Timmy84 said:

It wouldn't have hurt her to reschedule. I just don't buy the excuse of spasms especially in the timeline.

Yeah. It doesn't hurt her... but it hurts the 4000 paying customers! It would have been selfish and rude to just cancel the day before the show.

Timmy84 said:

banks said:

I think it's more than just the fans would have understood. There's other monies involved with cancelling and rescheduling a show.. And from experience i know that not attending someones funeral does not mean that person doesn't care..

Obviously Aretha did care. She was a family friend for years and despite their differences (I did hint they had had beef in the past) she and Cissy were still considered close. It's just that Aretha's matter of how things broke down could've been handled better than they were so she's not exempt to criticism. She was invited and she said she was gonna be there, then the last minute she canceled due to "spasms". It wasn't really that she couldn't take funerals but it doesn't seem like she called Cissy and 'em and tell them right away so that's why Dionne had the confused look. Again, it would've been understood if she simply CALLED.

I always thought that, based on what I observed from a clear distance, Aretha did not care for Whitney all that much. Or perhaps that they did not care for each other particularly well. Over the years I never really heard all that much about Aretha being W's godmother; mostly as an aside or afterthought. A Godparent relationship is a nice idea, but people change and grow, and often in different directions after a child is born. Unless you are able to spend significant or quality time with a child as they are growing up, you may not have much of a foundation for an adult relationship.

Here we go. Since its been mentioned Aretha has thrown unnecessary shade to more than a few than upcoming r&b divas and even some of her peers over the years. I think thats why some folks are really pushing the issue. I would hope/feel at her age and the fact that of mortality(her struggles & Whit's death) that she would put that kinda stuff to the side. She has been around the family for decades. So I wanna believe her this time.

[Edited 2/23/12 19:59pm]

allsmutaside said:

Timmy84 said:

Obviously Aretha did care. She was a family friend for years and despite their differences (I did hint they had had beef in the past) she and Cissy were still considered close. It's just that Aretha's matter of how things broke down could've been handled better than they were so she's not exempt to criticism. She was invited and she said she was gonna be there, then the last minute she canceled due to "spasms". It wasn't really that she couldn't take funerals but it doesn't seem like she called Cissy and 'em and tell them right away so that's why Dionne had the confused look. Again, it would've been understood if she simply CALLED.

I always thought that, based on what I observed from a clear distance, Aretha did not care for Whitney all that much. Or perhaps that they did not care for each other particularly well. Over the years I never really heard all that much about Aretha being W's godmother; mostly as an aside or afterthought. A Godparent relationship is a nice idea, but people change and grow, and often in different directions after a child is born. Unless you are able to spend significant or quality time with a child as they are growing up, you may not have much of a foundation for an adult relationship.

Well the idea of a god parent is to protect the child and raise it if something happens to the parents. People have idolized this between Aretha and Whitney for some reason.

lazycrockett said:

allsmutaside said:

I always thought that, based on what I observed from a clear distance, Aretha did not care for Whitney all that much. Or perhaps that they did not care for each other particularly well. Over the years I never really heard all that much about Aretha being W's godmother; mostly as an aside or afterthought. A Godparent relationship is a nice idea, but people change and grow, and often in different directions after a child is born. Unless you are able to spend significant or quality time with a child as they are growing up, you may not have much of a foundation for an adult relationship.

Well the idea of a god parent is to protect the child and raise it if something happens to the parents. People have idolized this between Aretha and Whitney for some reason.

It's simple: the media loves a warm cuddly story. People passed on this thing for over 25 years. So when it's finally revealed that what was assumingly the case with Whitney and Aretha was just that, PR, it changes the dynamic. You think if she was a godmother, she'd be more around her than often. Of course we don't know about private times but it just doesn't seem as if they were THAT close. Maybe Aretha was with Cissy, but with Whitney, I don't know.

I hope folks aren't holding the Godmother thing over her head. Thats a bit much plus Aretha has her own kids,career and struggles. Also it's not like Whitney was motherless.

