1 00:00:00,720 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: Disgraceland is a production of Double Elvis. The stories about 2 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:21,200 Speaker 1: Whitney Houston, America's Sweetheart, are insane. Among other outrageous anecdotes 3 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: from her roller coaster life and career, Whitney Houston smoked 4 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: crack in the presence of her five year old upstaged 5 00:00:28,280 --> 00:00:31,720 Speaker 1: F sixteen fighter jets with her powerful voice and free 6 00:00:31,720 --> 00:00:34,680 Speaker 1: based her way off of the charts. She was a 7 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,400 Speaker 1: natural talent. Her voice, like her image, represented both power 8 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:42,240 Speaker 1: and grace. But behind that image, the truth was another 9 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:46,920 Speaker 1: story entirely. Whitney Houston, despite her chart topping, glass ceiling 10 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: shattering success, lived the not so secret secret life of 11 00:00:50,440 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: self destruction, pining for true love, unable to practice self love, 12 00:00:55,280 --> 00:00:56,880 Speaker 1: and making great music. 13 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:57,280 Speaker 2: Along the way. 14 00:00:58,400 --> 00:01:00,000 Speaker 1: That music you heard at the top of the sh 15 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:03,400 Speaker 1: show that wasn't great music. That was a preset loop 16 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 1: from my melotron called Mellow Royal Exit MK two. I 17 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:11,000 Speaker 1: played you that loop because I can't afford the rights 18 00:01:11,040 --> 00:01:13,840 Speaker 1: to the look by rock set. And why would I 19 00:01:13,920 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: play you that specific slice of Swedish look sharp Cheese? 20 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:18,319 Speaker 2: Could I afford it? 21 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,360 Speaker 1: Because that was the number one song in America on 22 00:01:22,440 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 1: April thirteenth, nineteen eighty nine, and that was the day 23 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,399 Speaker 1: Whitney Houston met Bobby Brown, marking a pivot point in 24 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:32,560 Speaker 1: the career of a squeaky clean pop songstress, but a 25 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 1: point that would mark the beginning of a long descent 26 00:01:35,400 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: into drugs heartache instruction. On this episode, Royal exits look 27 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: Sharp Cheese, Cocaine, a broken heart, and Whitney Houston, I'm 28 00:01:46,640 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 1: Jake Brennan and this is this Graceland. Kim Kardashian turned 29 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:19,080 Speaker 1: heads on the red carpet, Whitney Houston did not. Tom 30 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:21,919 Speaker 1: Hanks borrowed a serving tray from a waiter and loaded 31 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: it with martinis for the guests at his table. Whitney 32 00:02:25,040 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 1: Houston was not one of them. Jane Fonda gave Richard 33 00:02:28,160 --> 00:02:32,880 Speaker 1: Branson an award on stage, Whitney Houston missed it. Sean Diddy, Combs, 34 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: and Piple reminisced about their day's partying with Whitney Houston, 35 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 1: and Whitney Houston. 36 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:37,680 Speaker 2: Could not recall. 37 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,959 Speaker 1: Tony Bennett was in fine form on stage that night 38 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: and Whitney Houston was not. Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus 39 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 1: had enough class not to show, and Neil Young didn't 40 00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,080 Speaker 1: even know why he was there, and Whitney Houston didn't 41 00:02:50,080 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: know anything at all. Diana Ross was clueless, just like 42 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,519 Speaker 1: Whitney Houston. And upstairs on the fourth floor, Ray J 43 00:02:56,720 --> 00:02:59,280 Speaker 1: banged on the door to the suite furiously demanding to 44 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:03,840 Speaker 1: be let in, but Whitney Houston wasn't seeing anyone downstairs. 45 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 1: The Royal Music Industry Court was held together by host 46 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,120 Speaker 1: of Clive Davis, the iconic record executive who had signed, 47 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: among others, Janis Joplin, Bruce Springsteen, and Whitney Houston herself. 48 00:03:14,400 --> 00:03:17,919 Speaker 1: Clive proclaimed the show must go on his annual pre 49 00:03:18,000 --> 00:03:20,720 Speaker 1: Grammy Awards gala at the Beverly Hilton had been months 50 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,919 Speaker 1: in the making. Whitney Houston, along with a packed room 51 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,919 Speaker 1: of other A list Hollywood celebs, were tapped to attend 52 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: and the performances were set. The sponsors had already forked 53 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,200 Speaker 1: over a barrel of cash and the people wanted a show, 54 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,880 Speaker 1: but Whitney Houston didn't want anything any more, and she 55 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: definitely wouldn't be talking to the press. The reporter from 56 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: v H one spotted an assistant to Whitney Houston who'd 57 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: helped set up an interview. She was outside of the 58 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:48,400 Speaker 1: hotel a few yards from the red carpet, talking nervously 59 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:50,720 Speaker 1: into her cell phone, doing her best to stay out 60 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 1: of the fray of the flash and pop of the 61 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,640 Speaker 1: paparazzi's cameras, and the reporter button holder ignored the fact 62 00:03:56,640 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: that she was on the phone in mid conversation and 63 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: blurted out, where's Whitney, She's late? What about my interview? 64 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: And the assistant let her hand with her phone dropped 65 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 1: to her side. She stood silent, blank faced, and took 66 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: a beat, and then she said, Whitney can't make it. 67 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 2: She's dead. 68 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 1: Ed Winter the La County corner had seen some weird 69 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: ship before. After all, he was on the scene after 70 00:04:21,400 --> 00:04:24,719 Speaker 1: Michael Jackson died. He'd never forget it. He was surreal, 71 00:04:25,200 --> 00:04:28,120 Speaker 1: the most recognizable star on the planet, dead and devoid 72 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: of any pomp or vanity. Michael was almost unrecognizable, absent 73 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 1: in his wig and with his thin delt, balding scalp, 74 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: his tattooed hairline, tattooed eyebrows and tattooed borders of his eyelids, 75 00:04:40,200 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 1: and the pink liner tattooed around his mouth. 