sad mess all the way around.
If he was respectful while there then I totally agree that he should of stayed. He is the one that left though, he wasn’t asked. Makes me wonder if he got all offended because everyone wasn’t all “Oh Bobby, you poor thing. Sit here , let us take care of you, you poor poor man…….”. I wasn’t there obviously, but why would anythinh male you mad enough to leave a funeral of someone you profess to care ao mich about? Seems off to me. I would of queitly sat on the ground to be there if that is where they sat me. As far as his daughter is concerened, I am quite certain she has a cell phone and knows his number, if SHE wanted to see him, I highly doubt she wouldn’t have called him. No one could keep me from my Father mourning my Mother with me if that is what I wanted. She is am adult. I think they are doing as Bobbi Kristina wants. Either way, it is all so sad. 🙁
Hold on a sec, two of the children Bobby brought with him were 10 and 11? Um…wasn’t he still married to Whitney at the time?
Bobby should have been respectful to the family’s wishes. If the invitation said he could only invite 2 people then he should have not turned it into a battle. Plus, Bobbi Kristina is 18 if she wants to see her dad she will see him but I get the feeling she has no desire to see him at all.
At the same time, Whitney was a grown woman and it’s not fair to blame Bobby for Whitney’s addiction. She made her own decisions and her own choices to stay clean (or not). Whitney and Bobby were probably very toxic for one another and made the addictions of the other worse but that doesn’t mean he should blamed for her problems. It’s only going to fuel more resentment and more hard feelings to perpetuate blame.
I believe he has are two adult children (not including BK); the younger two I thought were 10 and 2.
WH & BB were divorced in April 2007, but we all know that doesn’t necessarily mean that no children were conceived outside the marriage prior to that. 4/07 could simply be the date of finalization of the divorce, not the actual date of separation/filing.
Yeah but still that puts those kids’ age around the time he did Being Bobby Brown. We know they were still married and living together at that point. She filed for divorce in 2007 and I always felt they were separated for a few years (like in 2005 at the height of her crack addiction). But in 2000-2002 They were still actively married. I’m not saying he cheated as I don’t know what went on but that just leaves me with a few questions.
If the family wanted a smaller, more intimate service then why did they agree to press coverage?
I think there was a lot of tension and conflict over what to do for Whitney’s funeral. I think Cissy wanted something more low key and private but Whitney’s other (famewhorish) family members wanted to make this public.
Cissy also wanted her laid to rest in Atlanta, not Jersey, because she felt that was where Whitney had been happiest.
I think they should have let the poor woman decide where to bury her daughter. (Unless there were some express written directives about where Whitney wanted to be buried.)
I think when they said a private funeral they meant not having one in an arena with 20,000 strangers. In a sense the funeral did seem private eventhough it was televised.
I think I remember hearing in one of the million media reports that Whitney herself wanted to be buried next to her father – who is buried in New Jersey.
For the fans. They wanted people to be able to watch it on TV and not be outside at the church. It was a fine line they were walking and I think they did it well.
It was only one live feed that was available to be picked up on the internet and also by cable networks.
Shouldn’t all of the logistics been worked out before the day of the funeral?? If Bobby wanted to bring more guests, he should have asked the Houston family first before bringing them unannounced. I’m sure the Houston family hates Bobby’s ass and didn’t want him or any of his relatives at the funeral at all. I really can’t blame them since he did have some part in her downfall even if he didn’t force her into becoming a crackhead. He was an enabler who brought out the worst in her. Given that they even invited him, he should have been on his best behavior. If he brought people who weren’t on the guest list they should have quietly stood or sat all the way in the back of the church instead of expecting VIP treatment. Doing something like this when it should have been Whitney’s day just speaks volumes about the man.
Also, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are famewhores. When did they become the voice of the black community and black entertainment? Did they even know Whitney besides maybe in passing at a few events? They should have never been there and Sharpton should have never discussed Bobby’s departure on Twitter during the funeral. These two so-called Reverends are leaches. That is how they make their money and remain relevant in the press. Disgraceful.
