# Whitney Houston Dies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2012, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569 "2012-02-12T01:04:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/181 "2012-02-13T16:48:13Z")
Looks like Bobby Brown is going to be to Hip Hop what [Ted Hughes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Hughes#The_death_of_Plath) was to College-Girl poetry. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/182 "2012-02-13T17:48:48Z")
Where does hip-hop come into this? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/183 "2012-02-13T18:03:39Z")
I didn’t realize Whitney’s mom Cissy Houston was still alive. She was a very good gospel singer. > [@](#): > > The star’s mother, Cissy Houston, arranged to have her daughter’s body flown back to Atlanta – where the singer spent many of her latter years – as early as Tuesday. [http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/02/13/whitney-houstons-death-follows-week-boozing-lifetime-squandered-opportunities/](http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2012/02/13/whitney-houstons-death-follows-week-boozing-lifetime-squandered-opportunities/) ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/184 "2012-02-13T18:36:39Z")
> [@Hippy\_Hollow](#): > > I don’t understand the opprobrium directed at Bobby Brown. […] As janky as he can be, I think he genuinely loved her and vice-versa… “Janky.” How did I miss this great word? [Some definitions of “janky”](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Janky) ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/185 "2012-02-13T19:01:11Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Some drug dealer is gonna default on his car note… See, that’s why you always diversify. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/186 "2012-02-13T19:26:16Z")
> [@Eve](#): > > I just read a headline that “Lorazepam and Valium Found In Whitney Houston’s Hotel Room.” > > Turns out those are just the names of her personal assistants. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/187 "2012-02-13T20:07:24Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > She’s pissed off with me for being so cynical about the media reaction. Worse, the next time I see her she’s going to make me watch _The Bodyguard_. Think I need to tone it down a notch… Whatever you do, don’t say “Did you hear they’re still going ahead with the sequel? They simply renamed it to _The Bodybag_.” ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/188 "2012-02-13T20:47:06Z")
I think she had throat surgery or something not too long ago. I saw a clip of her speaking, and she sounded like Miles Davis. I couldn’t imagine her ever singing again. ---
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/189 "2012-02-15T08:05:34Z")
If I had to hazard a prediction, my guess is that this is going to play out similarly to Michael Jackson, maybe a little more intense but shorter. See, to really draw out a firestorm, there has to be one of three things 1) a tremendous sense of lost potential, 2) universal belovedness or close to it, or 3) severe foul play. Jackson was a tremendous groundbreaker, but the older he got the better he used to be, and hardly anyone even knew of his last scheduled concert tour; his crazy antics and allegations of child molestation ensured that he wouldn’t be anywhere near univerally beloved; a doctor _did_ get tried for negligent homicide, but he was so strung out by then death, honestly, wasn’t much of a stretch. Same deal here. Houston made her mark and hadn’t produced anything new in ages, her lifestyle was far from admirable, and it’s no shock that crack kills. True, Bobby Brown messed her up pretty good, but marrying him was her decision…this isn’t 15th century Japan, folks…and the divorce was a while ago, so she had plenty of time to get her head straight. Then there’s the fact that…ahem…a lot of us do not enjoy her songs. (Myself included. I have a hard enough time with Wanna Dance With Somebody; I’d rather not hear that overwrought, overrated, overplayed, over-everythinged movie song ever again.) CNN has, predictably, been on this like white on rice, but it won’t last. I mean, at this point, what else do they have? They’ve already gone over her early career. They’ve already talked to Aretha Franklin and the man who made her a star. It’s not like she had international influence or a perfume line or hundreds of employees or a decades-long feud with Tina Turner or anything. There will be attempts to cash in, of course, but they probably won’t go very far. It hurts that the music stores and Borders Books and Music went under; with their marketing clout, they could’ve kicked off a nice nostalgia run, just like they did for Jackson. Now the Internet owns everything, and it’s a very crowded pool. We’ll probably see some kind of tribute on American Idol, but her powerful singing is going to be hard for some contestants to emulate, and let’s face it, she ain’t bigger than Jesus. As for radio? It’s flogged annoying songs for decades, and I don’t see any reason it’ll stop now. 🙂 P.S.: Lee Greenwood will forever and ever be a thrillion quillion skillion fillion times more worthy of hatred than Bobby Brown. Or Vanilla Ice, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/190 "2012-02-15T08:39:39Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > There will be attempts to cash in, of course, but they probably won’t go very far. It hurts that the music stores and Borders Books and Music went under; with their marketing clout, they could’ve kicked off a nice nostalgia run, just like they did for Jackson. Now the Internet owns everything, and it’s a very crowded pool. A quick look at Amazon’s bestseller list shows Whitney-mania. She currently owns seven of the top ten spots in the Music section as well as five of the top ten DVDs. It won’t go as long as Jackson’s nostalgia trip, but as the saying goes, death was the best thing to happen to her career in years. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/191 "2012-02-15T08:54:45Z")