76 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 2: Jacko was wacko. Normally death didn't rattle the corner. 77 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,120 Speaker 1: It was his job, but Michael Jackson's dead body had 78 00:04:50,200 --> 00:04:53,279 Speaker 1: him shook in two thousand and nine, his altered appearance, 79 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,240 Speaker 1: deteriorating physicality and cosmetic tattoos. 80 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 2: It was a shocking transformation. 81 00:04:58,640 --> 00:05:01,000 Speaker 1: It was clear that the Michael j the world knew 82 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:04,359 Speaker 1: it died a long time ago. This was something else. 83 00:05:04,760 --> 00:05:09,120 Speaker 1: This was a new death twice over. This was death squared. 84 00:05:09,880 --> 00:05:12,320 Speaker 1: The puncture wounds in his arms and the small pharmacy 85 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,320 Speaker 1: surrounding him and his rented Beverly Hills home administered to 86 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:18,039 Speaker 1: him by a doctor field Good on retainer. It was 87 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 1: a messed up death scene, even for an LA County corner, 88 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:23,960 Speaker 1: and that was saying something. But it was nothing compared 89 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: to the Whitney Houston shit he was seeing now, not 90 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 1: even three years later. The corner cut his way through 91 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,120 Speaker 1: the crush of arriving celebrities, fans, and paparazzi at Beverly 92 00:05:33,200 --> 00:05:35,920 Speaker 1: Hilton and made his way to Sweet four thirty four, 93 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,920 Speaker 1: where Whitney Houston was staying prior to the Galla event 94 00:05:39,040 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 1: downstairs that she had planned to attend while Clive Davis 95 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 1: and his celebrity guests yucked it up downstairs and celebrated 96 00:05:46,360 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 1: their favorite pop art for themselves. 97 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:51,719 Speaker 2: Upstairs, the coroner took in the scene. 98 00:05:52,120 --> 00:05:55,640 Speaker 1: Trays of uneaten food, open bottles of champagne on the table, 99 00:05:55,880 --> 00:05:58,560 Speaker 1: a portrait of Marilyn Monroe hanging on the wall, and 100 00:05:58,640 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 1: another portrait of Marlon brand on the opposite wall. A 101 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 1: bit on the nose for the Beverly Hilton. But what 102 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,440 Speaker 1: did the coroner know? This business was death, not decorating. 103 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:11,279 Speaker 1: So back to the destruction. On the counter in the bathroom, 104 00:06:11,440 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: a coke spoon, and a plethora of prescription drug bottles 105 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 1: Xanax for anxiety and flexible to relax. The irony of 106 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: the reveling partiers downstairs living it up while one of 107 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:26,359 Speaker 1: the expected attendees lay dead just four stories up was 108 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:30,520 Speaker 1: too rich to ignore. Regardless, the coroner went about his business, 109 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: ignoring the chaos around him. Friends and family nervous, scared, crying, 110 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 1: demanding to know what happened, as if they who were 111 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: staying with Whitney were incapable of admitting what everyone in 112 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: the world seemed to know. That Whitney Houston was a 113 00:06:43,440 --> 00:06:47,039 Speaker 1: strung out mess whose days had been numbered. It would 114 00:06:47,080 --> 00:06:51,120 Speaker 1: be weeks before he'd issue a formal toxicology or autopsy report, 115 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:54,679 Speaker 1: but on the site the coroner called it. Whitney, whose 116 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 1: angelic voice and looks had once propelled her to more 117 00:06:57,360 --> 00:07:00,839 Speaker 1: consecutive number one songs than the Beatles, lost track of 118 00:07:00,880 --> 00:07:05,360 Speaker 1: her self medication, stuffed herself with prescription muscle relaxers, had 119 00:07:05,400 --> 00:07:08,440 Speaker 1: a couple too many drinks, blasted a spoonful of cocaine 120 00:07:08,480 --> 00:07:11,200 Speaker 1: up her nose, slipped into a bath that was too hot, 121 00:07:11,440 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: somehow banged her head, passed out, and drowned in six 122 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: inches of water. The National Inquirer's headlined from the most 123 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: recent issue, Lying on the floor of Whitney's bathroom set 124 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:25,760 Speaker 1: it all. Whitney collapses, strung out, and broke. It's worse 125 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: than anyone thought. The F sixteen's couldn't compete with the 126 00:07:52,600 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: performance they had to follow. Normally, the F sixteen flyover 127 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,480 Speaker 1: at any event as the showstopper, but not at Super 128 00:07:59,520 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: Bowl nineteen ninety one, not after Whitney Houston, whose performance 129 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:07,760 Speaker 1: of the Star Spangled Banner during the time of America's 130 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:11,240 Speaker 1: First Gulf War, a time of ferv and patriotism, a 131 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,679 Speaker 1: moment where the words of our national anthem carried particular weight. 132 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: Whitney Houston delivered them effortlessly on the back of the 133 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: infamously difficult to sing melody. There were no extraneous notes, 134 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: There was no reaching, no hiding high notes under low octaves. 135 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: It was more like what the f sixteens were trying 136 00:08:28,960 --> 00:08:36,200 Speaker 1: to achieve. Power, grace, define nature. Whitney Houston was unnatural. 