I only watched Costner’s speech online and I thought he did a great job. Very sad that one of the best speakers at this funeral was a co-star from a movie she did 20 years ago. Her so-called godmother Aretha didn’t even show up. I don’t know what to believe. Was Aretha really so ill that she couldn’t make it without being in immense pain? Or is it because, as some rumors indicate, Aretha hasn’t been close to Whitney or her family in a very long time? No wonder she became such a mess. I doubt she really had that many true friends who were trying to help her out of her addictions. The only people at that funeral who will be grieving a year from now will be Bobbi Kristina, Whitney’s mom, and Cece. Many of the people at that funeral used or enabled Whitney for her fame and money.
Wait a tic…attendees were told to turn off their mobile devices and “no pix” at the service, and the REVEREND Al Sharpton was tweeting?!?!?
Are you f’ing kidding me?
Al Sharpton is a douchebag. He’s like a Reverend Lindsay Lohan.
The Rev. Al Sharpton wrote about the incident on Twitter: “I am at Whitney’s funeral. I spoke with Bobby Brown trying to calm him down and not distract from the services. Today is about Whitney!” Sharpton followed up on the incident later in the day, tweeting “We are out of the service. I don’t want anyone distorting Bobby Brown. He has shown love and respect today. Stop hatin.'”
Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/bobby-brown-leaves-whitney-houstons-funeral-over-seating-dispute-20120218#ixzz1mqMnXxU0
Agreed, agreed, agreed… Al Sharpton is a joke and creates a circus wherever he goes.
@mssnarnd, couldn’t it be that maybe those were relatives and the ones w/glasses were wearing them because they’d been…oh I don’t know…CRYING? As much as I find Al Sharpton and ESPECIALLY Jesse Jackson just awful, they were at the funeral and up in the pulpit because the Houston family wanted them there.
Totally agree about fame-hos Jackson and Sharpton. Jackson looked antsy and bored throughout the entire service, like he wished he’s brought a magazine to pass the time. And TWEETING? Don’t even get me started…
It was just horrible to have to see those two self-serving pigs up on the alter. Smack dab in the shots while guests spoke. Was it Sharpton’s grubby little fingers that couldn’t stay out of that candy / mint bowl they had placed on the pulpit?
AND WHO WERE THOSE CREEPY, STRANGE PEOPLE PLACED BEHIND THE SPEAKERS ON THE STAGE???
You could have played a fun drinking game at home based on the number of times they rubbed their noses!!!
One kid looks completely stoned out of his mind, one kid actually chose to wear sunglasses to cover (what I’m sure were) glossed-over eyes. Two of the more “adult” dudes were flashing each other bizarre hand signals every now and then.
I love the girl who looks like she’s waiting for her Norma Desmond close-up!
The big guy dressed in white actually puts a CHEW IN HIS MOUTH while Costner is speaking, and then not-so-subtly lifts his large body up while he puts the can back in his pants! Caught on tape. Bad timing dude.
Just watch the full clip of Costner speaking on YouTube. First of all, it’s worth it. His speech was very moving. And just in that short time period you can count the nose rubbings, check out the hand signals and see who stole the candy from the candy jar.
That woman was surrounded by wanna-be’s and fame whores her whole life. And, yesterday, even in death. Sad.
I couldn’t even tell you why, but Al Sharpton’s presence at the funeral doesn’t really bother me. Now Jesse Jackson?? Up there in the pulpit looking like he just got finished chewing a mouthful of gravel. Make me mad!
I’m no fan of Bobby Brown. BUT Whitney did drugs before and after Bobby. I think it’s part of the family’s denial to make him to be the sole reason for her downfall. Bobbi K has only one parent now and taking him away from her too won’t make this any better for her.
You speak the truth. Whitney was doing drugs before she met/married Bobby. They were two peas in a pod, but many people think she was the good girl marrying the bad boy.