BitetheBeat said:

I hope folks aren't holding the Godmother thing over her head. Thats a bit much plus Aretha has her own kids,career and struggles. Also it's not like Whitney was motherless.

I think that ship may have sailed a long time ago (Godmother.) Some of my dearest college friends have some children that I have not spent much time with over the years as they were growing up. While I have kept in touch with the parents by phone and letter, and occaisional visits over the years, and would still die for most of them, many of those kids are strangers to me. And I would still do a lot for them, but I might not put my health and/or sanity in danger and travel when I should really stay put and meet an already once delayed obligation to attend something that will not benefit my Godchild at all. It would only have served the living for Aretha to have gone to the funeral. And the living, possibly as evidenced by how Bobby Brown was treated at the funeral, may not always deserve the benefit.

missfee said:

At this point, it's all crying over spilled milk. But I will say this much as someone already mentioned, when somebody REALLY wants to be there for you, they will, no matter what. That.is.all.

There it is... well said missfee.

I'm sure mother Houston's heart is too full and pain is too overwhelming at present to wonder, worry or care who didn't show up or walked out of daughter's furneral. Sadly, ruffer days are ahead, may her faith sustain her.

Irrespective of what she was or wasn't to Whitney, Ms. Franklin had a 50 year relastionship with mother Houston. A friend of yours child dies and you don't show up? If the shoe was on the other foot and (a woman who went into epiplectic fits when a certain someone dared to say Tina Tuner was the "Queen of Soul") Cissy had bailed on Ms. Franklin, it never would've been forgotton. There's nothing to get the record straight... don't bother trying to clean it up. This has "stank" all over. She needs to shut up and keep uh livin'.

TD3 said:

missfee said:

At this point, it's all crying over spilled milk. But I will say this much as someone already mentioned, when somebody REALLY wants to be there for you, they will, no matter what. That.is.all.

There it is... well said missfee.

I'm sure mother Houston's heart is too full and pain is too overwhelming at present to wonder, worry or care who didn't show up or walked out of daughter's furneral. Sadly, ruffer days are ahead, may her faith sustain her.

Irrespective of what she was or wasn't to Whitney, Ms. Franklin had a 50 year relastionship with mother Houston. A friend of yours child dies and you don't show up? If the shoe was on the other foot and (a woman who went into epiplectic fits when a certain someone dared to say Tina Tuner was the "Queen of Soul") Cissy had bailed on Ms. Franklin, it never would've been forgotton. There's nothing to get the record straight... don't bother trying to clean it up. This has "stank" all over. She needs to shut up and keep uh livin'.

No, it's more like anyone not named Franklin, Houston or Warwick (and whatever else Whitney's immediate relatives name is) needs to stay the fuck out of this and mind their own damned business.

[Edited 2/23/12 16:41pm]

getxxxx said:

PatrickS77 said:

TD3 said:

There it is... well said missfee.

I'm sure mother Houston's heart is too full and pain is too overwhelming at present to wonder, worry or care who didn't show up or walked out of daughter's furneral. Sadly, ruffer days are ahead, may her faith sustain her.

Irrespective of what she was or wasn't to Whitney, Ms. Franklin had a 50 year relastionship with mother Houston. A friend of yours child dies and you don't show up? If the shoe was on the other foot and (a woman who went into epiplectic fits when a certain someone dared to say Tina Tuner was the "Queen of Soul") Cissy had bailed on Ms. Franklin, it never would've been forgotton. There's nothing to get the record straight... don't bother trying to clean it up. This has "stank" all over. She needs to shut up and keep uh livin'.

No, it's more like anyone not named Franklin, Houston or Warwick (and whatever else Whitney's immediate relatives name is) needs to stay the fuck out of this and mind their own damned business.

[Edited 2/23/12 16:41pm]

Sista Franklin is that you?