137 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:40,559 Speaker 1: Her voice seemed physiologically designed to deliver soaring, anthemic pop 138 00:08:40,600 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 1: melodies to the widest audience possible. Clive Davis recognized this 139 00:08:46,480 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 1: the first time he heard her sing at that little 140 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 1: shithole in the village had a show set up by 141 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:56,040 Speaker 1: Jerry Griffith, aristis head of A and R. Jerry was 142 00:08:56,040 --> 00:08:58,680 Speaker 1: put onto Whitney by her mom, Sissy, who, when she 143 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: saw Clive, was quick to remind him that they'd met 144 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:04,199 Speaker 1: years earlier while they were both working with Aretha Franklin. 145 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:08,440 Speaker 1: Whitney called Aretha Aunt Reed, and like her most famous aunt, 146 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: Whitney's mom, Sissy was a gospel and soul singer as 147 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: well Aretha. 148 00:09:14,040 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 2: Clive missed his chance with her. He got to her 149 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 2: too late. 150 00:09:17,679 --> 00:09:20,960 Speaker 1: She'd already been too established as the powerhouse diva that 151 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,559 Speaker 1: she was the queen of soul. Too black, too strong. 152 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: America already knew her as one thing he wasn't going 153 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:30,720 Speaker 1: to buy the pop makeover. Same thing went for Whitney's cousin, 154 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:34,960 Speaker 1: Dion Warwick, Sissy's niece and another former employer. By the 155 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:37,559 Speaker 1: time Clive showed up, Dion had too much of. 156 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 2: That Burt backerack sheen on her. 157 00:09:39,679 --> 00:09:42,320 Speaker 1: She was too well known, a commodity and frankly not 158 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:46,280 Speaker 1: young or exciting enough for the pop market. But nineteen 159 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,920 Speaker 1: year old Whitney Houston sure she'd been born into the 160 00:09:49,960 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 1: drug torn streets of Newark, New Jersey, but her parents 161 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:54,800 Speaker 1: were in the business and moved the family out to 162 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: suburban Orange. The drugs followed from Newark, and Whitney, who 163 00:09:58,920 --> 00:10:01,560 Speaker 1: was being raised in the church with that gospel energy 164 00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 1: and guidance Spanish to keep her nose clean for the 165 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:08,120 Speaker 1: most part. In nineteen eighty three, Clive Davis was one 166 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,920 Speaker 1: of the powerbrokers in the music industry. He'd taken control 167 00:10:11,960 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 1: of Columbia Records when Whitney was still in diapers, and 168 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 1: by eighty three had consolidated his power at Arista Records. 169 00:10:18,920 --> 00:10:21,040 Speaker 1: He was in the market for a fresh talent that 170 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:25,000 Speaker 1: he could make into a star. Whitney Houston was perfect 171 00:10:26,480 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: already a signed model when she'd appeared in Vogue and 172 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: on the cover of seventeen magazine. She was gorgeous, tall, thin, 173 00:10:32,960 --> 00:10:36,839 Speaker 1: caramel skinned, with a dazzling, wholesome smile, and despite the 174 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: rough and tumble street she came up on her looks 175 00:10:39,360 --> 00:10:43,760 Speaker 1: screamed suburban girl next door. Whitney Houston looked like the 176 00:10:43,800 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 1: all American girl you'd root for in the movies, the 177 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 1: cheerleader you'd tried talking to in study hall but who 178 00:10:49,320 --> 00:10:52,680 Speaker 1: barely ever talked back. She'd smiled politely, but then go 179 00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 1: about her business, putting you squarely back where you started 180 00:10:55,800 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: on the Pino mind list, which of course made you 181 00:10:58,200 --> 00:11:02,360 Speaker 1: want to even more. She was both approachable unattainable, a 182 00:11:02,400 --> 00:11:07,200 Speaker 1: perfect natural combination for potential pop stardom provided she had talent, 183 00:11:08,480 --> 00:11:11,600 Speaker 1: which of course she did church singings where she cut 184 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:13,720 Speaker 1: her teeth, and her mom, Sissy, due to her own 185 00:11:13,760 --> 00:11:16,840 Speaker 1: experience in the music industry, was driven to make sure 186 00:11:16,840 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 1: her daughter's talent was recognized in a way that her 187 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:22,880 Speaker 1: own talent was not. Thus, the showcase with the one 188 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:25,600 Speaker 1: and only Clive Davis sitting at a beer stained low top, 189 00:11:25,640 --> 00:11:27,000 Speaker 1: sipping a Perrie. 190 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 2: With lime in his tinted shades and bespoke sup None 191 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 2: of it intimidated Whitney. 192 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:33,880 Speaker 1: She went on stage and did what came natural to her, 193 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: blew minds. With that powerful voice in hers, Clive was convinced. 194 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 1: Immediately he went to work, signing her to the first 195 00:11:41,679 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 1: of a series of record deals with Arista that would 196 00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: eventually climax in a contract worth one hundred million dollars. 197 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:49,480 Speaker 2: In two thousand and one. 198 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:53,240 Speaker 1: This first deal, though, also gave Clive creative control and 199 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:57,359 Speaker 1: access to Whitney with its key person Clause, effectively terminating 200 00:11:57,360 --> 00:12:01,160 Speaker 1: her contract with Arista. Davis, ever, left Floe and allowing 201 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,720 Speaker 1: Clive to take Whitney with him wherever he went. Clive 202 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 1: Davis was Whitney Houston's Rabbi, and Clive Davis wasn't gonna 203 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 1: fuck this up. Life gives you cards, the trick is 204 00:12:12,480 --> 00:12:15,199 Speaker 1: how you play them, and Whitney Houston was the. 205 00:12:15,200 --> 00:12:16,880 Speaker 2: Fourth ace in Clive's hand. 206 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:19,280 Speaker 1: He could stack it next to the three others he'd 207 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:24,520 Speaker 1: already accumulated to that point, experience, power, and vision. Whitney 208 00:12:24,600 --> 00:12:31,079 Speaker 1: was Ace number four. Pure young unfuck upable talent. He 209 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:34,760 Speaker 1: set up gathering material. Hit songwriters like Michael Master were 210 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:38,400 Speaker 1: brought in. Ace material was chosen, material that would suit 211 00:12:38,440 --> 00:12:42,640 Speaker 1: Whitney's uniquely powerful voice, materials she could not only impress with, 212 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: but used to pierce listeners emotionally. A roster of producers, 213 00:12:47,040 --> 00:12:49,960 Speaker 1: including Jermaine Jackson, were brought in to make sure Clive's 214 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 1: vision was brought to life, a vision of a black 215 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,480 Speaker 1: pop princess who white America could fall in love with. 216 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 2: Whitney. 