ITA.
I will add that if Bobby is responsible for Whitney’s falling from grace, Whitney was for Bobby too. They were two druggies doing drugs way before they met. They feed each other’s bad habbit and both careers suffered from it, Bobby’s one even quicker than Whitney because a druggie with a druggie wife is worst than a druggie with a wife who is clean and can fight for her man to become clean. They both destroy the other one with their drug, Bobby being just lucky and strong enough to not become addicted to it.
Fact is Whitney became addicted while Bobby tried and succedded in cleaning his act years ago.
Whitney has said many times that she had forgiven Bobby’s bad attitude when they were married and that they were on better terms and the closest friends now that they were divorced. He chose another woman, is in a sane relationship where he is more sober with a baby while Whitney chose nasty Ray J.
Bobby lost his mother last year, his father last month and Whitney was at his side for both funerals. They were both out at a restaurant like close friends with Bobbi Kristina even taking her father’s hands two weeks before she died and by all accounts she loved her step children dearly.
I think Bobby coming with many of Bobbi Kristina’s siblings while he was giving few places were wrong but that wrong was coming from a good place. Those siblings are Bobbi K sisters and brothers. Bobby came back two days after Whitney passed away to pick up his daughter so that she could heal surrounded by her family including those siblings.
So while it wasn’t appropriate for Bobby to come with more people he was required too, it was undersatndable as those people were probably directly more affected by her death than many celebrities out there who didn’t see her as much and those siblings are the ones who consoled their sister, cried with her last week when she stayed with them a few days after her father picked her up.
Morally speaking they have more right to be there than some celebrities Whitney only speak to on the phone once every two years.
I for one beleive that Whitney would have preferred those children she loved as her own being present more than certain celebrities she barely knew on a personal side.
Ultimately the biggest wrong is how security treat those people like they were not part of Whitney’s family while she was still in close contact with them by the time she died, people who wether Whitney’s family like it or not are Bobbi Christina closest family and a family Whitney was still very part of even after her divorce from Bobby, the man she supports when both of Whitney’s former in laws died because she still considered herself as being part of the Brown’s family.
Well and sensibly said.
I too have to wonder why room was made for dignitaries and celebs but not for made more generously for family?
BTW, this isn’t the first funeral in earth where family tensions exist.
Well said.
I think the invitation should have been extended to the half-brothers & sisters if Whitney would have wanted them there and BK did too.
The whole mess could have been avoided.
Agree 110% with BOTH of your comments.
Excellent post!
I agree completely.
I know everyone is upset with BB and I understand that. Still, I do feel compassion for the man and I hope that is in a good place now so that he can provide strength and support to BK.
Well stated. He did the wrong thing, for all the right reasons.
It’s a shame that Whitney’s immediate family should be turned away to make room for celebrity guests. Despicable.
Also found it telling that the most touching memorial was from a coworker who worked with Whitney 20 years ago. Surely some “fair-weather friends” could volunteer their seats so Whitney’s step-children could pay their respects?
This, totally this. I can’t imagine why the invitation wouldn’t be for at least Bobby, his wife, and the three children that had Whitney as their stop mom.
And another thing concerning their drug consumption.
Bobby Brown’s main problem when married to WhitneY was never the drug that he could control, it was his violent behaviour, his constant affairs and his inhability to face Whitney rising success while his career was plumetting.
I remembered this from back in the day as well as Whitney telling that a few years ago. That he was frustrated and felt let down, kinda emasculated as his career was going down with no money while his wife was becoming bigger and bigger.
He didn’t even have the financial means for a proper drug consumption an addict needs (that’s probably one of the reason he didn’t became one), he was more into alcohol and women he brought at times in Whitney’s house.
Whitney was the one who paid for everything and was the one who uses dozen of millions of her own money to get her drug directly from notorious dealers in the area. Those are the poeple her family should have gone after.
