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Bobby Brown 'Beside Himself' with Grief: Relative
By Steve Helling
Saturday February 11, 2012 09:30 PM EST
Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown
Gregg DeGuire/WireImage
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Facebook Tweet Upon hearing of Whitney Houston's death on Saturday, her ex-husband, Bobby Brown, immediately began calling friends and family.
"He wanted to tell everyone about it before it hit the news," one of his relatives tells PEOPLE. "He didn't want any of us to hear about it on television."
As Brown spoke to family members, the shock of Houston's sudden death turned to grief. "He could hardly get the words out when he called me," says the relative. "He was sobbing, and by the end of the call, I was sobbing too. He's beside himself right now."
Brown has had no official comment on the death of Houston. A source tells PEOPLE that Brown learned the news about his ex-wife while in Memphis, where he is currently located for a New Edition concert. He is "shattered and beyond devastated," says the source.
PHOTOS: Whitney Houston: Her Life in Pictures
Houston's passing was confirmed by her publicist, and Beverly Hills Police Lieut. Mark Rosen told PEOPLE on Saturday that the 48-year-old singer "was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. this afternoon at the Beverly Hilton Hotel," following a 3:43 p.m. call from hotel security.
The best-selling pop artist wed soul crooner Bobby Brown in 1992 in a marriage that surprised many, given Brown's bad-boy reputation. The following year, the couple welcomed a daughter, Bobbi Kristina.
After a tumultuous relationship that included a charge of domestic abuse against Brown in 1993, the two divorced in 2007.
Despite their breakup, the couple remained friendly, the relative tells PEOPLE. "They had Bobbi Kristina in common, and were determined to be co-parents to her. They didn't hate each other. In fact, there was a lot of respect. So this has hit Bobby really hard. He is devastated. He loved her very much. This is a very sad time for him."
• Additional reporting by MARISA LAUDADIO. KEN LEE and STEPHEN M. SILVERMAN
PHOTOS: Whitney Houston's PEOPLE Covers
Bobby attended ,but they could not or would not accommodated his entourage of approximately 4-5 people . He was asked to move 3 seperate times and eventually left the services after less than 15 mins. The security also tried to prevent him from seeing his own daughter.
It is reported that bobby did attend,but was asked to leave which he did to avoid a scene.
Here's my question... who the fuck was in his "entourage"? Was it security people? Was Bobby ascared that someone was gonna try and pop him at the funeral? And why didn't the entourage just wait outside and leave him in there? I bet not one reporter will ask this.
I did not enjoy Alicia Keyes screaming. What was that all about? It would have been a lot better had she toned that down a bit. Maybe she got caught up in the moment....? It was beyond 'over-singing'.
Exactly Jillfoster! Rev. Winans actually warned the attendees that he may begin to speak in tongues, but never did. Rev. Donnie McKlurkin came close to it a few times, but did not go there. Yes there were uniform nurses up and down and mostly over near the front by Cissy Houston and Bobbi.
I didn't see 9 people. I saw Bobby, a young teenage girl and 3 or 4 youngs get out of an SUV and were standing on the sidewalkl in front of the church. They were not turned away, they entered the church. They went and sat in a front pew that was reserved for the family and were asked to move. They were a bit late because I was looking at the clock on the cable box and it was already 10-15 mins after 12 noon. Bobby and his group were asked to move 3 times in total.
No one asked, but "entourage" is the word they used to describe Bobby and his group. Rev. Sharpton and Bishop T.D. Jakes did speak to Bobby by cell phone after he had left the church and Bobby said all he wanted to do was to see his daughter and show love and respect to Whitney and her family. He decided to leave after being asked to find another seat 3 times, rather than make a scene. I say he did the right thing. He was not treated right.
I know. I know. McClukin and maybe the Winans grew up in the Holiness Church, "Sanctified" aka Pentecostal Church. One thing I noticed immediately that was not done and that is they did not repose Whitney. I believe that may have been because of the television camera in the church. What do you think?
That was pretty sad what they did with Bobby. I mean he too had to travel to get there. I don't believe Cissy and Bobbi even knew what was going on as they were on the other side of the church up front. If it were true [[and it was not because see all type of space in pews towards the back) they could have gotten out folding chairs which all churches have.