217 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,480 Speaker 1: Her looks and her voice were perfect, so the material 218 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: had to be perfect, as did the production. Nothing too 219 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: R and B sounding, which in the mid eighties want 220 00:13:05,200 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: to black sounding. No George Clinton or James Brown or 221 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 1: even Atlantic era Aretha. It needed to sound pop, which 222 00:13:12,640 --> 00:13:16,760 Speaker 1: is to say, it needed to sound happy, big, anthemic, positive, 223 00:13:17,000 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: nothing blue unless it was strictly anchored in the pop 224 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 1: ballad tradition shades of Cole Porter, Yes, Lou Rawls, hell No. 225 00:13:25,040 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: The result was her self titled debut Whitney Houston. Just 226 00:13:29,480 --> 00:13:32,360 Speaker 1: like in a good round of poker, Clive Davis's winning 227 00:13:32,440 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: hands started quiet, but didn't take long to draw a 228 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 1: huge kitty. After the first single, You Give Good Love 229 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:42,280 Speaker 1: antied up in early nineteen eighty five. The album spent 230 00:13:42,400 --> 00:13:44,760 Speaker 1: over a year slow burning its weight to number one 231 00:13:44,840 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: in the back of five more singles, Whitney winning a 232 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: Grammy and setting a historic record as the first female 233 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,400 Speaker 1: solo artist to hold the number one selling album of 234 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:57,199 Speaker 1: the year, breaking that particular glass ceiling. In nineteen eighty six, 235 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:02,960 Speaker 1: Clive Davis's hand had paid it off. Whitney was everywhere 236 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,520 Speaker 1: in constant rotation on MTV as part of the network's 237 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,960 Speaker 1: first wave of massive selling black artists, alongside Michael Jackson 238 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:14,720 Speaker 1: and Prince. She appeared on magazine covers from Ebony to People, 239 00:14:14,960 --> 00:14:17,000 Speaker 1: and her hits Saving All of My Love for You 240 00:14:17,120 --> 00:14:19,480 Speaker 1: and the Greatest Love of All could be heard on 241 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:23,040 Speaker 1: radio stations and in middle school gymnasium dances all over 242 00:14:23,080 --> 00:14:27,400 Speaker 1: the country. By nineteen eighty six, just three years after 243 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 1: Clive Davis first saw her perform, Whitney Houston was a 244 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 1: record breaking star, a star with a pristine image known 245 00:14:35,360 --> 00:14:41,240 Speaker 1: simply as the Voice, an image that Bobby Brown didn't 246 00:14:41,240 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: give a damn about. 247 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,760 Speaker 2: We'll be right back after this word word word. 248 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:56,080 Speaker 1: Whitney Houston, America's sweetheart, slipped the glass crack pipe from 249 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: her purse. She hit it and passed it to the 250 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 1: man beside her Brown, her husband. Whitney waited to exhale, 251 00:15:04,040 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: and then the curls of smoke filled the limousine. The 252 00:15:07,880 --> 00:15:11,840 Speaker 1: orgasmic rush gave Whitney sweet relief, relief from the depressing 253 00:15:11,880 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: come down from the last hit. Bobby Christina Whitney and 254 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:18,640 Speaker 1: Bobby Brown's five year old daughter jumped on the seats, 255 00:15:18,720 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 1: thirty thousand dollars earrings jangling from her ears. Whitney was 256 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: paranoid and Bobby Brown was irritated. Settle there, Whitney instructed 257 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: her daughter. Then she hit the pipe again. What are 258 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 1: you doing, mommy, Whitney hesitated. Mommy and daddy are doing 259 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:41,680 Speaker 1: adult things. Then she hit the pipe again and it 260 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:45,360 Speaker 1: was dark. What drove the darkness? Smoking crack in a 261 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:49,600 Speaker 1: limo alongside her five year old inhaling secondhand smoke, Unable 262 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,640 Speaker 1: despite her love for her child, to prohibit the child abuse. 263 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 1: The cycle of darkness, freak, smoke, crash, repeat, The cycle 264 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 1: shouldn't have been the reality. She was an international superstar, 265 00:16:02,760 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: immensely talented and immensely likable to black and white America. 266 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:06,840 Speaker 2: Alike. 267 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:11,600 Speaker 1: Yet here she was addicted, desperate, and lonely. Despite her family, 268 00:16:12,200 --> 00:16:16,680 Speaker 1: she was pining, she missed her. Bobby Brown was not her. 269 00:16:17,200 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: He was not the oasis Whitney had hoped for. The 270 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:24,120 Speaker 1: relationship was complicated, to say the least, the longing. Why 271 00:16:24,120 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: does she feel so alone despite the company of her family? 272 00:16:27,800 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 1: Did she miss her? The limo driver, disgusted in the 273 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 1: front seat, couldn't help but wonder what it was exactly 274 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:38,320 Speaker 1: that Whitney Houston's husband brought to the relationship, or, as 275 00:16:38,360 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 1: Bobby Brown thought of it, to the party. But whatever 276 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: influence Bobby had, Whitney Houston chose on her own to 277 00:16:45,280 --> 00:16:49,960 Speaker 1: make him part of her life. April thirteenth, nineteen eighty nine, 278 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 1: Shrine Auditorium, the third annual Soul Train Awards. Bobby Brown 279 00:16:55,040 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: was reveling in a successful solo career and performing that 280 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,040 Speaker 1: evening he was nominated for Best Male R and B Album. 