The attempts to whitewash Whitney just makes the sordid details stand out more.
Limiting the attendance of an ex and his family seems strange in the first place. Maybe they could have dropped a celebrity or two in favour of family.
The family seem in either denial or outright enabling. She partied like a rock star under their watchful eyes last week and died. And the reports are Bobby Kristina will be going to rehab shortly. Not a pretty picture.
Bobby is long gone and by all reports clean. While I have no interest in the media drilling down and exposing the details, it seems that the more denial and scapegoating the uglier this will get.
If we can forgive Whitney her problems because she’s ill with addiction, a disease, why isn’t Bobby entitled to the same consideration?
Thank You for that comment. I hate how the media is making it seem like he came w/ randoms. Those were her step children whom she loved very much. They deserved better treatment than that.
And by some accounts Bobbi K said not a long time ago that she is a druggie just like her mum, not like her father.
By all accounts, her half siblings are sober. That just reinforced that idea that Whitney entourage, even after Bobby was more into drugs than Bobby’s and Bobbi K was dragged into it through the proximity of her mother.
I have the outmost respect for Whiney but even more for the truth and the truth is between Brown’s new life, new family, new sobriety and Whitney’s with Kim K nasty ex and her ungoing battles with booze and drugs, the less of two evils was still Brown’s.
He should have stepped in more vigourusly and take his daughter in the less of two evil environment.
But I guess him getting married at 22 to the biggest star of the moment who was older than him has somewhat cut his manhood, sense of responsability and maturity growth.
The drug his daughter was seen consuming was during her time with her mother when she was her guardian. At this time he should have stepped in and removed that child from the destructive environement surrounding her mother.
But I am pretty sure the same people who are crying foul against him today for dragging Whitney into that mess would have blamed him for hurting Whitney once again while it was the right thing to do for his daughter.
And now ROL has a story about how BK “disappeared” in the commotion after the funeral, and the family found her doing drugs sometime Sunday morning.
Also, none of the family has “said out loud” that BK has a drug problem, but it’s become pretty obvious.
I hope for BK’s sake this family puts an end to their “Ostrich Approach.” That’s part of the reason Whitney’s dead.
Bobbi Christina didn’t want Bobby at the funeral but her grandma said let him come. I don’t watch Oprah but they had on an old interview with Whitney and it seems like Bobby was abuseif and Bobbi Christina watch him abuse her mom and that why she has no love for her dad.
BB 3 other children are all older than BK. There all in the 3rd pic.
I think Whitney’s family is hurting and angry over her death and they want someone to blame.
Whitney’s dead; they can’t blame her. So, Bobby becomes the most convenient target.
I don’t think her family ever approved of him; his relationship with Whitney was toxic to both of them; they watched her steady descent into drug abuse, all the while hoping she’d get (and stay) clean. I think it’s just easier for her family to lay it all at BB’s feet.
Bobbie and Whitney had a recent family outing with their daughter and nothing seemed amiss.. he should have came alone., he knew what to expect and had a plan to do his honoring of her solo.. Nice job.. all dignity and class.. real bravery considering so many people grew to hate him and blame him..
Sorry but that is simply false. There is video of Bobbi K and Whitney busting in on Clive and Brandi’s interview both are visibly intoxicated and the accounts of them behaving strangely. Denial doesn’t give Whitney any dignity.
If that douchebag had ANY respect for Whitney, he should have shown up ALONE to honor her memory and be there for his daughter. No doubt, Whitney would have wanted him there…but not with a f’ing ENTOURAGE. Seriously..what is wrong with that asshole?
I don’t blame the family at all. This asshole ruined her.
What a waste.
Exactly Srt8shooter. He clearly knew how many people he could bring and chose to bring 9, knowing full well he couldn’t do that. Piece of garbage jerk.
