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<p>The ones I know are. If not, they’re beating a dead horse. Maybe some are fine with taking the money all the while knowing they can’t accomplish much while someone is drinking, smoking and taking Xanax, but most good ones won’t waste their time. They’ve got a waiting list of people who are serious about rehabbing their voices. They’d be known as the vocal coach who failed to bring Whitney Houston’s voice back.</p>
<p>I’m amazed that every news network is carrying the funeral. How many people are interested in sitting through a two-hour funeral for an entertainer? Why would anyone want to? Surely there are other matters of more importance going on in the world that at least CNN should be covering. Whitney Houston was a great singer whose life had spiraled down for many years and who hadn’t been an important presence on the music scene for ages. She has been more known as an addict than as an entertainer for a long time now. I honestly don’t understand the attention being given to her death. No one I know has paid more attention than to say “oh, that’s a shame” in passing. I think the news networks are way overestimating the level of public interest here. I suppose the fact that the funeral is on a Saturday, a classically slow news day, is part of the explanation. But this isn’t a US President or a Pope. I just don’t get it.</p>
<p>I found Kevin Costner’s speech quite genuine and moving. After listening to Clive Davis I still don’t understand how they went on with the party Saturday nite after Whitney died. </p>
<p>Sent from my MB860 using CC App</p>
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<p>Makes no sense to me.</p>
<p>Momma, it’s all about ratings unfortunately. Gotta compete. I don’t get it either.</p>
<p>To those that are not in the NJ area: I think if CNN had a local affiliate, they would not have felt the need to broadcast…</p>
<p>In defense, while I am not advocating the coverage, I do understand the people who knew her from Newark and East Orange wanting to pay tribute and be a part of this funeral…this community is very, very strong around these parts; she was theirs…</p>
<p>thank you for agreeing and expanding on my point, cartera in your post 301. Just before the part you quoted I tried to show the difference defining the possibility of rehabbing her voice compared to the liklihood of doing that. Since a voice coach cannot force lifestyle changes, the difference between the two can be great. Your post further demonstrates the difference; no matter what time/effort/skill a voice coach might offer to help a singer reach maximum potential, he/she is limited by the singer’s lifestyle.</p>
<p>It might make no sense, but do the fascination and obsession with Princess Di or Pippa’s dress make more sense? Did Katie’s and Willy’s wedding deserve all that coverage? In a world of Snookies and Kims, it is hard to deny the presence of an icon such as Houston.</p>
<p>What might you say when Oprah kicks the bucket? Ali? </p>
<p>There are audiences for all kind of events. I watched a few minutes, but I understand why plenty are happy to see the coverage and respect paid to her. CNN can wait to rebroadcast the same taped crappy shows every hour.</p>
<p>Whitney Houston wasn’t any ordinary singer. She was an international superstar. The female version of Michael Jackson, breaking color barriers and introducing a new form of popular ballad music. In her lifetime, she won a career-high 415 awards (~75% of her nominations!). She was a huge crossover success in many musical genres-- pop, dance, gospel/Christian, r&b/soul, and (soft) rock. She was also an actress AND fashion model (she was one of the first black women to grace the covers of Glamour, Cosmopolitan, and Seventeen!). Her version of the “Star-Spangled Banner”, the NATIONAL anthem, became a Billboard hit and is archived at the Smithsonian Museum! Tell me how many singers you know can do that today. Not even Madonna or Celine Dion can touch that. </p>
<p>She always stayed true to her church roots in New Jersey. Her songs were never about sex and violence. I think many pop stars could learn something from her legacy. That’s why the people in New Jersey and the rest of the world are celebrating her life today. Her voice (in her prime) was magical, effortless, and inspirational. It’s not a surprise that she’s the #1 voice most young women want to emulate (to no avail). New Jersey has every right to lower the flags in her memory. She was truly an American icon.</p>
<p>Whitney Houston’s casket being carried out to her soaring voice singing “I’ll always Love You”-----unforgettable. So moving. Tears.</p>