281 00:17:02,400 --> 00:17:05,920 Speaker 1: His image was almost all sex, the dangerous kind, too 282 00:17:05,960 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: hot to handle, too cold to hold. Bobby leveraged his 283 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: roots growing up in the Orchard Park projects in Big 284 00:17:12,080 --> 00:17:16,280 Speaker 1: Bad Boston's Roxbury neighborhood. He brought hood culture to the 285 00:17:16,320 --> 00:17:21,439 Speaker 1: mainstream he was backstage practicing his performance of My Prerogative, 286 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,080 Speaker 1: a song that had gone to number one on Billboard's 287 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:26,600 Speaker 1: Hot R and B hip Hop chart, A song that 288 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,159 Speaker 1: was very explicitly about not giving it damn about what 289 00:17:29,200 --> 00:17:29,960 Speaker 1: other people think. 290 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:32,159 Speaker 2: It was pure Bobby Brown. 291 00:17:33,320 --> 00:17:36,320 Speaker 1: Bobby Brown with his tight new jack fade, the white 292 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:39,959 Speaker 1: silk suit, high waisted baggy pants pegged at the bottom, 293 00:17:40,240 --> 00:17:43,159 Speaker 1: Chloe blouse, her shirt opened at the collar, covering his 294 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:45,840 Speaker 1: cut chest and abs that he would soon expose to 295 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 1: the audience on stage. Bobby was hyped. He wasn't sure 296 00:17:49,840 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: how the Knight would turn out, whether he'd win Best 297 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,639 Speaker 1: Male R and B Album or not, but he was 298 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,800 Speaker 1: sure one thing tonight. He was the flyest motherfucker in 299 00:17:58,840 --> 00:18:04,679 Speaker 1: the building. Whitney Houston was nominated too, for Best Female 300 00:18:04,840 --> 00:18:06,000 Speaker 1: R and B Signal. 301 00:18:06,200 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 2: Whitney had reached the mountaintop. 302 00:18:09,080 --> 00:18:11,480 Speaker 1: Bobby had been performing since he was in short pants, 303 00:18:11,480 --> 00:18:14,679 Speaker 1: but he hadn't experienced anything close to the celebrity stress 304 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:18,480 Speaker 1: and scrutiny heaped on Whitney. Bobby's bad boy nature could 305 00:18:18,520 --> 00:18:21,080 Speaker 1: still be a charming asset for his career, but where 306 00:18:21,119 --> 00:18:25,040 Speaker 1: Whitney's career was concerned, any perceived misstep for deviation from 307 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:27,800 Speaker 1: the official narratives set out by the press was considered 308 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:30,919 Speaker 1: a potential death blow. There was simply too much riding 309 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: on her immense success. James Ingram stood behind a pastel 310 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:39,639 Speaker 1: podium with Heather Locklear, who was wearing a sparkling black dress. 311 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: She read off the nominees Vanessa Williams, the Right Stuff, 312 00:18:43,880 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: Karen White, Superwoman, Anita Baker giving you the best that 313 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:47,840 Speaker 1: I Got. 314 00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 2: After each nominee of. 315 00:18:49,760 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 1: Music, video clip played while the live audience whipped it up. 316 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:57,160 Speaker 1: Then Heather read allowed Whitney Houston's name and her nomination 317 00:18:57,320 --> 00:18:59,919 Speaker 1: for Where to Broken Hearts Go, and the crowd did 318 00:19:00,200 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: something unexpected. 319 00:19:02,280 --> 00:19:02,919 Speaker 2: They boomed. 320 00:19:03,040 --> 00:19:06,000 Speaker 1: One of the most popular entertainers on the planet, A 321 00:19:06,119 --> 00:19:09,919 Speaker 1: rolling wave of booze and jeers silenced Whitney's clip. Somebody 322 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:13,400 Speaker 1: in the balcony even yelled Whitney. Heather was a pro. 323 00:19:13,720 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 1: She finished her scripted patter as if nothing had happened, 324 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:20,639 Speaker 1: opened the envelope Anita Baker. 325 00:19:22,200 --> 00:19:23,680 Speaker 2: Part of Whitney was relieved. 326 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,600 Speaker 1: At least now she wouldn't have to accept the award 327 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 1: in front of a hostile crowd, But the rejection from 328 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: one of the most important black audiences in the music 329 00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,880 Speaker 1: industry rattled Whitney to her core, and it wasn't all 330 00:19:35,880 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: that surprising. Nineteen eighty nine was a core rattling year. 331 00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:42,560 Speaker 1: It was the year of not only rejection but a rumor. 332 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 1: From the first days of working with Clive Davis, Whitney's 333 00:19:46,720 --> 00:19:49,679 Speaker 1: most trusted companion had been her roommate and best friend, 334 00:19:49,800 --> 00:19:55,160 Speaker 1: Robin Crawford. Robin was from the same hood, tall, broad shouldered, 335 00:19:55,200 --> 00:19:59,199 Speaker 1: a basketball player, she carried herself with authority. She and 336 00:19:59,240 --> 00:20:03,119 Speaker 1: bubbly Whitney were inseparable. Even back in the block. People gossiped, 337 00:20:03,280 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: but they laughed it off in private. Whitney told Robin 338 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:08,800 Speaker 1: that if Robin stuck with her, Whitney would take her 339 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: all the way around the world, and in just a 340 00:20:11,040 --> 00:20:14,600 Speaker 1: few years she had. But the tabloids and radio rumor 341 00:20:14,640 --> 00:20:18,480 Speaker 1: mill exploded. Lazy music journalists smelled blood in the water. 342 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 1: Horn Dog Top forty DJs snickered. Whitney's god fearing mom, 343 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:26,359 Speaker 1: Sissy prayed it wasn't true. But anyway you cut it, 344 00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:30,399 Speaker 1: Robin was clearly the person Whitney trusted the most. She 345 00:20:30,640 --> 00:20:33,800 Speaker 1: was Whitney's oasis, and now that oasis had been discovered 346 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:38,920 Speaker 1: overrun with flashbulbs, innuendos, and trash. In nineteen eighty nine, 347 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:43,600 Speaker 1: bisexuality or homosexuality for a mainstream pop princess was potentially 348 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: career suicide, and as such, Whitney was under tremendous pressure. 