Yeah, except members of the entourage where HER STEP CHILDREN…
It ain’t an American funeral unless there is some drama involved. I’m glad it was classy and dignified though I had some issues with R. Kelly, T.D Jakes, Jesse Jackson (like what the fuck was he doing on the pulpit of all places?), and C LIVED Avis and Tyler Perry being in that mix. However, Tyler was the one who made arrangements for her body to be brought home and there are rumours that he paid for the funeral not C LIVED Avis so, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.
Bobby had every right to be there. He and Whitney were toxic for each other but there was love there. However, he can miss me with his ghetto ass drama. You brought your baby mama, with whom you were dipping with while married to Whitney and using her money to wine and dine your side chick(s), up in that piece? The kids I understand. Those are Bobbi K’s siblings and Whitney helped raise and support them. But the baby mom/manager, brother, Poo Poo and Rahj, and D-Ray could have fallen back. The way my friends told it: he came in when the funeral started basically and was seated near the front with the fams. They saw a man approach him and the first time and he was seated still but his posse were told to take a seat elsewhere. This went on two more times before Bobby decided to leave. They were never asked to leave, but that Bobby could stay where he was and the others could move.
I understand Piers Morgan is British and I am currently living in London and have attended different churches in the black community so I realise things are somewhat different. But I wanted to tell him to shut the hell up with all that black church business. Yes black BAPTIST churches know how to give a sermon, a homegoing service, and all that but my Cathloic turned Lutheran grandmother HATE Baptist services as she found them dramatic and distasteful. I grew up in Church of God where we were passionate on Sundays but no where near as sing songy on pulpit and calling on the ancestors spirited. And New Hope’s services are no joke on a regular Sunday. That on TV was nothing. Basically, ALL black churches are different. All churches are different period. And Don Lemon needs to shut the hell up too because it’s clear to me he had no idea what goes on in a church, let alone a black church calling the pulpit a stage. So he can stop speaking for us.
We, as in most churches no matter the colour or denomination, call funerals homegoing services because we believe that the death of someone is not the end of their life. They are going home to be with the Lord and Saviour. It is a time to be celebrated and also to preach the gospel of Christ. My mother had a great homegoing service. There was laughter, tears and her wish that her service be a time to preach about Christ.
And how tacky was it of CNN trying to ask people questions? WTF?
i believed r. kelly was there because he originally wrote the song 10 years agao for whitney. at least that is what i read on another site . oh and i agree with you all black churches r different , i grew up adventist (saturday service) and they were longwinded and not so much singing. way too strict.
No, I understood his connection to Whitney, I just don’t understand how they could let his triflin ass on a pulpit. Some things at that funeral had me going…WTF?
I think Bobby is the scum of the earth, but Whitney would have wanted him there. She loved him and the family should have respected that. I’m glad Bobby did the right thing for once in his life. On a side note, he had two of his kids during his marriage to Whitney? Ouch.
I thought Costner’s speech was lovely.
There’s no way to know exactly what Whitney Houston would want because, sadly, she’s not here to say. But to show up with an entourage to your ex-wife’s funeral is tacky. And if she had anything close to the kind of relationship with her family that I have with mine, they could probably make a good guess as to what she would have wanted.
I have two children with two different fathers. The older son’s father would be welcomed with open arms and he would be respectful, as he always has in the years I have known him. My younger son’s father was emotionally, and at times physically, abusive to the point that it drove me to a serious nervous breakdown. My family would allow both of my sons’ father to my funeral, but if one of them (the second would be most likely to do this) tried to make a scene and make it about him, he’s be swiftly and soundly escorted out. It makes perfect sense to me if things went down the way it’s been reported.
I wish people would stop taking what the media says at face value. Based on the pictures, he was there with his older children, Whitney’s step-children who, understandably, would have wanted to attend their stepmother’s funeral.
Agreed, the media often refer to a group of people with a celebrity as an “entourage” just to mean group, It doesn’t necisarily mean a group of employees, To me it looked like he was with his children (Bobbi Christina’s brothers & Sisters).