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<p>I made it a point to not watch a single nano-second of coverage of that one, too!</p>
<p>And, as far as Whitney Houston “breaking color barriers”? Not even close to the barriers that broken a generation earlier when the barrier between “colored” music and “pop” music fell with the early days of rock n’ roll and then Motown and singers like Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, James Brown, etc.</p>
<p>Moderator’s Note: Please remember that CC does not allow political posts. Original post removed.</p>
<p>Kevin Costner’s Sermon - I only saw the end of the “homecoming”-but so many stated how moving Kevin’ Costner’s eulogy was-here it is. Multi layered eulogy, with underlining message about “Whitney” not feeling “good enough”. Message to young girls today with similar dreams. [Costner:</a> Houston was ?as beautiful as a woman could be? - Video on msnbc.com](<a href=“http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbc-news/46439897/#null]Costner:”>http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nbc-news/46439897/#null)</p>
<p>I have to admit that I was wondering how Kevin Costner would fit into this-besides being in one movie with her, I wasn’t seeing the connection. His words ended up being one of the most moving parts of the whole service, particularly in how he ended what he said.</p>
<p>SJCM,
Thank you so much for linking to Costner’s eulogy. It was beautiful: heartfelt, honest, loving, and it also revealed Whitney’s vulnerability so well.
A keeper.</p>
<p>^^ Whitney’s accomplishments will always outweigh her negatives. People need to recognize that. She was a gift to all of us.</p>
<p>Kevin Costner’s words were so amazing. Here is the quote below: </p>
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<p>[Kevin</a> Costner Tearfully Reveals What He’d Say To Whitney Houston If She Was Still Alive | Access Hollywood - Celebrity News, Photos & Videos](<a href=“404 Not Found”>404 Not Found)</p>
<p>Clive Davis discusses Whitney’s talent for interpreting lyrics below:</p>
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<p>[Whitney’s</a> “raising the roof” in heaven, Clive Davis says - Celebrity Circuit - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57380883-10391698/whitneys-raising-the-roof-in-heaven-clive-davis-says/]Whitney’s”>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57380883-10391698/whitneys-raising-the-roof-in-heaven-clive-davis-says/)</p>
<p>Perhaps the coverage of William and Katherine’s wedding was excessive but imho weddings are about hopefulness and considering the state of the world I was more than happy to get a dose of that. I did find it ridiculous that every station had to cover it.</p>
<p>Though WH was a talented woman and certainly deserved acknowledgment I believe that the response to her death would not have been so over the top (and in my opinion, disrespectful) had the media not gone 24/7 crazy trying to work everyone up into a lather…but they need to fill their air time so that is how they roll. </p>
<p>Small world - My family’s burial plot is at Fairview Cemetery. I haven’t been in a few years but at last visit it was still lovely. When I was little I really enjoyed going over to help my Dad clean off the graves and to “visit” Grandma. Please let it be enough off of the beaten track to allow WH to truly rest in peace rather than have her grave become a celebrity attraction. If you must go don’t step on my Dad’s grave, people.</p>
<p>Before heading to state swim meet (had to logoff during Kevin Costner’s touching words), I watch the funeral and thought it was lovely and appropriate. Living in the area, I think the family did the right thing and held it in her childhood church, but streaming it to the world. She had strong ties to NJ and often came back quietly to recharge her batteries.</p>
<p>Performersmom, glad you liked that link. I found his words working on two levels, especially when he described leaving Whitney for twenty minutes before the screen test. He said “he asked her what she had done” -because something had gone so wrong in the screen test. And, I had to wonder, if many in the audience, may have been thinking about drugs at that moment. It turned out to be too much makeup, she had to put on a “fake face” for everyone.
It melted, just as did her life. (It’s said that recently she was not happy with her voice, and she tried to get a facelift , which the dr declined because she failed the medical tests).
So back to Kevin Costner’s story, the way he wove the “theme” of her not feeling ‘adequate’ back to all the girls who have dreams today, who look up to Whitney.
You are enough, he tells the young girls of today, just as Whitney “was good enough”. </p>
<p>An underlying anti drug message ----I think.</p>