With a soundtrack that sold a whopping 42 million copies worldwide, Whitney Houston's first movie, "The Bodyguard," was a smash hit that raked in over $400 million at the box office internationally. Now former "Bodyguard" Kevin Costner, 57, is reportedly speaking at his late co-star's funeral, joining longtime producer Clive Davis and Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder, who will sing at the service.
Houston was found dead last Saturday in a hotel room in Beverly Hills, California, at age 48. It was announced yesterday that her funeral, to be held in her hometown of Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, will be broadcast live online.
Costner played a Secret Service agent in the unforgettable 1992 romantic-thriller that pulled a page from real life and cast Houston as a megawatt singer and Costner as the man who must protect her, with a helping of true love on the side. The movie helped to firmly establish Houston as one of the world's preeminent singers, featuring five hit singles, including a career-defining performance of "I Will Always Love You" (embedded below).
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With a soundtrack that sold a whopping 42 million copies worldwide, Whitney Houston's first movie, "The Bodyguard," was a smash hit that raked in over $400 million at the box office internationally. N...
With a soundtrack that sold a whopping 42 million copies worldwide, Whitney Houston's first movie, "The Bodyguard," was a smash hit that raked in over $400 million at the box office internationally. N...
The tabloid press can struggle with journalistic ethics surrounding intrusion into grief at the best of times. With the death of Houston they faced two further tests; writing respectfully about women and responsibly reporting drug addiction. On both counts I think they've failed. Much like the case of Amy Winehouse, the reason for her death was considered a given before any official statement was made. "Once an addict, always an addict". It's a lazy and inaccurate portrayal of addiction but one all too often taken up by the popular press.
As Whitney Houston's family and loved ones gather to remember and to mourn her this weekend, here are the songs that I will listen to as I remember a woman who brought so much love and solace to millions around the world with a voice that will likely outlive us all.
Flags at half-staff should be reserved principally for those who have made great sacrifices in the pursuit of selfless, patriotic service. Our celebrities get plenty of attention. Our soldiers barely get any at all.
kevin costner is speaking right now ! i m so loving him, he is a GREAT LOOKIN GUY AGE WELL
look just as great as he did in bodyguard! love him,and he and his pal whit ,had alot in common.
HE LOVE WHITNEY,AND I M SO BLESS TO SEE HIM TODAY SPEAK AND MAKIN PEOPLE LAUGH AT WHITNEY HOUSTON FUNERAL SO NICE, I LOVE HIM MORE NOW, HE IN THE HOOD NEWARK NJ SPEAKING THAT IS A HONOR,AS ALL OTHERS WHO FLEW HERE IN NEWARK NJ TO SPEAK I LOVE THAT, AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND BLESS,when they come together, no matter what race, RIP Whitney
we love u.
adios.
BMWRedheadLaw: kevin costner is speaking right now ! i m so
Here's a woman who went to the Soul Train Award show, and she was booed because they were tired of her winning every award. They claimed she wasn't black enough! Imagine that?
1088: Here's a woman who went to the Soul Train Award
That was a few people NOT the entire audiance! AND it was not becuse she was not "Black Enought" it was because Clive Davis did not allow her to work with Black producers! So check yo self before...
LesaSays: That was a few people NOT the entire audiance! AND
forget her talent, forget her beauty, at her core, she was a sweet little girl who grew up in the church and a star was born. she was a slave to love, and she loved bobby brown. good or bad, we cannot know why, that is who she loved. i have been there in love, and it is a powerful thing. it nearly distroyed me as well. i was able to work thorough it, she could not. forget who she was as a star and think of who she was as a person. she was just a good person with a talent, and fell in tragic love. may this wonderful person find peace. i ache for her passing .
giltcomplex1: forget her talent, forget her beauty, at her core, she
She hasn't had a hit in years due to drug use. Why is this such a big deal ? She was not a GOD. Did she even write any of those songs ? It's too bad she dies yeah. But I feel more for the American soldiers who die protecting us than a drug addict.
jvinylman502: She hasn't had a hit in years due to drug
She was a great singer.... And like man musicians and artists she had a serious drug problem. Its no difference than Janis Jopplin or Jimi Hendrix (for the record, I'm not saying Whitney Houston created as much or was as talented as Jimi Hendrix but you get the picture)
nhr_215: She was a great singer.... And like man musicians and
I agree , she had great talent. The best singer of the star spangled banner to date. Over all I didn't care for her music , but she did have talent. Unlike alot of what we see today.
jvinylman502: I agree , she had great talent. The best singer
I think today's culture has allowed terms like this to describe too many woman. It is just another women are being defamed as people by the hip hop culture of today. Women dont take this offensive and men think it ok to say these things. But when it is said after someone dies the world comes unglued. Please, if you want to be upset with someone, the community perpetuating this type of lifestyle, the hip hoppers, should make changes within themselves and not blame the rest of the world for being insensitive when a "Crack Ho" as it was put kills themself. I do not condone this nor do I believe this of Whitney, I loved her and her talents and I will miss her. I also have a hard time feeling bad as this was brought on by self neglect and just plain stupidity. I hope her family survives this tragedy and now media circus, the family is the true victim here.
