Whitney Houston Dies at 48

[ceramictec]

Whitney Houston Dies at 48

Originally Posted by By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY - AP Music Writer

Feb 11, 8:04 PM EST
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Whitney Houston, who reigned as pop music's queen until her majestic voice and regal image were ravaged by drug use, erratic behavior and a tumultuous marriage to singer Bobby Brown, has died. She was 48.

Publicist Kristen Foster said Saturday that the singer had died, but the cause and the location of her death were unknown.

by the end of her career, Houston became a stunning cautionary tale of the toll of drug use. Her album sales plummeted and the hits stopped coming; her once serene image was shattered by a wild demeanor and bizarre public appearances. She confessed to abusing cocaine, marijuana and pills, and her once pristine voice became raspy and hoarse, unable to hit the high notes as she had during her prime.

[tilerite]

I just found out a few minutes ago. Stupid people who can't control their vices. Sorry if that sounds mean spirited but I don't understand why any person would abuse drugs to the point of killing themselves.

[jondon]

Another story of having such talent but allowing that to take a back seat to drugs and abuse. Her life is a sad one. This outcome is not surprising.

At least now she is at peace

[MNTileGuy]

Wow. Sad indeed.

[MudMaker]

Beautiful voice.... Crazy life...

[Ceci]

Originally Posted by Rick

Stupid people who can't control their vices. Sorry if that sounds mean spirited but I don't understand why any person would abuse drugs to the point of killing themselves.

Good that you can't understand. Hope you will never be able to understand.

Ceci

[tilerite]

Why is that good, Ceci? I think its a matter of self discipline, no? When I was younger, I partied with the best (or worst) of them. Drank too much, smoked weed every day and tried my fair share of other assorted drugs. Then, my wife got pregnant and I knew right then and there it was time grow up. All hard drug use ended. Pot smoking was reduced to an occasional doobie and drinking was reduced to a few drinks per day on weekends only Was an easy decision. No brainer, in fact. Over time, I quit smoking pot all together and even further reduced my drinking.I couldn't imagine being a 50 year old addict.

[irish tileguy in michigan]

What a terrible waste but shes not the first and she wont be the last.

[jondon]

Lets face it growing up most of us experiment with stuff whatever they may be. Called the school of hard knocks. We live and learn. I think at some point we realize the time to stop experimenting and grow up. I think having a child would be such a time to wake up. I have a little boy here right beside me his Mom was in jail most a the first 2 years of his life. Drugs were first, little boy has never been. Her loss and eventually he will want to know more.

I don't really know if she had any kids, all I ever heard about was the drug abuse. So with that being said she put her own needs first, the drug. I have a good friend who I met on a commercial job, we stayed friends after we went our separate ways. After visiting him in another state, he would just leave at night. Go do crack, come home next morning. I realized he don't even care he has a visitor, or that he has 4 kids and a wife. The drug is in control of him, and he is 46. He'll end up just like Whitney in a matter a time. Come to find out the whole time I was working with him putting in slabs he was probably high. He needs to want to give up this life a drugs and put his family first, he just can't do it.

Addiction is a disease but you gotta want to help yourself. No one can force you to stop. When you got lots a money like the big three that died this year doctors tend to look the other way and give you what you need. All about money, money talks.............. Drugs in many cases separate you from family, look at MJ. He lived secluded didn't want his family around because they could see the truth of what he was doing to himself and didn't want to hear about it. Well not getting help..... eventually you don't need help, just planning your funeral.

[Ceci]

Originally Posted by Rick

Why is that good, Ceci? I think its a matter of self discipline, no? When I was younger, I partied with the best (or worst) of them. Drank too much, smoked weed every day and tried my fair share of other assorted drugs. Then, my wife got pregnant and I knew right then and there it was time grow up. All hard drug use ended. Pot smoking was reduced to an occasional doobie and drinking was reduced to a few drinks per day on weekends only Was an easy decision. No brainer, in fact. Over time, I quit smoking pot all together and even further reduced my drinking.I couldn't imagine being a 50 year old addict.

Not saying it's the same for everyone, but sometimes, maybe more often than just sometimes, people turn to drugs, alcohol, whatever because of trying to get away from some great pain that I thank God I haven't gotten close enough to or maybe I have, but my mode of getting away from it is going under the covers and not coming out. Mental health issues also plays a part in that pain sometimes. Then comes the addiction. Complicated like most things. Not saying you haven't experienced that certain pain, Rick, but some aren't able to cope as well as others. Not saying it excuses the abuse. Not sure what I am saying, but for sure am saying, it's not simple.

Ceci

Ceci

[jondon]

Simple is being by yourself having nobody or nothing to deal with. How long does life stay simple with that being said. People are complex some more than others put all those people together in the world. Throw in substances to take you away from reality. We all make choices on how we deal with pain, some of us handle it well, some suppress it, some need substance, others take their own life. These different personalities make the world go round and round and round............ How you live your life and what you do in it is your choice but remember those choices are going to affect the people around you as well good or bad. If you are selfish you really don't care what others think.

[Lazarus]

Not to put too fine a point on it, but as of now there has been no autopsy or determination on cause of death. Could have been drugs and/or alcohol...could have been a brain annuerism or anything else. Jury is out on this. In the years she spent with Bobby Brown, she did indulge in quantities of alcohol and cocaine...but that could have all been in her past.

Yes, there is a daughter, and by all accounts, Whitney was a loving and caring mother toward her...

Wonderful performer and decent actress. Quite sad.

[doitright]

Hi Laz

One of the reports that did come out is when she showed up for practice she reeked of cigarettes and alcohol. I agree that we need to hear what the coroner says was the COD.

[jondon]

So she did have a daughter. Media only reports the bad and magnifies it, would be nice to hear some more positive about her. The media likes to kick ya while your down. What is her daughter's name and how old is she?

[tilerite]

Jon
I completely agree with your post (#9). Well stated.

Ceci
I also understand what you are saying (#10). I understand that circumstances vary from person to person and we each have our own ways of coping. I suppose I'm a bit hardened because its my belief that the world around us has changed for the worse over my years. Seems to me that more people than ever take the easy way out whether it be divorce, quitting a job or abusing drugs/alcohol and doing the right/moral thing doesn't rate like it did during say, my parents generation. Its more and more becoming an anything-goes culture.
And when I look at Whitney Houston I see a lady who was blessed with a unique talent and who unlike most of us, never, ever had to worry about financial security, perhaps the single biggest detriment for most of us. It would be ignorant of me to claim that somebody living that lifestyle cannot possibly have the kind of pain most of the rest of us experience but if I were a betting man, I would lay my money on this being another case of somebody who used her wealth to live immorally rather than being a role model like a person like Taylor Swift, as an example.
I generally hold low regard for the Hollywood elite. They live differently than most of the rest of us and they fly by their own set of rules. Morals don't seem to rate in how many of them conduct themselves. Maybe I'm wrong about Whitney but based on what I do know about her and based on my low opinions of the entertainment industry, I think otherwise.