I agree, which is why I specified “if it went down as reported.” I wasn’t there, and I don’t know these people. However *if* it went down as reported, and he was invited with two guests and he brought more than that, well, he’s in the wrong. His primary reason in coming should have been to be there for his daughter first and foremost, and to pay his respects to his ex-wife. If you’re invited to a funeral, you show up and follow the protocol set by the deceased’s family. And I can’t help but think that his daughter isn’t really that close to him. I feel as though if she really wanted him there, there wouldn’t have been an issue, they would have worked it out. If he wanted to bring a bunch of people, regardless of whether they’re former step-children or an entourage or whomever, he should have asked before hand and respected the family’s wishes.
I think it’s been confirmed that this supposed entourage were Bobby’s brother and children who had a step mother type relationship with Whitney.
The hating, baiting and demonizing of Bobby seems unnecessary. It was under her FAMILY’s care for some 6 years since their split that her problems continued. She partied WITH them UNABATED last week.
BB cannot be blamed for Whitney’s drug use. Apparently, she was doing drugs before she met him. People have to take responsibility for their own behavior.
Why would you invite Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson if you wanted a low key wedding? I turned it off after Kevin was talking for a while, but it seemed to me that all he was talking about was himself.
Even if BB brought too many people to the funeral, they shouldn’t have kicked him out. (essentially that’s what they did). After all, He was married to her for fourteen years. I saw their reality show a couple of times and she was being a total diva, and he was bending over backwards trying to please her. Don’t get me wrong, from what I’ve heard, he was no angel either.
He brought his oldest who I believe is 26 02 27 and three of his youngest. The oldest I can understand but the three youngest I don’t understand because Whitney’s was not their stepmon. They are what 10,11 and 2 0r three.
Anyway whether Whitney was using before Bobby or not, being with him make it worst and I think people are forgetting that he used to beat her. So no, I don’t feel anything from Bobby Brown. I am not blaming him for all Whitney’s problems but he didn’t help the cause either. He is a douche
Apparently Whitney PERFORMED at BOBBYs mothers funeral two months ago.
The idea that a family member should be treated this way at at a funeral is COLD folks. Telling people what they should feel based on their age or exact blood connection is taking officiousness to ridiculous heights.
Two things come to my mind when I think of Whitneys life & death.
1. It’s unfortunate that so many bad things can happen to good people
2. The Lord giveth & The Lord taketh.
…blessed be the Name of the Lord.
It seems like this should have or was worked out ahead of time. When Bobby was told he could only have plus 2, he should have just taken his son Landon (who I’m assuming, at 26, Whitney probably was closest to and who was old enough to sit through the ceremony) and let his girlfriend leave with the 3 kids. Wouldn’t that have solved the problem?
Like it or not, Bobby was Whitney’s FAMILY for over a decade and they had a daughter.
It DOES occur to me that Whitney’s side of the family was running interference for Bobbi Christina, who maybe didn’t want her dad there but didn’t have the heart to tell him?
Either way, Whitney was responsible for her own choices. Unless Bobby was holding her at gunpoint and making her snort coke and smoke crack, she made her own choices. PLUS, she had the economic means to leave him (hell, she made MORE than Bobby), unlike some women, who stay in unhealthy marriages with kids because financially they’re stuck.
Whitney’s family can make excuses, but unless Bobby got all those prescriptions for her and made her drink and party all week at the Beverly Hills Hilton…Whitney brought it on herself.
People need to come correct about some things. Whitney didn’t get suckered into the lifestyle, true, but Bobby was not in control of his drug use. If you watch his behind the music documentary which cam be found on youtube, it is clear that by the time Bobby’s second solo album came out he was living quite the “high life. He even says that in New Edition they were getting high all the time but he had less control than others.
No one has to whitewash anything Whitney did, because she had gone on record quite a few times about her role in things, but to act as if THEY BOTH did not enable each other is another thing and try to somehow place the blame on Whitney for Bobby’s behavior is another beast.