Terrib3Towel said:

This is a post from a Whitney message board:

Quote

Jennifer Holliday doesn't know shit! Neither does Aretha. They are both catty, gossipy women who sit from a far and cast judgement upon others while they sit on past accolades and titles to carry them through. They both were able to get "quick fixes," to their issues that were destroying their bodies and voices. Whitney had to do it all by her damn self and there was no miracle surgery to fix her addiction. Whitney's was drugs and and those two just couldn't stop feeding their faces, I guess that is why they are always running their mouths now because they no longer can fill their big yaps with cakes and pies.

Get off your high horses ladies, you both could have died from heartattacks or strokes years ago and Whitney was not all up in your business on news programs saying, Aretha needs to lose weight, or oh poor Aretha she sounded like crap at the inauguration or oh poor Jennifer Holliday, she is still trying to ride that fame off a Broadway hit from years and years ago that Jennifer Hudson did better and now has won more accolades for than you ever did!

Truth is Whitney Houston was the voice, she could sing those two women under the table and sing their own songs without batting an eyelash and they are jealous cows who have more in common with Wendy Williams than Whitney Houston.

I am ready to throw Aretha's albums into the garbage, RESPECT my ass. She has none. Look lady you had a string of hits in the 60's and you haven't done one memorable thing since then besides scream out some Opera and you are not the Queen of anything except shade. Go get your voice in shape, because you sound like shit and you have for 20 years. I'll be looking for you on the Aretha, Bobby, Wendy tour!

Yeah i didn't particularly like Jennifer Holiday running her mouth about when

Whitney may have started using drugs and her comments seem suspect to me

considering she did try to throw shade at J Hudson doing a remake of her song.

J Hudson shouldn't of did her song because that's all she have. Please! J Hudson

respectfully said don't let that be your only song and stated that she wasn't going

to let that one song define her. As for all the negative comments toward Aretha, it is

what it is. I find it interesting though how we can pick and choose who we want to say

negative things about. Let's stay out of Bobby Brown's business but let's ride Aretha

like a rollercoaster. Trust me i know Aretha has her faults too but

just on the outside looking no one really knows what this woman was dealing with

this past weekend.

Did Jennifer Holliday even KNOW Whit?

scriptgirl said:

Did Jennifer Holliday even KNOW Whit?

I don't think knowing Whit is even an issue with this circus.

Terrib3Towel said:

This is a post from a Whitney message board:

Quote

Jennifer Holliday doesn't know shit! Neither does Aretha. They are both catty, gossipy women who sit from a far and cast judgement upon others while they sit on past accolades and titles to carry them through. They both were able to get "quick fixes," to their issues that were destroying their bodies and voices. Whitney had to do it all by her damn self and there was no miracle surgery to fix her addiction. Whitney's was drugs and and those two just couldn't stop feeding their faces, I guess that is why they are always running their mouths now because they no longer can fill their big yaps with cakes and pies.

Get off your high horses ladies, you both could have died from heartattacks or strokes years ago and Whitney was not all up in your business on news programs saying, Aretha needs to lose weight, or oh poor Aretha she sounded like crap at the inauguration or oh poor Jennifer Holliday, she is still trying to ride that fame off a Broadway hit from years and years ago that Jennifer Hudson did better and now has won more accolades for than you ever did!

Truth is Whitney Houston was the voice, she could sing those two women under the table and sing their own songs without batting an eyelash and they are jealous cows who have more in common with Wendy Williams than Whitney Houston.

I am ready to throw Aretha's albums into the garbage, RESPECT my ass. She has none. Look lady you had a string of hits in the 60's and you haven't done one memorable thing since then besides scream out some Opera and you are not the Queen of anything except shade. Go get your voice in shape, because you sound like shit and you have for 20 years. I'll be looking for you on the Aretha, Bobby, Wendy tour!

dayum!!! that's brutal!

Jennifer Holliday should've stayed in her lane.

scriptgirl said:

Did Jennifer Holliday even KNOW Whit?

She was around Whitney and 'em but I doubt they were that close unlike Chaka and Sheryl Lee (who also talked about Whitney the Monday after her death Saturday).

They're made at Jennifer because she basically confirmed that Whitney did drugs way before Bobby. She actually wasn't being a bitch about it. It looked like she didn't want to say anything, but the interviewer kinda put her on the spot.