That was it! I know just about everyone in that church were wondering why the casket was not open. Whitney's sister-in-law kind of addressed that issue by saying "for those of you that did not get to view the body, just picture how she looked in that video for "The Greatest Love of All". They had Whitney dressed in all white. It had to have been because of the TV cameras that they did not have the casket open at all.
Bobby! He got angry cause they couldn't accommodate him and his entourage [[9 others) in the first row with the family!!! WTF, did this man forget that he's the "EX-HUSBAND"??? Now that is the real story...not that BS he whined to the media about!!!
Nuh-uh!! he was the ex-husband and father of her child! I don't know about the entourage, but he had every right to be there!
But, you know what? I'll bet if Diana Ross had shown up at someone's funeral with an entourage, no one here would have a problem with it.....oh shit! I just opened up this thread to the hijackers! Oh well! It was gonna happen sooner or later! I just hastened the inevitable!
The funeral stressed love. It's sad Bobby Brown couldnt/wouldnt be there with his daughter.
That was very wrong that he was not allowed to console his daughter. He and Whitney were married for 15 years! She sang at his mother's funeral last year in Boston. She was not treated with any disrespect during those services. It is my understanding that it was security that gave him and his guests a hard time.
I'm sure the family understood. It's despicable how they did Bobby, though. The family's handlers no doubt gave security those orders.
You know what a friend said to me today at work? He said that Bobby Brown "pimped" Whitney. I told him that he had herd a bunch of shit from stupid people.
I did see video footage of Bobby Brown comforting/consoling one of his sons outside of the church. The young man is Bobbi Kris' step brother and he probably looked at Whitney Houston as his stepmother. His dad and she were married for more than a dozen years and I recognized the young man from that reality show. Bobby and some of his children should have been at the funeral. They could have worked out something as minor as a seating dispute in my opinion. On the other hand, I felt much empathy for Cissy Houston who wailed and sobbed when her daughter's casket was lifted and carried out of the church.
Last edited by Kamasu_Jr; 02-19-2012 at 08:07 AM.
I've been reading that his entourage was not 9 people... and why do they call it an "entourage" anyway... they make it sound like he had a bunch of hangers-on with him... i've been reading that it was FOUR people... 3 of Whitney's step-kids, and Bobby's brother... so if anybody thinks that Whitney's Brother in law and step kids don't belong at the service, they got a problem! there were onlt four in the church.. it makes me wonder if Bobby didn't show up with NINE... and 5 were security, and he left the security outside the church, and only came in with the family.
Read This Other Celebrities were asked to move aswell
Newark, New Jersey [[CNN) -- Singer Bobby Brown made a brief and dramatic appearance at ex-wife Whitney Houston's memorial service Saturday, leaving abruptly after being told that his entourage couldn't sit together, police sources told CNN.
Brown accused security of treating his family badly and barring him from visiting with his daughter, an account that Houston's family vehemently denied, according to a family friend.
Brown was seen arriving with several people and had sat down in the front row of a section marked off for family, before being asked to move. Brown had entered the church with other mourners, separate from Houston's family. He appeared emotionally distraught, with red eyes and head hanging as he walked up the aisle of the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, New Jersey. He approached Houston's casket, passed it and went back down the aisle. Ultimately, he left the church.
Security workers appeared to ask others, including celebrities and government officials, to also change seats to make room for everyone.
"My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston," Brown later said in a statement. "We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions. I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continued to ask us and no one else to move. Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi Kristina.
"In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene. ... I will continue to pay my respects to my ex-wife the best way I know how," the statement said.
Brown was expected to attend with two guests but showed up with 10 people, a close friend of the Houston family told CNN on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.
"The family approached Bobby and told him that he could stay in the area reserved for family, but that his guests would need to move to a different section to make room for Cissy [[Houston) and the rest of the family," the family friend said. "Bobby said no."
The bottomline is Bobby Brown acted appropriately. The staff at the church did not. If Bobby had elected not to show up at all, it would have been another negatively slanted story about him in the news. Bobby knew just about everyone that Whitney knew. He was closer to her than 85-90% of the mourners inside the church and 100% of the mourners around the World. It is impossible for me to understand why he and his children could not simply sit there at the service and mourn. He did not murder Whitney Houston!