They found each other through their love sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Whitney did come across as classy and churchy but she had also said that that was not all of who she was and that there was pressure for her to be perfect and that’s not really what she wanted. Like Bobby said, ‘Whitney was close to it, but she was no angel. I was a ghetto boy and she was a ghetto girl.”
I’ve never understood “hating the person & not the drug” attitude. Yes, there IS personal responsibility involved. Very difficult to reach when one is sober, imagine while under the influence.
IMO, with the BB occurrence at the funeral, Whitney’s family has again turned a blind eye to the truth of what Whitney was doing to her life & her family via drug abuse. The family loved & protected her to the point of strangling & secluding her — and she escaped any way she could, by any means and anyone she could. My heart goes out to those she left behind.
It is my wish that she is happy & free, and loving everyone from wherever her soul is now.
Bobby didn’t just bring his children, he brought others as well. I don’t think the families were on good terms, so I think him bringing extra people may have ticked them off. Bobby is not a class act. I don’t think they turned him away, he probably turnd himself away. Bobby shouldn’t be blamed but he had a hand in her downfall, so the family is bitter and anrgy.
I think placing anger at Bobby is misplaced, I agree. Whitney chose Bobby – she knew what he was about. Yes, there may have been an attraction (or other reasons as people stated here) but she chose him. Watching Being Bobby Brown (crazy show) there was love there and a bond. Strange lifestyle for such a big celebrity. It was almost like despite all the glamourous ‘trappings’ they lived like they still were in Newark – I don’t know how else to say it.
The one episode I watched of BBB it was Mother’s Day and Whitney was annoyed that Bobby was bringing his nieces and nephews with them for a getaway but he really tried to smooth things over. You really felt like she was just stressed by her life. Robyn Crawford wrote in that piece in Esquire that Whitney was always taking care of everyone else and so many people were dependent on her career and that that took a toll.
I also think the Clive Davis Grammy Party and the fact that she really was expected or had agreed to sing stressed her out and she just couldn’t cope with it. She should have said no to that.
He wasn’t asked to leave. He threw a tantrum after he run the show the way he wanted. What an ass.
There’s two sides to it. . . BUT if anyone was goin to cause some shit, we jus knew it would be ‘Bad Ass’ Bobby Brown!. . . You can always count on him for this type of thing.
BUT I think he really had feelings going strong that day just like everyone in Whitney’s family, so they should all get a free pass!
I felt sad for Bobby Brown when I heard he felt he needed to leave the funeral. But now hearing he brought all those children and screwed up seating arrangements puts a slightly different spin on matters. In any case though, I doubt Whitney would have wanted him to feel unwelcome or excluded… no matter what hell came of their marriage, they had loved each other once. I watched some “Being Bobby Brown” youtube clips last night and there was love there, you could tell. And sadly, you could also tell what a mess they both were… Whitney especially seemed to be on another plane entirely.
Okay this is a little off topic for the thread- but I had heard rumors of Whitney allegedly being a closet lesbian, so I just googled ‘whitney houston lesbian’ and a number of articles came up with sources confirming that she had had a relationship with her assistant Robyn Crawford in the eighties and that this person was her true love and the marriage to Bobby was a cover to squelch the gay rumors. So that might be a piece in the puzzle of how and why Whitney’s life went downhill.
I’ve read this, too. It’s definitely an interesting theory. Robyn dropped out of school to work for Whitney on the road for years, and they were also roommates long after Whitney was famous.
Seems odd.
It COULD explain some things, though. That’s for sure. If Whitney never felt like she could be herself, she could have turned to drugs/alcohol to escape.
The more I’ve read online about this tonight, the more I believe it’s true.
Robyn wrote up something for Esquire about Whitney and mentions her “peachy skin.” I guarantee you, when my best friend who I’ve known since I will 12 passes away, I won’t be talking about her skintone during the eulogy. It speaks volumes.
it was not his “entourage”, it was his family, some of his other children that knew Whitney……I think the whole thing is sad
You know what? WHO CARES!
