'Whitney' - Why the Documentary is a Must-See

[PeaceNHarmony]

Because addiction crosses all socio-economic lines and can destroy the best of the best.
Because psychological demons don’t just ‘go away’ on their own.

Because even well-meaning relatives often don’t have the know-how to address problems their loved ones are experiencing.
Because religious dogma can harm as often it can heal.
Because it is human to attribute the failure of a beloved one to an external influence rather than acknowledge the innate cause of that person’s straying.
Because child abuse occurs where it is least expected.
And because the movie just may cause you to assess Whitney with a renewed respect and sympathy.

[Jerry Oz]

Because the truth doesn't hurt. Ignoring your culpability doesn't make it better, it just puts everything on hold until the bill comes due. With interest.

Because the people we idolize because of their talents as singers, athletes and actors have lives. Despite their images, they are flawed humans with a life beyond the closeups, solos, headshots and red carpets that are every bit as complex and hard to navigate as ours.

Because pleasing others means nothing if we don't first please ourselves. Whitney's attempt to prove her "blackness" for the Al Sharptons of the world was unnecessary. We have George Clinton and Chuck Brown on records to scratch that itch. She was a generational talent whose self-image went into tailspin because ignorant people didn't think she had street cred.

Because tomorrow isn't promised. You're neither too young nor too old to punch out and go home forever. You got today up for a reason. Live your best life and if anybody - mother, friend, husband - keeps you from being happy, best to end that relationship. It's their loss if they can't contribute to your happiness.

[marv2]

Because the truth doesn't hurt. Ignoring your culpability doesn't make it better, it just puts everything on hold until the bill comes due. With interest.

Because the people we idolize because of their talents as singers, athletes and actors have lives. Despite their images, they are flawed humans with a life beyond the closeups, solos, headshots and red carpets that are every bit as complex and hard to navigate as ours.

Because pleasing others means nothing if we don't first please ourselves. Whitney's attempt to prove her "blackness" for the Al Sharptons of the world was unnecessary. We have George Clinton and Chuck Brown on records to scratch that itch. She was a generational talent whose self-image went into tailspin because ignorant people didn't think she had street cred.

Because tomorrow isn't promised. You're neither too young nor too old to punch out and go home forever. You got today up for a reason. Live your best life and if anybody - mother, friend, husband - keeps you from being happy, best to end that relationship. It's their loss if they can't contribute to your happiness.

Excellent post Jerry!

[Boogiedown]

Excellent post Jerry!

Dittto ! i so agree!

[PeaceNHarmony]

Because the truth doesn't hurt. Ignoring your culpability doesn't make it better, it just puts everything on hold until the bill comes due. With interest.

Because the people we idolize because of their talents as singers, athletes and actors have lives. Despite their images, they are flawed humans with a life beyond the closeups, solos, headshots and red carpets that are every bit as complex and hard to navigate as ours.

Because pleasing others means nothing if we don't first please ourselves. Whitney's attempt to prove her "blackness" for the Al Sharptons of the world was unnecessary. We have George Clinton and Chuck Brown on records to scratch that itch. She was a generational talent whose self-image went into tailspin because ignorant people didn't think she had street cred.

Because tomorrow isn't promised. You're neither too young nor too old to punch out and go home forever. You got today up for a reason. Live your best life and if anybody - mother, friend, husband - keeps you from being happy, best to end that relationship. It's their loss if they can't contribute to your happiness.

Yup, those too.

[midnightman]

I don't think the doc told the full truth to be honest.

There seems to be some emphasis that Whitney, a woman who grew up in a middle class East Orange, New Jersey neighborhood as the daughter of a popular session singer and [[later) Grammy winning gospel vocalist and cousin of arguably the original queen of modern pop music in Dionne Warwick [[not to mention Dee Dee, having Darlene Love as her godmother, Aretha as "Auntie Ree", Leontyne Price was also a relative) was just another girl from "The Bricks" [[Newark) though she was only born there and was only 5 when the Houstons moved to East Orange in 1968, shortly after the Newark Riots ravaged their formerly middle class neighborhood.

Robyn Crawford pointed out in her book that Whitney had been using drugs, starting with marijuana, since age 14 and quickly got into cocaine, maybe because of the scene around her [[she began her professional career in '77 as a session vocalist and background singer for her mother though she occasionally was given the lead spot where even at 14, she slayed the audience) and that had to deal with Cissy and John divorcing around then [[Whitney was actually born out of wedlock; John and his first wife wouldn't divorce until after Whitney's birth and her parents married in 1964 so they were actually married for 28 years - 1964-1992 but had been separated since 1979). Being the lone black girl in a predominantly white Catholic girls school definitely didn't help matters [[she was a victim of racism at least once there) and having no real friends at all [[she was considered a quiet, meek girl in school and that made her the target of bullies, especially among black peers who thought she was stuck up for not talking and looking "lighter" than them).

Whitney, as Cissy wrote in her book, wanted to please everyone and that was a big part of the problem. Whitney having to "prove" she was black was sad. Whitney KNEW who she was as a person by her actions [[refusing to model/perform for South Africa during their apartheid years, donating to black causes constantly, creating that school in East Orange for children in her former neighborhood, etc.).

I'm still disturbed that Al Sharpton had people protesting her as early as 1985. Sometimes we can be our worst enemy. Whitney was failed by a lot of people in her life when she was growing up. I'm actually surprised she made it to 48 reading what she dealt with.

What a life! May she and Bobbi Kristina rest in peace.