His guest were Whitney's step children.
If I were Bobby... and some security person was trying to keep my from my daughter, I would ahve told them, "I'm going to see my daughter and give her a hug and comfort her. If you want to stop me, then your'e gonna have to shoot me, or tackle me on live TV... and I don't think you want that." That funeal director didn't plan properly if she had to keep asking people to move. first of all, you PLAN AHEAD. Like when I deliver flowers to a funeral service or a wedding, I always bring extras with me, because shit happens. You can be carrying the casket spray into the church, and accidentally break a couple flowers off getting it in the door, etc. It's called being PREPARED. So the church held 1,500. that means that 1,450 invitations should have been sent out so you have some wiggle room for someone who might have been forgotten, that has a right to be there... like Whitney's stepchildren. I also didn't like how that funeral director kept STANDING there in the middle of everything, she was being far too obtrusive, and she was wearing GOLD, she was trying to get her time in the spotlight. I have known alot of funeral directors in my time, and her method is NOT typical, nor considered proper.
That was a very childish argument you bring up and adding Diana Ross to the mix? WTF is up with that. I am an admirer of Miss Ross and personally speaking I would have a problem if she did what Bobby did at Whitney's funeral. It boils down to respect for the deceased and the family. Period.
Yes he had every right to be there and all he had to do was just comply with their wishes that he move to another pew. They didn't kick him out. They asked him to move. Big difference. He chose to leave.
Bullshit! What did Bobby do? Comply with their wishes? Further bullshit. He came to the funeral. He and his children went to be seated. They were told to move again and again and again! I think he finally got the message that he was not wanted there so he left without causing a commotion or any type of scene. Diana Ross? Don't even get me started after how she made an ass out of herself at Florence Ballard's funeral now that is what everyone calls inappropriate!
Last edited by marv2; 02-19-2012 at 03:26 PM.
May be... but in our neck of the woods, a funeral director is supposed to remain VERY low key. But maybe it's a midwest thing. I also wonder why they had Whitney's casket just sitting on that naked gurney. Around here, it's considered tacky lookin to see the wheels and hardware underneath. We always have a skirt around the gurney. Considering the amount of people who would want or need to come to that service, I also think that the choir was too big, they took up too much space from everyone else.
We're all going by what is being written in the press along with Bobby's statement regarding the situation. I personally was not there, but guess what Marv? NEITHER WERE YOU.
So with that said it is very unfortunate for everyone involved that this even happened as I feel he had every right to be there. He was when everything is said and done her ex-husband, someone she loved and the father of her daughter Bobbi Kristina.
I am not emotionally invested in this as you are Marv. As far as "getting you started" about Diana Ross it is apparent it doesn't take much to accomplish that. The mere mention or sight of her name in black and white staring back at you from your computer screen sends you into a fit of rage it seems.
That you resort to using the word "ass" to describe her is quite unfortunate. Class truly evades you brother.
Maybe some of the mess would have been avoided if Bobby and his kids hadn't arrived late for the funeral?
Jill you are bringing up some very good points. About the gurney. Although, I've seen it used and displayed exactly like that many times, but for this near "State Funeral", I would have thought that they would have covered it or draped something over it. The choir would have been used more effectively during the actual processional and recessional. They should have sung something everyone would know in my opinion.
Fit of rage? What is that? Anyway, I wasn't there true. We watched it from home, but the Reverend Jesse Jackson, Bishop T.D. Jakes and the Reverend Al Sharpton all were there and gave the account of what happened as I posted. I believe them. Oh and leave Diana Ross where she belongs, in the Motown Forum. She made a complete ass of herself at Florence's funeral there is no arguing that. Brutha!
Fit of rage as a matter of how you come off on this forum when you post about her. You call her an ass, you morbidly bring up the fact that she is 68 years old the same age that her mother passed away which is tantamount to absolutley nothing and I wasn't the one to bring up Diana Ross, you were so maybe you should take your own advice and leave her where you say she "belongs": The Motown Forum. Better yet, why don't you refrain from ever bringing her up again since you have such utter disdain for her and focus on artists you truly love?
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