Sorry but I’m sick of these druggies getting all this media coverage when they die. After all these years she was still basically only known for one movie and one song. Yet people are carrying on like she put an end to world hunger. Get a grip.
Next we’re gonna hear what HUGE fans everybody was of Lindsay Lohan when she dies from an OD. Puh-lease!
Just a note about Costner’s speech. Beautiful. Well said, heartfelt, poignant, perfect. It’s interesting because if you watch interviews of Costner since the Bodyguard you really do get the feeling that he had a special bond with Houston and desperately wanted her to succeed and to get back to her Bodyguard fame and talent. Bravo Costner, a very nice tribute to a talented lady.
Just a little observation… in any pics I’ve seen of Whitney’s palms it appears she has a very defined but very short lifeline.
Did ya really think that BB was going to show up and not make it ALL about him
Hey Kaiser, on a sadder note…. MSN says that Bobbi Chris ended up in a hotel instead of going to the dinner…..and she was there getting high on drugs.
Way to go BC! Too bad your going to end up just like your momma. Way to pay respect to her and yourself.
Bobbi Christina has started using drugs after her parents divorce 5 years ago while living with her mum, using the weekly allowance she was given to buy some drug.
What i don’t understand is it’s a known fact, there are pictures of her sniffing, people knew Whitney was still doing it while Bobby and his new family had zero record of drug abuses.
Why in the world, the justice, child protection services Bobby Brown himself or Whitney’s family never ever intervened or looked more carefully into this highly volatile situation to remove a teen from her mum’s dangerous environment, an environment everyone knew was still full of drug circulation ?
lohan has been arrested, plenty have been arrested and yet Whitney whom i respect was never bottered even by child services even as being Bobbi C legal guardian as her daughter was caught on tape doing drugs ?She was never asked to answer questions related to that ?
And now the same entourage who didn’t lift a finger to do the right thing are still in denial while that child will have access to more financial for her drug consumption !
The fact that she was under Whitney’s legal guardianship all those years while everyone knew Whitney wasn’t always clean boggles my mind and is completely insane !
Well said. My only reply is that she was a celebrity.
The entourage was the problem. Even if they were family members, there were too many. BB plus two makes sense to me in a packed church. Too bad he was so focused on himself that he couldn’t set aside his pre-determined plans, be flexible, and be there for their daughter.
There was no entourage and if you look closely it was not 9 people as the media is stating. look at the pics
There is resentment towards Bobby Brown because he has been clean for 6 years and Whitney has never stopped. Whitney was being Whitney. Her family can’t blame Bobby for everything there is accountability on her part as well.
People need to get their facts straight before stating things. I love how TMZ using entourage but only show Bobby, His Fiance, 2 kids with them… hmmm interesting need ratings much.
And contrary to rumors that Houston’s family had prevented Brown from seeing Bobbi Kristina following Houston’s death, “He was involved in choices for Bobbi, so that seems farfetched that they were keeping her from him. He has seen his daughter.”
I may be alone in my sentiments but I actually feel really sorry for Bobby Brown in all this.
He shoulders an unfair amount of the blame in Whitney’s unraveling and b/c Bobby won’t defend himself…he always comes off looking a bad guy.
Despite what transpired between them…they LOVED each other. Why folks seemed so bothered by that confuses me.
Bobby was wrong to show up with a more than expected amount of attendants BUT folks need to stop labeling his guests as entourage of random folks…half his guest were his children who were conceived BEFORE his marriage to Whit except for his youngest son. Another guest was his brother Tommy who was a constant presence with Whit and Bob.
Those kids have spoke affectionately about Whit while she was alive and it’s too bad they couldn’t console their sister. Bob’s move may have seemed douchey but I respect him for just leaving and not making a bigger scene. It seems he’s often been pushed or turned away many times in Whit’s life.
And I care because………….