Houston fled Brown, Atlanta for fresh start in Calif.
Whitney Houston and Oprah Winfrey. Courtesy: Harpo Productions
In the second part of an interview with Oprah Winfrey airing Tuesday, former Atlantan Whitney Houston disclosed fleeing her North Fulton home here for a fresh start in Laguna Beach, Calif.
“I prayed, ‘If for one day, you give me the strength to leave, I’ll go,’ ” Houston recalled to Winfrey in the exclusive interview.
In 2006, the singer said she told Brown she was going out “for sugar and milk” but instead hopped on a private plane bound for the west coast. She then put the couple’s house here up for sale.
Houston said it was “habit” and the hope that things would get better that kept her in the marriage for so long.
Finally, it was the couple’s daughter Bobbi Kristina, who later moved to California to live with her mother (after a period spent with Houston’s brother and sister-in-law here) that encouraged Houston to end her 14-year-marriage to singer Bobby Brown.
“My only concern was my daughter and her perception of her father,” Houston said. “But that Internet, that computer let her know things [that Brown was doing outside the couple's marriage]. She saw the pictures. She said, ‘No. Divorce him. Let him go.’ ” When asked if she was currently drug-free Houston readily replied: “Yes, ma’am! But don’t think I don’t have desires for it. I have to pray it away.”
Houston says she still has an occasional drink but that alcohol “was never an issue for me.”
Instead of a comeback, Houston said she prefers to think of her new album “I Look to You” and her fresh lease on life as “a come-through.”
Houston later shocked Winfrey’s studio audience by showing up and performing her new ballad “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” with mentor Clive Davis sitting in the audience.
When Winfrey asked Houston if she had informed her ex-hubby of the soul-baring interview, the singer said: “No, but I’m sure I’ll get that call.”
When the talk show queen asked, “Are you worried about that call?” Houston looked Winfrey up and down with a comical, withering glance.
“Bring it!” she exclaimed. “I told the truth.”
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30 comments Add your comment
atlBOY
September 15th, 2009
7:09 pm
i’m so glad she’s back. i think that people who don’t already hate her see the difference in her now that she’s clean.
Steve
September 15th, 2009
7:42 pm
Who cares about a washed-up, has-been, drug-addicted singer?
I mean, really . . . ???
outspoken1
September 15th, 2009
7:47 pm
to borrow the new catch slogan from Foxx. Whitney Houston, SO WHAT!
Whitney you might want to ask Garth how America welcomes back “has beens”….we don’t!
A. Smith
September 15th, 2009
8:03 pm
I applaud Whitney for sharing such intimate details of her life. I pray for her continued strength & that life for her and Bobbi Kristina continues to flourish. GOD is a kind loving forgiving GOD who never turns his back on us and is always caring us through the trials and tribulations that we encounter in life. GOD has blessed Whitney & I am happy that she is able to share her story as it may encourage someone somewhere to end their own life of destruction and know that they too can be redeemed! GOD BLESS US ALL.
Lee
September 15th, 2009
8:24 pm
Why does this newspaper have to continually bore its readers about these so called entertainers? Who gives a rip? Their personal life is just that … PERSONAL !
dionne
September 15th, 2009
8:25 pm
in Life we fall down but we can get back up again…i missed u and now u r back
welcome whitney. GOD IS GOOD
buckhead benny
September 15th, 2009
8:26 pm
i mean- how obvious that she needs so one to blame for her drugs, her behaviour- last i checked she was a grown women fully capable of making her own decisions- she’s the one that got in front of the t.v. last time and lied “crack is whack” and the whole time was doing crack. Its just obvious to me that she needs to distance herself from Bobby to draw back fan base and bring in support. I just think it is pathetic because until she starts accepting her own responsibility this is a joke
Tanya
September 15th, 2009
8:33 pm
It is so easy for people to write mean things online because their face is not seen. Whitney Houston has given up alot and was sharing her feelings and life. People need to just stop and think. If something happened to them that was really bad and/or a difficult period in their life, let them express that and talk about it. Good for her. I applaud her. And to the people who are haters just stop. Life is too short. Go Whitney!
Cindy
September 15th, 2009
8:35 pm
Since when did God give us the right to judge other people! We all should admit to the mistakes we make daily and pray for forgiveness and thank the friends and family we have for the support through the bad times.
Nita M.
September 15th, 2009
8:40 pm
Glad your clean Whitney and want to get back on a clear path stay with GOD and everything will be great for you and yours!
D
September 15th, 2009
8:40 pm
She is a human who made a mistake.God bless her for admitting it and trying to recover. America loves a good “comeback”.She has a God given amazing talent that she has generously shared with us for a long time. I wish her prosperity and peace.
Alexis
September 15th, 2009
8:42 pm
I enjoyed seeing Whitney Houston on Oprah today! And the performance Whitney delivered was excellent!!!! She showed the world what she is made of….”The SOUL sister delivered power, feeling, and conviction with her voice and she is a beautiful woman!!!!!
kendall meeks
September 15th, 2009
8:52 pm
hey whitney im so happy for you and pray that you willcontinued to carry the torch that you have been so gracefully been chosen to carry. i wish nothing but true happiness and stardom that you left us with. you keep your head high and never never ever look back. your chanace is now tak it and do what you do best and sing your heart out we have missed you for a long time. love kendall
junebaby
September 15th, 2009
8:59 pm
good luck to whitney in her struggle to overcome her demons, and her devil! hopefully she can turn it around in the future. she shouldn’t worry about her detractors, because they’re some of the demons i refer to, truly rotten(racist??)to the core. she’ll never please those people, because their problem isn’t hers, it’s their’s, and is a reflection of their family’s values, taught while they were impressionable children. and, i’m sure she hasn’t heard the last from her devil! he’ll continue to try and pull her down again!