I actually wasn't mad about it, we all knew Whitney was a party girl whether we wanted to admit it or not. That "pop princess" act was all Clive's creation to sell records.

Terrib3Towel said:

They're made at Jennifer because she basically confirmed that Whitney did drugs way before Bobby. She actually wasn't being a bitch about it. It looked like she didn't want to say anything, but the interviewer kinda put her on the spot.

I actually wasn't mad about it, we all knew Whitney was a party girl whether we wanted to admit it or not. That "pop princess" act was all Clive's creation to sell records.

Yeah like Jennifer said they were always around each other in the '80s so I don't think she was lying.

She knows what addiction is like too now. I just say it was so random, like you dont see her anywhere and than boom I got something to say/she's on tv. Why now(rhetorical question)?! Whatever, Jenny I'm done.

BitetheBeat said:

She knows what addiction is like too now. I just say it was so random, like you dont see her anywhere and than boom I got something to say/she's on tv. Why now(rhetorical question)?! Whatever, Jenny I'm done.

You know how it is. People love to speak up before the casket closes...

IDK I'm just not feeling the 'I'll tell on him/her boss' attitude especially involving rare figures in one's own culture. It really gets kinda mean if the person didn't do anything to you or isn't here to defend themselves. I mean there's been enough of that already and here you come out of no where. Again she knows about addiction too. No one is perfect, so I'd be too paranoid. I couldn't deal with having friends, associates and family/in-laws like this.

BitetheBeat said:

IDK I'm just not feeling the 'I'll tell on him/her boss' attitude especially involving rare figures in one's own culture. It really gets kinda mean if the person didn't do anything to you or isn't here to defend themselves. I mean there's been enough of that already and here you come out of no where. Again she knows about addiction too. No one is perfect, so I'd be too paranoid. I couldn't deal with having friends, associates and family/in-laws like this.

Shit look at folks who talked about Marvin and Michael after they were gone... I didn't expect any different with Whitney especially considering her celebrity.

Oh,yeah I was thinking of them too even though they are 3 different personalities and lifestyles. But I'm pretty sure we used to wait a minute and/or have alittle respect...alittle in house policing. Now its like a flood gate right from jump street and alot of times its coming from folks who have big issues themselves or are non factors anyway.

BitetheBeat said:

Oh,yeah I was thinking of them too even though they are 3 different personalities and lifestyles. But I'm pretty sure we used to wait a minute and/or have alittle respect...alittle in house policing. Now its like a flood gate right from jump street and alot of times its coming from folks who have big issues themselves or are non factors anyway.

It's different now because people get their information in seconds rather than minutes or even days.

True but also folks can't wait to tell now and they will tell way more than before. Let people grieve and die with some dignity first. Its like did you really just tell ALL that? Why not wait a moment, if not awhile till s**t settles like before. Its like why not just put their caskets out on the freeway. Its just different now, just loose...

[Edited 2/23/12 21:31pm]

BitetheBeat said:

True but also folks can't wait to tell now and they will tell way more than before. Let people grieve and die with some dignity. Its like did you really just tell ALL that? Why not wait a moment, if not awhile till s**t settles like before. Its like why not just put their caskets out on the freeway. Its just different now, just loose...

Yeah for one I just wished everyone shut up... especially since toxicology reports haven't come back yet.

speaking of Aretha and Whitney....remember their 1989 duet?

Cold part is I forgot about this up until like a week & a half ago when they showed the single's cover on TV. Still didn't go to listen b/c the news was still fresh until now. Its a good song. Wonder if they recorded at the same time & place.

[Edited 2/24/12 8:09am]

So now people are jumping down Jennifer Holliday's throat because she said Whitney did drugs before Bobby? Is she supposed to lie or something? I don't see a problem in stating facts. Whitney's corpse isn't going to mind to be blunt. It's one of the biggest open secrets in music...like Luther and Freddie being huge queens who sing love songs about/to women.

What I want to know is, why did Whitney always wear tapered jeans even after they went out of style?? This is one question we will never get answered.