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Whitney Still Alive And Well
submitted by: Lisa D.
source: Entertainment Weekly, Newsday, Electronic Urban Report
Date: September 14, 2001
Whitney Houston is NOT dead.
The widespread report of her demise is denied by the singer's label
by Tom Sinclair
Rumors of Whitney Houston's death have been greatly exaggerated.
False reports that the troubled singer had suffered a fatal overdose began to spread through the industry Thursday. Even ABC News anchor Peter Jennings mentioned it. But Laura Swanson, head of publicity at Houston's label, Arista Records, says reports that Houston is dead are absolutely untrue. ''I was in [Arista President] L.A. Reid's office a few minutes ago when Whitney called, very upset [about the rumor],'' Swanson told EW.com Thursday afternoon.
Houston -- who had been busted for marijuana possession in June 2000 -- performed at the first of Michael Jackson' s two 30th anniversary Madison Square Garden concerts on Friday, Sept. 7, singing the curtain-raising ''Wanna Be Startin' Somethin''' along with Usher and Mya. Many onlookers took note of her disturbingly gaunt, skeletal appearance. Her failure to appear as scheduled at Jackson' s second concert, Monday, Sept. 10, may have jump-started the rumor, sources speculate.
Meanwhile, in a response to the national malaise following the World Trade Center disaster, Arista is rush-releasing Houston's rousing Super Bowl version of ''The Star-Spangled Banner'' to radio.
No Truth to Rumor Of Houston's Death
By Glenn Gamboa; STAFF WRITER
Whitney Houston is not dead.
Despite rumors of her demise that roared around the country yesterday, stoked apparently by erroneous radio reports, the singer-actress is alive and well and spending time with her family in New Jersey. "Whitney thanks everyone for their concern," Arista Records spokeswoman Laura Swanson said. "We're not sure how this all started, but she is very much alive."
Houston, whose string of No. 1 hits includes the record-setting "I Will Always Love You" and "Saving All My Love For You," recently signed a reported $100 million deal to stay with Arista Records.
"Considering all we have to deal with now, it's crazy that we have to deal with this," said Swanson, who works in Arista's New York headquarters.
Speculation about Houston's health began on Saturday, after her Friday night appearance at Michael Jackson's tribute concert at Madison Square Garden. Though she sounded excellent, delivering an exciting version of "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'" to open the show, she was extremely skinny, so thin that many in the crowd worried about her health.
When she dropped out of the opening number on Monday, the speculation about her health grew. By yesterday afternoon, several radio stations were reporting rumors of her death, which were then relayed across the Internet and by word of mouth.
"People who should know better were calling me asking if it was true," said one Los Angeles music industry executive, who asked not to be named. "This rumor was suddenly popping up everywhere though. Obviously, someone has too much time on their hands."
WHITNEY STAYIN' ALIVE
Reports of singer's death false.
(Sep. 14, 2001) *As reported in the EUR Newsflash yesterday (09-13) the rumor that singer Whitney Houston had died of a drug overdose are grossly false, and her label, Arista Records, is fuming mad. The EUR got in contact with Arista Records Executive VP, Lionel Ridenhour who was disgusted with the rumor and its growth.
"I was on the phone with LA (LA Reid) when he spoke to her this morning, she is fine." Ridenour said angrily. "People don't have sh*t else to do right now and everybody is trying to run with things and nobody is checking sources. I'm very disappointed in people because we should be concentrating on the things that are really important right now, like the victims and the families with the tragedies here in New York and Washington."
In the EUR Flash, we reported that Whitney was in fact talking with the label about re-releasing her highly acclaimed rendition of the Star Spangled Banner in order to raise funds for the American Red Cross. Ridenhour says she responded to the rumor with the same disgust.
When asked if he thought the rumor was spawned from Houston's recent appearance at the Michael Jackson Anniversary concert, where many criticized her waif-like appearance, Ridenhour says he couldn't even speculate on that.
"I don't know why, I don't know how, and I don't know why today. I don't know what this world is thinking about by saying that she's dead. I'm just disgusted."
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