Cynthia
September 15th, 2009
9:12 pm
Whitney no matter what people try and say about you, you are a star and you have always been a star ,keep the faith and continue to keep your eyes on god .Because we all know that we got some crazy people in this world, so stay encourage ,don’t let the bad comments get you down .Because god is love,joy,peace,happiness .
Michael
September 15th, 2009
9:20 pm
To Steve, September 15th, 2009 7:42 pm, and everyone else who agrees with him. I see it this way. If you do not like Whitney, and you think she is all crack, and the interview is this or that. Why are you clicking the link? Why is your life so void and empty, you have to go somewhere on someones story, that you already do not like, and make remarks against them, that are not kind. What is wrong with you people? I hope your family/children are not as trailer trash as the comments you leave are. They are not wanted, desired, nor required. Thank you!
Hilda
September 15th, 2009
10:14 pm
I think that it is so sad that you people sit on you behinds and talk so harshly about Bobby Brown. Whitney Houston is no saint. She knew what type of person Bobby was, not saying that he was a bad person, he was just street smart. He did force her to take druges or act a fool in public. If anything it appears to me that he tried to help her. As for Opra, what business is it of hers anyway. I am proud of her as a successful black women to whom God has truly blessed but at the same time, because she makes a comment about someone or something, people think it’s law or holy. She too needs to clean her own backyard before throwing trash in someone elses. There nothing so great about Whitney Houston; her aunt stole from people who believed in her with the dense program had, knowing she was lying and stealing peoples money. We all have issues, no one is exempt and certainly no one is better than the other. Get a life and stop belittling other people.
Mike
September 15th, 2009
10:18 pm
I guess she was blinded by youth and love, but, PLEASE!, the guy was a known drug abuser and dealer.
Hilda
September 15th, 2009
10:18 pm
Correction: I left out the word “NOT” where I reference the point of Whiney taking drugs. Bobby DID NOT FORCE HER TO TAKE ANY DRUGS. SHE IS A GROWN WOMAN. SHE DID WHAT SHE WANTED TO DO!
Nisha
September 15th, 2009
10:36 pm
I think what Whitney did was so courageous. It’s so many people out there that are trying to get their life back from drugs and seeing Whitney might help them make that decision to get off of drugs. Whitney thanks for taking your life back! God Bless her and anyone else out there trying to get off drugs.
Kim Atl
September 15th, 2009
10:49 pm
We should commend Whitney for her courage in revealing such intimate details of her life. I wish her well in all of her new endeavors, and I truly beleive that God will restore her and her testiomony will be an inspiration to others.
Sonia
September 15th, 2009
10:55 pm
I am so glad to see whitney come back,it’s been a long time comming and she deserves a second chance everybody does may God continue to bless her and keep her family safe.
Love
September 15th, 2009
11:16 pm
Judge not he who throw the first stone, Yes she is grown, but she is also human. It amazes me such negativity, I pray that you who show such coldness that you never fall on a bad choice and it never takes you for a ride. God Bless You Whitney & those who show there support.
Musykluvah
September 16th, 2009
9:52 am
We fall down, but we get up! For a saint is just a sinner who fell down…(but he/she didn’t stay there) and got up. God is so good and merciful. Whitney has favor on her life and I’m so happy she realized that fact and has gotten herself together. Much continued success!
lil birdie
September 16th, 2009
11:42 am
Having a album debut on the charts at #1 is hardly “washed up”.
lil birdie
September 16th, 2009
11:45 am
Would have prefered for the interview to be less “Bobby”. She doesn’t need to throw him under the bus to comeback on the scene. Would have been nice if it was stated that Bobby is bi-polar since they went there. She got her licks in too. fire + fire = FIRE
RahRah
September 16th, 2009
1:24 pm
Whitney, welcome home, I missed you, and I am not judging you. I understand.
Gone, But Not Forgotten
September 16th, 2009
1:32 pm
He who has not sinned, please cast the first stone! Often times, we judge others without taking a long, hard look into our own lives. I’m sure Whitney knows that she too, is responsible for her downward spiral into drugs,etc. I’m sure we all have kept company with people who were not looking for our best interest, when were too weak to do it for ourselves. These are not true friends, companions, etc. So she made bad decisions. Sure she could have left him, he wasn’t forcing her to do drugs, etc; however, that still does not render him blameless. And, yes! Whitney may very well be distancing herself from Bobby to try to revive her career. The fact of the matter is, she needed to free herself of Bobby, one way or the other and she has finally done that. Prayerfully, Bobby will see the errors of his ways and well and turn to GOD. Those of you who are passing judgement by calling her a “washed up-has been”, accusing her of being self-serving and using Bobby as a “scape goat”, remember on judgement day, God is not going to ask YOU about Whitney’s shortcomings, he’s going to want to know why you never addressed your own and made the necessary changes to better yourselves, just like Whitney did!
God forgives
September 16th, 2009
4:58 pm
Thank you Lord for “YOUR” Grace & Mercy……..not the worlds!!!!!
Jim
September 16th, 2009
11:24 pm
I know people in Atlanta are very happy that Whitney made the decision to move to the left coast. The people who live at CCS are extremely happy that she moved from their neighborhood!