Her daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown has to take charge and mature quickly. She’s 18, but I get the impression she’s lead a pretty pampered life. She got busted a year or so ago for drinking and some photos of her and white powder. They are saying Whitney died broke. By broke I don’t think they mean nothing. Celebrities expectations of money are totally different from you and me. I’d think the estate will get plenty of residuals for her music. Just like Elvis died broke. His estate today has lots of money because Priscilla has been very shrewd in marketing Elvis. They can do something similar with Whitney. Assuming the daughter doesn’t go crazy spending money like water. Sorry, make that Perrier. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/192 "2012-02-15T11:52:12Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’d think the estate will get plenty of residuals for her music. What money is there coming in from past work by non-songwriting singers? I just looked at Houston’s discography on wiki, and she’s got all of five (if I counted correctly) co-writing credits from her entire career. Of those five, none of them were hits and only one of them was from a hit album (one co-write on _The Bodyguard_ soundtrack). Sure, Elvis wasn’t a songwriter either but my guess is that the bulk of the new money coming in to his estate is from merchandising. I don’t see Whitney merchandising bringing in that much once death-year nostalgia fades. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/193 "2012-02-15T12:54:55Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > What money is there coming in from past work by non-songwriting singers? There are two copyrights associated with sound recordings of musical works—(1) the composer or publisher’s composition right, and (2) the recording artist or record label’s recording right. Exactly how much money she’s due depends on the terms of her contract with her record label. I assume it was enough for her to continue living comfortably without working for a living, but who knows. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/194 "2012-02-15T13:07:31Z")
Thanks, **Acsenray**! ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/195 "2012-02-15T13:18:31Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > What money is there coming in from past work by non-songwriting singers? She’ll still get money from artist royalties. There’ll be a nostalgia bump aroud Valentine’s Day for a few years. And shows like Cold Case will probably use her music from time to time. Glee, not so much, ‘cause it’ll be the cast singing instead of Whitney. IIRC radio airplay will be a contributor too. Basically, anytime someone uses a Whitney’ recording. It won’t add up as fast as songwriting royalties but it’s not nothing. BTW [http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/02/waiting-to-exhale-sequel-to-continue-despite-whitney-houstons-death/](http://www.clutchmagonline.com/2012/02/waiting-to-exhale-sequel-to-continue-despite-whitney-houstons-death/) Waiting to Exhale is going forward and there’s mention of a The Bodyguard reboot. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/196 "2012-02-15T14:19:00Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > True, Bobby Brown messed her up pretty good… He really really didn’t. She was on drugs before she met him. Drugs were said to be the reason behind her breakup with Eddie Murphy in the 80’s. _Before_ Bobby. If anything, she and Bobby enabled each other. At this point, Bobby is either too classy to clear his name at her expense or too out of it to understand his name needs clearing. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/197 "2012-02-15T14:53:57Z")
> [@enomaj](#): > > IIRC radio airplay will be a contributor too. Basically, anytime someone uses a Whitney’ recording. This is where it gets complicated. There is no performance royalty for recording artists on traditional broadcast radio and television. So when a musical sound recording is played on the air, the composer gets a royalty, but the recording artist doesn’t. There are ongoing efforts for a legislative change to give recording artists a performance royalty, especially now since the traditional broadcast media have less political clout than they have had in decades. So as of now, recording artists have duplication rights (sales of recordings) and have performance rights for digital performances, they still get no royalties for broadcast radio and TV. ---
**Author:** ![enomaj](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/59ef9b/32.png) [@enomaj](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enomaj)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569/198 "2012-02-15T16:51:22Z")
Thanks for the correction **Ascenray**. Your previous post wasn’t there when I posted. My entire knowledge of recording contracts comes from Donald Passman’s **All You Need to Know About the Music Business** , which I haven’t read in a long time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whitney-houston-dies/612569.md?page=9)