349 00:20:48,560 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 1: The pressure was intense from the media, from her label, 350 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:53,680 Speaker 1: and from her church going family, who found any whiff 351 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,120 Speaker 1: of homosexuality to be deeply scandalous. 352 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:59,359 Speaker 2: Who was Whitney Houston with. 353 00:20:59,440 --> 00:21:02,520 Speaker 1: The soul train an audience booing, claiming she'd sold out 354 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,000 Speaker 1: her black roots, lost touch, was a shill for the 355 00:21:05,000 --> 00:21:08,679 Speaker 1: white man's music industry, was a secret lesbian. Her worst 356 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:12,000 Speaker 1: fears were being validated in real time. But when it 357 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:14,439 Speaker 1: came time to hit the stage to present, when he 358 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 1: went out, head held high, she glanced side stage. She 359 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:21,160 Speaker 1: could see that signature haircut from across the way, that 360 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: angled flat top, that looked like a New Jack remix 361 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:27,240 Speaker 1: of the classic rock and roll Pompadour. She was sweating 362 00:21:27,280 --> 00:21:31,440 Speaker 1: under the spotlight. But he had already won. Oh, he 363 00:21:31,520 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: was celebrating. He was a fly motherfucker. He wore his 364 00:21:34,280 --> 00:21:37,160 Speaker 1: blackness proudly. He didn't give a fuck what anyone thought 365 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: he was fun. He had the potential to deflect questions 366 00:21:40,600 --> 00:21:44,439 Speaker 1: about her sexuality, to appease the homophobic fears of her family, 367 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:48,240 Speaker 1: publicity team, the critics, and there was something enticing about Whitney, 368 00:21:48,240 --> 00:21:50,679 Speaker 1: the good girl getting with the baddest of bad boys. 369 00:21:51,520 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 2: All of this flew. 370 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 1: Through Whitney's mind in an instant intuitive She wasn't scheming. 371 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 1: After presenting, she found him backstage. Bobby Brown took her 372 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:05,320 Speaker 1: in head to toe. Dig that swagger, Dig that long 373 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:09,800 Speaker 1: legged American pie action, dig that good girl presentation. She 374 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 1: reminded Bobby of those nice girls from Newton, the ones 375 00:22:12,960 --> 00:22:15,719 Speaker 1: as Roxbury friends who bust into the burbs for school. 376 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:18,320 Speaker 1: Told him about the type of girl who was innocent, 377 00:22:18,600 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 1: pure on the surface anyway, but Bobby Brown. 378 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:26,160 Speaker 2: Could sense it deep down. Whitney Houston played dirty. 379 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:42,880 Speaker 3: Just like him. 380 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 1: Whitney Houston's hotel room was littered with coke spoons, rolling papers, lighters, 381 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:51,560 Speaker 1: overflowing ash trays, beer cans, and junk food bags. What 382 00:22:51,680 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 1: else to do in this god forsaken hot plate of 383 00:22:54,080 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 1: a city Phoenix, Arizona. Hot as a motherfucker and twice 384 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: as boring, Whitney was on the set of waiting to exhale, 385 00:23:02,600 --> 00:23:05,920 Speaker 1: and she had finally received her latest hookup. Street price 386 00:23:05,960 --> 00:23:08,680 Speaker 1: for an eight ball was eighty dollars. She was paying 387 00:23:08,680 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 1: three hundred. Shit better be good. 388 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:11,680 Speaker 2: She did a. 389 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:14,240 Speaker 1: Mirror full of lines and zigzagged around her drug den. 390 00:23:17,080 --> 00:23:21,720 Speaker 1: Then a familiar knock on the door. Whitney's bodyguard, David Roberts. 391 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:24,680 Speaker 1: He had bet her body man for years, through multiple albums, 392 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:28,639 Speaker 1: domestic and international tours, and, as of late, multiple movie sets. 393 00:23:29,359 --> 00:23:32,679 Speaker 1: Though their relationship was strictly professional, David and Whitney's trust 394 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:36,520 Speaker 1: did inspire the bodyguard Whitney's mega hit breakout as an actress, 395 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:40,760 Speaker 1: starring opposite Kevin Costner, But David, the real life bodyguard, 396 00:23:40,760 --> 00:23:41,840 Speaker 1: had taken issue. 397 00:23:41,520 --> 00:23:42,400 Speaker 2: With her drug use. 398 00:23:42,960 --> 00:23:45,960 Speaker 1: Whitney put her hand to her mouth, considered not answering 399 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:49,440 Speaker 1: the door, felt blood trickling from her nose. Another knock, 400 00:23:49,680 --> 00:23:52,720 Speaker 1: more blood. She felt lightheaded, wanted. 401 00:23:52,440 --> 00:23:55,200 Speaker 2: To rest her eyes. The knocking wouldn't stop. 402 00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 1: Whitney's eyes rolled to the back of her head and 403 00:23:57,880 --> 00:23:59,360 Speaker 1: she felt herself falling. 404 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:01,720 Speaker 2: Backward, and then she hit the floor. 405 00:24:03,320 --> 00:24:06,080 Speaker 1: Unlike the stories about her love life, the tabloids looked 406 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:09,439 Speaker 1: the other way. After Whitney's first major overdose. But in 407 00:24:09,520 --> 00:24:13,119 Speaker 1: May nineteen ninety five, Whitney's lawyers reviewed the neat pages 408 00:24:13,160 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: of bodyguard Dave Roberts's letter in a polished office full 409 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,560 Speaker 1: of leather bound books and rich mahogany. Even in this environment, 410 00:24:20,760 --> 00:24:25,200 Speaker 1: the words before them felt radioactive, threatening to hit all involved. 411 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,520 Speaker 1: Were it really hurt in the wallet like Robin Crawford 412 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:32,719 Speaker 1: and most everyone else in their entourage, The bodyguard had 413 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:35,920 Speaker 1: reluctantly come to accept the presence of Bobby Brown, who 414 00:24:35,960 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: Whitney had married and had a baby with, and who 415 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 1: now walked around with in a constant cloud of cocaine smoke. 