Houston details drug, domestic abuse on ‘Oprah’
It was a fight with then-husband Bobby Brown following a birthday party she threw for him at a Buckhead nightclub that helped to convince Whitney Houston that she had to exit her tumultuous marriage to the pop star.
It was the night, Houston says, a drunk Brown spit on his wife at their North Fulton county home.
“I was horrified,” the former Atlantan told Oprah Winfrey on “Oprah” Monday. “He had such a hate for me.”
Houston disclosed to Winfrey that the couple’s daughter Bobbi Kristina witnessed the incident. It was also the night Houston says she hit her husband in the head with a telephone and drew blood.
“It was a lot of drama,” Houston recalled.
The singer also recounted Brown’s 2003 arrest here for hitting her. She ended up going to his court appearances.
Houston says: “I just couldn’t see putting him in jail. I took those [wedding] vows very seriously.”
The singer also disclosed publicly for the first time that by 1996, drugs became a daily part of her life. She explained to Winfrey how the pair would lace their marijuana cigarettes with rock cocaine.
“Someone got very rich,” Houston recalled of her drug habit.
She also revealed that Brown was cheating on her with other women while using her credit cards.
Said Houston: “On my credit cards? Yeah, I had a problem with that.”
But Houston says she participated in Brown’s ill-fated Bravo reality series “Being Bobby Brown” shot here because she loved her husband.
Said Houston: “How could you do a reality show and I’m your wife and I’m not in it?” The singer says the show helped to put a public spotlight on the couple’s dysfunctional relationship.
Part two of Winfrey’s exclusive interview airs Tuesday at 4 p.m on WSB-TV.
accessAtlanta Partner Sites
Sections
Advertise on accessAtlanta.com »
Reach the audience you want by advertising on accessAtlanta.com
Join the Access Atlanta Network »
Advertisers and Publishers, expand your reach by joining the Access Atlanta Network.
Tell us what you think about the site
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement | About our ads
© 2010 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
22 comments Add your comment
MsKing
September 14th, 2009
5:57 pm
DISISUMBULL!!!! Whitney is still lying!!!! Stop blaming everything on BOBBY BROWN. You know you had that problem w/ cocaine, etc. before you got w/ BOB!!! I thought this was gonna be something different, but it’s just the same ole mess from Whitney – - just a new day!!!
Atl_Finest
September 14th, 2009
5:57 pm
I saw the show & for the 1st time this decade she actually seemed sober. Whitney was also very honest unlike her 2003 Diane Sawyer interview where she claimed she NEVER did cocaine. What was really disturbing is how much fighting her daughter witnessed. There is no telling what Bobbi Christina has been through. That is why I am not quick to critize Bobbi when I see images on the net of her acting out. I never forward the emails, I just delete them.
Atl_Finest
September 14th, 2009
6:04 pm
@MsKing……..I somewhat agree. It was always rumored that Whitney was doing powder early in the 80’s waaaay before she met Bobby. I wish Oprah had made her be more specific on the time she started using. When asked, she just said before Bodygurad but got out of control after the movie. Like most codependant couples, I do believe Whitney when she said everything they did, they did it together.
Steve
September 14th, 2009
6:41 pm
who cares about a has-been, washed-up, drug-addicted singer?
.
An Objective Viewpoint
September 14th, 2009
6:42 pm
I never heard Whitney say ‘rock cocaine.’ I heard ‘cocaine.’ Stop trying to paint her as what she’s not!!!
Jaye
September 14th, 2009
6:59 pm
I remember back in 1986 I was on the city bus in Nashville and was sitting next to a guy who saw that I had Whitney’s first tape (some of yall may not remember casette tapes) which would go on to make her into a star. He said that she grew up in the same area that he did in Jersey and they knew some of the same people and though she seemed poised and proper in interviews, don’t believe what I see because she was very street and into drugs. I took what he said with skepticism but years later it turned out that he knew what he was talking about all along.
bamabelle
September 14th, 2009
7:14 pm
I’m proud of Whitney getting on Oprah and telling her story. Most people would just hide behind their problems (like Michael Jackson did) and not try to clean themselves up. At least she broke free from her addiction and quite frankly I applaud her for it as we all should do. And maybe if the Jackson’s had done the same thing as Whitney’s mom, maybe he’d be alive today.
Richard Eldredge
September 14th, 2009
7:25 pm
“An Objective Viewpoint,” you may want to go back and re-watch the interview. Ms. Houston did indeed use the phrase “rock cocaine” as she very graphically described to Ms. Winfrey how she and Bobby Brown would “lace” marijuana cigarettes with the substance (Ms. Houston even got as specific to describe how much they used at a time, up to an ounce). She also described to Ms. Winfrey that a pipe was not involved and that marijuana would “level off” the effects of the cocaine.
