Wow.
Well, the thing that sticks out the most to me about this trailer is when Whitney asks one of her daughters, “Why is my life not enough of a cautionary tale to you?” because damn. That’s just eerie. This here, Whitney Houston appearing in the first released trailer of Sparkle, the last project she worked on before dying of a drug-induced heart attack earlier this year, is eerie. The similarities to her real life and the character of one of her fictional daughters (not the portrayal by Jordin Sparks) are eerie. Seeing Whitney struggling to re-achieve stardom when she was one of the hottest tickets going is eerie. But probably the eeriest thing of all is that, had she not kicked back in February, she might have actually done what she’d been aiming to do over the last decade – return to a respectable place in public perception, and jump-start her singing career with new music, which will be featured in the film.
Whitney’s mother, Cissy Houston, recently sat down for an interview to set the record straight about many things (that she was “not broke” at the time of her death, though contradicting information had previously been presented). From MTV:
Cissy revealed that it was difficult to avoid all of the headlines that swirled after Whitney’s death, including rumors that she died in debt. “The media is awful. People have come from here and there, don’t know what they’re talking about, people I haven’t seen in twenty years..here they come, think they know everything,” she said. “But that’s not true. God got his way of taking care of all of it, and I’m glad I know that… One time I thought about coming on [TV]..but I know my temper so I’m gonna let them say and think what they want to say, I just hope they never come and say it to me.”
“These people don’t know anything about her, all they know is what they hear–bad things,” Cissy added, alluding to the late singer’s battle with drugs and her turbulent relationships. “Shes had her ups and downs, like who hasn’t?”
When asked if there’s anything she wished she could’ve done to help Whitney while she was still alive, Cissy expressed no regrets. “Not really because my children are my whole life,” she said. “She was very special to me. Very special. She was my only daughter and a good one. Very good, she looked out for her family.”
The interview came from a pre-taped show that aired on a local New Jersey station, where the family originally hailed from, and it was Cissy’s first public interview since the death of Whitney weeks ago. I have to say, that takes class to take your story to a hometown news station, when in reality, major publications were probably (OK, maybe) seeking the official word of the legendary Whitney Houston’s mom. You can read the rest of it here.
I know she dug her own grave with a jagged piece of mirror and a razorblade, but still. RIP Whitney. We’re still missing you.