416 00:24:42,440 --> 00:24:45,280 Speaker 1: David had seen the carnival of drugs consumed the couple 417 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 1: and the touring crew. He kept quiet after the waiting 418 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,439 Speaker 1: to exhale overdose. But then came the train wreck of 419 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 1: Whitney's Asia tour career, threatening behavior like smoking so much 420 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:57,800 Speaker 1: weed right before a show in Singapore that her voice 421 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:01,840 Speaker 1: gave out, leaving Whitney on stage whispering her way through 422 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,720 Speaker 1: soaring ballads before canceling the rest of the show. In 423 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:09,439 Speaker 1: the next night's performance back home, the bodyguard furiously typed 424 00:25:09,440 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 1: his report the lawyers reviewed as account of Whitney's growing 425 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: recklessness in her crew's drug trafficking patterns. Eight balls smuggled 426 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: internationally and tour members vaginas and assholes rendezvous with regular 427 00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: suppliers in the US. It was damning, but Whitney and 428 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,440 Speaker 1: her family and other business partners had the final say, 429 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 1: so it wasn't long before David Roberts received a reply. 430 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 1: With no future tours currently planned, his services would no 431 00:25:34,840 --> 00:25:37,120 Speaker 1: longer be needed. Don't let the door. 432 00:25:36,960 --> 00:25:38,000 Speaker 2: Hit you on the way out. 433 00:25:39,119 --> 00:25:42,960 Speaker 1: Whitney lost her bodyguard, and in a few years after 434 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:46,280 Speaker 1: another tour in nineteen eighty nine, she lost her best friend, 435 00:25:46,359 --> 00:25:49,160 Speaker 1: Robin Crawford, who lead the fray on her own accord. 436 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:53,880 Speaker 1: Losing Robin gutted Whitney. She tried staving off the loneliness 437 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: with drugs, aided and embedded by her husband until she 438 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 1: couldn't take the chaos any longer, and finally in two 439 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:02,320 Speaker 1: thousand six Z seven, Bobby Brown would be gone as well, 440 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,280 Speaker 1: but unlike with Robin, who clocked eight years of loyal 441 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:09,879 Speaker 1: service even after losing, Whitney to Bobby, but finally just 442 00:26:09,920 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: found it too painful to stick around and watch the 443 00:26:12,280 --> 00:26:17,879 Speaker 1: consequences play out. Bobby's departure was Whitney's choice. What began 444 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:20,919 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty nine as a third rail attraction, an 445 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 1: emotional rabbit hole of insecurity and desperation, a relationship in 446 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:27,879 Speaker 1: part designed to help to avoid a personal and public 447 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 1: relations apocalypse, finally arrived at its tragic conclusion, with Whitney 448 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:36,960 Speaker 1: Houston near broken, emotionally and heavily addicted to cocaine and painkillers, 449 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:41,000 Speaker 1: and alone, painfully missing her dearest friend, her rock, Robin. 450 00:26:42,160 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 1: Whitney thought back on it all in twenty twelve years later, 451 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:50,240 Speaker 1: by this time even more alone, even more distressed emotionally, 452 00:26:50,560 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: and quite possibly even more addicted. In her suite at 453 00:26:53,600 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 1: the Beverly Hilton, readying herself for Clive Davis's pre Grammy 454 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,240 Speaker 1: gala that was about to start in the ballroom downstairs, 455 00:27:01,160 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: then she did a line of cocaine. She locked eyes 456 00:27:04,560 --> 00:27:05,520 Speaker 1: with the portrait. 457 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 2: Of Marilyn Monroe on the wall. 458 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:11,640 Speaker 1: Marilyn impossible to ignore, exuding glamour and knee knocking sex 459 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 1: appeal that only partly masked the vulnerability in her big eyes, vulnerability. 460 00:27:18,119 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 1: It was the opposite of the strength portrayed in the 461 00:27:20,320 --> 00:27:23,280 Speaker 1: framed Brando print on the other wall, wild One Era 462 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:28,840 Speaker 1: perched on his triumph Thunderbird motorcycle, all leather and grease, tough, 463 00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:35,240 Speaker 1: proto rough trade style, but sexy as fuck. Nevertheless, Brando powerful, strong. 464 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:39,399 Speaker 1: That image of him in the moment reminded Whitney of Robin. Robin, 465 00:27:39,480 --> 00:27:41,639 Speaker 1: tough as nails, tender when she needed to be, and 466 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: like Brando, also sexy as fuck. Brando proxied Robin, just 467 00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:49,880 Speaker 1: as Marilyn, with her glamour and vulnerability, always reminded Whitney 468 00:27:49,880 --> 00:27:54,639 Speaker 1: of herself. Whitney did another line, closed her eyes tight, 469 00:27:55,040 --> 00:27:58,679 Speaker 1: banged back a Xanax, sipped warm champagne from his sweaty 470 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:02,200 Speaker 1: glass bottle, stayed up at Maryland, then over to Brando, 471 00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 1: and they were both ignoring her, vibing off of the 472 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:09,600 Speaker 1: sparks between themselves. It was hot, electric, an electric coil, 473 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:13,040 Speaker 1: and out of this world magnetism, extending from one iconic 474 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:15,919 Speaker 1: superstar to another, from one wall to the other, and 475 00:28:15,960 --> 00:28:19,280 Speaker 1: surging through the fading iconic star and the suite between them, 476 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,400 Speaker 1: whose soul was now raging with regret. The Xanax did 477 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:26,000 Speaker 1: its thing, and it was heavy. It bore down on 478 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:29,680 Speaker 1: the cocaine swimming upstream in her system, and Whitney held 479 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 1: focus on Marylyn dipped her head down to her coke 480 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:35,800 Speaker 1: spoon and did another bump. Pulled on the champagne bottle again, 481 00:28:36,119 --> 00:28:38,720 Speaker 1: kept it in her hand by her side, got out 482 00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:40,520 Speaker 1: of her chair and stumbled over to the bath. 483 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,240 Speaker 2: She was trying and it was ready. 