Whitney Houston’s family, which operates her properties, is pushing back against comments made by Oprah Winfrey after the media icon claimed the late singer was under the influence of drugs when she allegedly fell off a stage during a performance on The Oprah Winfrey Show.
The controversy began when Oprah spoke at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, where she reflected on one of Houston’s final appearances on her talk show. During the discussion, Oprah said she had witnessed Houston relapse after previously being sober.
“I think it was her last show with us and she was back on drugs,” Oprah said, recalling the singer’s appearance in 2009. “She wasn’t (clean) and she fell off the stage.”
According to Oprah, she feared that making the incident public would devastate Houston’s reputation.
“I knew if that story came out…she would be destroyed,” Oprah said. He added that he personally asked audience members not to post any photos or footage, and they honored his request. “That wouldn’t happen today.”
But Houston’s sister-in-law, Pat Houston, says Oprah’s account is off base.
In a statement provided to TMZestate representatives acknowledged that Houston did, in fact, fall. However, they strongly disputed Oprah’s claim that drugs were involved.
“Whitney absolutely fell off the stage, but it was during a sound check, and it was due to the darkness of the area and her unfamiliarity with the stage. She was not at all drugged,” the estate said.
The estate continued to argue that Houston’s addiction struggles should not automatically be connected to every moment of his career.
“Like many people, he faced personal battles, but it is inaccurate and unfair to associate that struggle with every performance or chapter of his life,” the statement continued. “What the studio audience witnessed on stage was the result of discipline, talent and commitment, not the assumptions projected by others.”
Houston’s last appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show came in 2009 while promoting her comeback album I Look to You. During the highly publicized interview, she spoke candidly about her struggle with addiction and her turbulent marriage to Bobby Brown. The appearance was seen as a major attempt to rebuild both his career and his public image.
Oprah shared the story while talking about the responsibility that comes with having a public platform. He said protecting Houston from further humiliation was one of the moments that reinforced his belief that the media should be used to help people rather than exploit them.
The newly revealed incident has sparked debate online, with some fans praising Oprah for shielding Houston from additional scrutiny at a vulnerable time, while others questioned whether the story needed to be revisited more than a decade after the singer’s death.
Houston died in February 2012 at age 48. The singer’s death was ruled an accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use listed as contributing factors. His struggle with addiction has been widely documented, but his family and estate continue to question what they consider to be inaccurate depictions of his final years.
📸carrie-nelson
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