Kenny_Letizia: I think today's culture has allowed terms like this to
Alot of this is about a minority dying. Who has heard anything from or about her lately other than her drug use ? I was sad when Jim Morrison died. But he did it to himself. I didn't give him a breal due to my love of his music or for him being a white guy.
jvinylman502: Alot of this is about a minority dying. Who has
Whitney did not die from crack, as people are suggesting. All they found in her room is LEGAL drugs that she got through prescriptions. I can't believe people are trying to make it sound like she was still a drug addict. That is just plain disrespectful!!
(PS Whitney said herself she would not do crack-because she had the money for cocaine, so I think it is also very racist to say that about her as many uninformed and obviously racist people stereotyping her have been doing!)
Rose_LoveMinx: Whitney did not die from crack, as people are suggesting.
It is very difficult to not want to believe anything an addict uses for an excuse. They can seem really convincing. Although she may not have died from the use of illegal drugs, you can be sure that some form of drug and alcohol contributed to her demise. Does that make it OK? Not to those left behind. Drug use and abuse is color blind. Racism has nothing to do with addiction.
staceyaimee: It is very difficult to not want to believe anything
As for labeling people "racist", based on the their assumption of her drug choice, is ignorance. Using race in this manner, only lessens the impact that true racial issues bear. Facts are facts, she was once arrested for possession of "crack paraphernalia", she spent time in rehab for addiction to "crack", Bobby Brown admitted in court that he and his wife "were smoking crack". So try as you might, you cannot erase the very public past, that we all got to watch. Her deeds, are well documented and since you did not know her, you cannot assume she was "clean". Perhaps she relapsed? She was an addict, it wouldn't be unthinkable.
So the only thing disrespectful, is you wasting the race card on an obvious addict.
Juda_Farmer: Right, she was clean for 6 weeks... As for labeling
Whitney is so happy right now, nothing on this earth matters.... Over the past few years she has been a troubled soul and the demons are no more. Her God given voice will always be remembered. Hopefully her family will seek help for Bobbi K with her drug use, maby God has a plan, none of us know.If her Dad loves her at all, he will see to it. Whitney was raised in church, and I'm sure she had fought the knowledge that God didn't want her to keep ruining her life, so he called her home....I will always love you too Whitney, whatever your faults were.
ShirleySue: Whitney is so happy right now, nothing on this earth
Yep...she should be happy that she put her child through a living hell. whitney was nothing short of being selfish and a bad mother bringing her daughter to where she wanted to party.
jvinylman502: Yep...she should be happy that she put her child through
We Black people like our heros with a little dirt on their caps! You know nothing about that woman and her child so go post comment about Anna Nicole or Heath Ledger! Thank you very much!
LesaSays: We Black people like our heros with a little dirt
You may build a skyscraper grand & tall, You may build a cathedral, & have fame & fortune. You may even conquer all the deamons & failures of your past. But at the end of the day, only what u do for Christ will last. Like Dr. King, said, " Don't mention where I went to school, do mention I have three or four hundred awards, that I have a Noble Peace Prize. Just mention that I tried in my lifetime to feed the hungry, the I tried to clothe the naked, that I tried to love & serve humanity,then all of these other things won't matter".
apt06: You may build a skyscraper grand & tall, You may
I can't believe this woman drug's herself to death and we turn her into a hero and even televise her funeral. Yes she was pretty. Yes she WAS extremely talented at one time, but her voice was gone and her look's were gone. How are we to keep our kid's off of drug's when we glorify these drug addict's death's. She is no different than Amy Winehouse or Lindsay Lohan for that matter. I think it is tremendously sad when a person does this but to act like she should be put on a pedistal is nut's. She had it made and she threw it away.
krktoday: I can't believe this woman drug's herself to death and
please google Oprah Winfrey's final interview DONE IN 2009 two years ago - listen, watch, hear and LEARN!!! Listen to her beautiful voice that she brought back and then leave your wrong hateful and hurtful comments to yourself... May this beautiful, loving, giving, remarkable HUMAN BEING, WHITNEY ELIZABETH HOUSTON, REST IN ETERNAL PEACE....
iamwomanofcolor: please google Oprah Winfrey's final interview DONE IN 2009 two
First no one knows what she died from yet. She very well may have relapsed, however that does not change what she meant to people. It is your job to keep your children off of drugs, not hers or any other star. She never glorified her addiction. Are you perfect? I think not. She fell in love with someone who broke her spirit and led her down a dark, dangerous path. No one is glorifying her drug use, they are honoring her for the person she was apart from her addiction. When you die do you want everyone focusing on the wrong YOU did in your life? Again, I think not.
piperhedgehog: First no one knows what she died from yet. She
It was his idea to have the Dolly Parton song 'I Will Always love You' begin with Whitney singing accapella...very special effect when she launches into the chorus...I thought thye were great together
geckofan: It was his idea to have the Dolly Parton song
She had such a flawlessly beautiful face and such onscreen charisma. Hard to believe that was her first role in a movie. She really could've had a stellar Hollywood career. So sad about the weakness that dragged her down and ultimately stole her life. Addiction has robbed the world of so much potential.
restarea: She had such a flawlessly beautiful face and such onscreen
I'm a huge supporter of Ustream and LiveStream and am happy that more people will be introduced to their websites.
Here's the link for the channel on Ustream that will broadcast the service. http://www.ustream.tv/aplive
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First Posted: 02/16/2012 2:04 pm Updated: 02/16/2012 2:05 pm