484 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:47,000 Speaker 1: She dropped her robe, alone, vulnerable, her thoughts drifted. She 485 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 1: wondered what Robin was doing. Whitney turned back to Maryland 486 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 1: and Brando on the walls outside the bathroom. She slurred 487 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:57,200 Speaker 1: to Norma, Jean, I'm ready for my close up, mister Davis, 488 00:28:57,480 --> 00:29:00,880 Speaker 1: and laughed to herself while slipping into the tub. Brando 489 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:04,720 Speaker 1: did not laugh. He was preoccupied, still staring at Marylynd. 490 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,760 Speaker 1: It was Marilyn in her youth, five alarms, smoke, pure 491 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:12,280 Speaker 1: like Whitney once was. Branda wanted nothing to do with Whitney. 492 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:15,880 Speaker 1: Whitney had her chance, but those days were gone. But 493 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:18,800 Speaker 1: Whitney felt the sharp pain of rejection and then resentment 494 00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:23,200 Speaker 1: toward Marilyn, toward herself, the sting of lost youth, lost love, 495 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,160 Speaker 1: where it had all gone, the promise, Who was she now? 496 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:26,840 Speaker 2: Who is she? 497 00:29:26,920 --> 00:29:33,480 Speaker 1: Then? What? Had she lost her love, love of her life. 498 00:29:33,560 --> 00:29:36,080 Speaker 1: I said, I'm ready for my close up, mister Brando. 499 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 1: Brando offered nothing. Just sat up there. I fucking Norma Jean. 500 00:29:41,120 --> 00:29:44,000 Speaker 1: Another swig from the champagne. Hey, I'm talking to you. 501 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:48,640 Speaker 1: Whitney's voice approached anger, but it didn't matter. Brando said nothing. 502 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,720 Speaker 1: She was too tired, too wasted to be truly angry. 503 00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:55,680 Speaker 1: She mumbled, I said I'm ready, I'm ready, and her 504 00:29:55,760 --> 00:29:58,920 Speaker 1: voice faded off again. There was no one there to answer, 505 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:03,720 Speaker 1: mister Brando. Robin Robin, Miss Robin Robin. I'm ready, Robin, 506 00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:08,480 Speaker 1: I'm here. And then she wasn't there at all. She 507 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 1: had slipped under the bathwater and off into sweet relief, 508 00:30:12,080 --> 00:30:13,680 Speaker 1: no more searching for who she was. 509 00:30:14,200 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 2: Whitney Houston was no more downstairs. 510 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:27,560 Speaker 1: In the chaotic hours after it became known that Whitney 511 00:30:27,560 --> 00:30:31,360 Speaker 1: Houston had died upstairs, Clive Davis decided that the show 512 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:33,880 Speaker 1: must go on, and the mood at the show that 513 00:30:34,000 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 1: night was haunted, surreal, But it was the best way 514 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:40,400 Speaker 1: to honor Whitney, he said. R and B sirens Brandy 515 00:30:40,400 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 1: and Monica weren't so sure. Set to perform a medley together, 516 00:30:43,560 --> 00:30:46,440 Speaker 1: that night. Instead, they declined to sing and stayed seated 517 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,000 Speaker 1: in the audience out of respect for the tragically past 518 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:53,680 Speaker 1: role model lying dead upstairs. If Whitney Houston had Marilyn 519 00:30:53,680 --> 00:30:56,720 Speaker 1: Monroe to idolize in her sadness, now the next generation 520 00:30:56,880 --> 00:31:01,320 Speaker 1: had Whitney herself, And today Robin Crawford lives with her 521 00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 1: wife and two children, is finally ready to speak. 522 00:31:03,880 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 2: About her life with Whitney. 523 00:31:05,360 --> 00:31:07,720 Speaker 1: She's a book coming today if you're listening to this 524 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:11,160 Speaker 1: episode on the day of its drop November twelve, twenty nineteen. 525 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:14,600 Speaker 1: And even Bobby Brown Is admitted he believes Whitney would 526 00:31:14,600 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 1: still be alive if she and Robin hadn't become estranged 527 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: the year after Whitney's death. Clive Davis would himself come 528 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:26,200 Speaker 1: out as bisexual. He lives happily with a male partner. 529 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:30,040 Speaker 1: Maybe Whitney's tragedy inspired him to stop pretending and to 530 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 1: embrace his truth. Or maybe in his eighties in the 531 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,080 Speaker 1: twenty first century, he was less worried about the impact 532 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:38,160 Speaker 1: this would have on his career than when the same 533 00:31:38,240 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 1: pr move simply wasn't on the table for Whitney thirty 534 00:31:41,160 --> 00:31:45,400 Speaker 1: years earlier. Learning to love yourself. It's the greatest love 535 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:48,400 Speaker 1: of all. Whitney Houston didn't write those words, but she 536 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:51,520 Speaker 1: dropped them on as powerfully with that bomber Plane voice 537 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:54,000 Speaker 1: of hers, and inspired so many of her fans to 538 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 1: find strength and love and celebration of their true selves. 539 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:01,920 Speaker 1: But Whitney Houston couldn't quite actice that same self compassion 540 00:32:02,000 --> 00:32:06,560 Speaker 1: she advocated for the masses, and now she's dead, and 541 00:32:06,640 --> 00:32:08,080 Speaker 1: that's disgrace. 542 00:32:09,240 --> 00:32:24,600 Speaker 2: I'm Jake Brennan, and this this Disgraceland. 543 00:32:33,720 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 1: Disgraceland was created by Yours Truly and is produced in 544 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,960 Speaker 1: partnership with Double Elvis. Credits for this episode can be 545 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 1: found on the show notes page at disgracelamdpod dot com. 546 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:46,760 Speaker 1: If you're listening as a Disgraceland All Access member, thank 547 00:32:46,800 --> 00:32:47,760 Speaker 1: you for supporting the show. 548 00:32:47,880 --> 00:32:49,120 Speaker 2: We really appreciate it. 549 00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 1: And if not, you can become a member right now 550 00:32:51,680 --> 00:32:56,200 Speaker 1: by going to disgracelamppod dot com. Slash Membership members can 551 00:32:56,240 --> 00:33:00,160 Speaker 1: listen to every episode of Disgraceland ad free, plus to 552 00:33:00,200 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 1: get one brand new exclusive episode every month, weekly unscripted 553 00:33:04,440 --> 00:33:08,440 Speaker 1: bonus episodes, special audio collections, and early access to merchandise 554 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:13,440 Speaker 1: and events. 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