Alexis
September 14th, 2009
7:45 pm
I applaud Whitney for telling the truth!!!!! We all have demons that we or someone we know struggles with everyday. It takes God and only God to bring us through our challenges. Hopefully, someone out there is set free because she opened up about her issues.
Therefore, if we look at our own lives we may see the mess we all have come through. I was married to an acoholic and it was HELL!!!!!
I love you Whitney from breaking free and now doing what God has called you to do!
Thanks AJC!
September 14th, 2009
7:59 pm
Thanks for doing a GREAT job of removing racist, homophobic and other bigoted comments.
Animal187
September 14th, 2009
8:03 pm
She has a new cd comming out. What better way to increase sales and exposure but by going on Oprahs’ show and getting people to feel sorry for her. There is three sides to every story: her version, Bobbys’ version, and somewhere in between is the truth. I wonder why Bobby has not came out with something yet? I wonder if he has a cd that is due out soon and is waitting for his chance. It amazes me how Oprah always show the females side of the story and never the mans’ side of the story. Just shows me that she is still in her “Hate Men” mode just like she was years ago. I am not saying that it did not happen but both people share the blame when things go bad for whatever reason.
Just to set the record straight, yes I am a man and I never have used drugs and i do not abused women. No one deserves to be treated like that. This woman in all”innocent” as she tries to protray herself to be. She should be on ‘The Real House Wives of Atlanta’.
LuckYou
September 14th, 2009
8:40 pm
Enter your comments here
LuckYou
September 14th, 2009
8:48 pm
First and Foremost I feel like some people are being unreasonable because thats hard having to open up on national tv about a part of ya life that is so sacred. I commend her on being strong enough to do that … It doesnt matter when she got started on drugs Bobbi contributed to the problem as well… I feel like people are so judgemental … she’s a work in progress so respect it. I actually met her a while back like 3yrs. ago … and she was nice and very real ….. I’m wishing you the very best Whitney .. do your thing .. shake these unecessary people off…
Peggy
September 14th, 2009
9:05 pm
@AN OBJECTIVE VIEW POINT…….She did say rock cocaine & crack cocaine. She specifically said she didn’t smoke rocks out of a glass pipe (which I don’t believe) but put it in her weed. Did you really see the interview. If you are one of those Whitney stans who are still in denial & think all whitney’s problems are from weed then I have some beach front property in Green bay to sell you.
Whitney Fan Forever
September 14th, 2009
9:09 pm
Animal 187 Get a life dude for real! I’m sure you’ll be right in front of the tv tomorrow watching part 2….What the F*&k is your life like behind your keyboard? … and about your comment of Whitney needing to be on the Real House Wives just tells me exactly what you really are
WHITNEY SHAKE YOUR HATERS OFF!
sesean
September 14th, 2009
9:14 pm
I am glad Whitney is back from Crack.
sesean
September 14th, 2009
9:16 pm
My prayer is that she stays clean not for herself only but for her child…..
stare k
September 14th, 2009
9:22 pm
Why don’t you all stop comdeming Whitney ,every time she open her mouth you all r complaning . Be greatful GOD brough her through and ,able to talk about it. I appalude her to go on TV and tell the story .She don’t have to lie . Why don’t you all ask the lord to PLEASE HELP ME KEEP MY NOSE OUT OF OTHER PEOPLE BUSINESS THAT DON’T CONCERN ME . i WONDER WHAT SKELETIONS YOU COULD GO ON TV AND TALK ABOUT ( in your closet)
stare k
September 14th, 2009
9:23 pm
Enter your comments here
getalife
September 14th, 2009
9:40 pm
all you Whitney haters need to get a life. She made a mistake and at least she’s trying to come back respectfully. As far her her new CD it was released weeks ago and according to Rolling Stone 9/9/09 (copied verbatim here is how it’s doing) “As expected, Whitney Houston reclaimed the crown of Queen of the Charts as her comeback album I Look To You cruised to Number One with 304,000 copies sold, almost double the amount sold by the week’s Number Two record, Miley Cyrus’ Time of Our Lives EP.” That’s right Whitney CD sales doubled Miley Cyrus.
Coffee
September 14th, 2009
9:56 pm
People comment that her voice is not what it used to be. That may be true, but her voice is perfect for Gospel. Whitney, God spared you for a reason. Allow him to use your voice for HIS Glory, not your own. Only then will you be truly free from your vices. Be honest with yourself and stop making excuses. This is from a Whitney fan who believes that she needs to step into another genre.
hotcoco
September 14th, 2009
10:02 pm
He without sin cast the first stone. We all know and have a Bobby or Whitney in our family. Thank God for grace and mercy. Best of luck Whitney! Pray for Bobby’s deliverance from his demons and move on!