Outraged over the National Enquirer Whitney Houston casket photo?
My coffee table.
Are you outraged over the National Enquirer’s cover photo of Whitney Houston lying in repose?
It’s generated a great deal of criticism, but it’s not a new idea.
The photo on the right is the National Enquirer from Sept. 6, 1977, showing Elvis in his open casket. I bought it at a silent auction for 20 bucks at a charity event last year. I keep it on my coffee table, to keep me humble and reflective.
When John Lennon died in 1980, the National Enquirer was back with more necro journalism, featuring the slain Lennon’s final image on its front cover. This time the photo was in color, and was a closer shot of Lennon’s face, but the layout was otherwise very similar to the Elvis shot, which was in black and white. Even the text blocks about “The Untold Story” and “The Last Picture” were identical. Makes you wonder if they had a celeb death template at the ready.
These covers have much in common with the Whitney Houston open casket photo that the National Enquirer just ran. The current cover’s headline says “Whitney: The Last Photo!” while the others say “The Last Picture.” (Coincidentally the Elvis cover teases to a story on how to be more creative.)
Celebrity open casket photos aren’t common (thank goodness) but not terribly rare, either.
AP photo
When James Brown died a few years ago, photos of his open casket were kind of hard to avoid. Images of his final viewings ran in numerous publications.
The hardest working man in show business kept a busy tour schedule even days after he’d gone on to glory, with viewings at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, and then a huge public home going service held in the Augusta venue that bears his name.
More than 8,000 people filed past the late Godfather of Soul when his carefully coiffed remains were laid out in the James Brown Arena. Celebrity guests included Michael Jackson, and Brown’s widow Tomi Rae performed, serenading her late husband’s body. It was a memorable event.
But back to Houston. The National Enquirer, never a stranger to controversy, is taking quite a bit of flack for running the unauthorized photo from Houston’s funeral. (Actually it’s thought to have been taken during the funeral home viewing, not the home going service).
This Detroit Free Press article notes that the National Enquirer publisher says the photo was “beautiful,” but that the decision to publish it has been criticized by a number of other media outlets. And questions are swirling. Who took the photo? How did they spirit a camera into the service? Did they get paid? Scratch that. How much did they get paid?
My point: this is nothing new.
- Jennifer Brett/The Buzz/jbrett@ajc.com
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278 comments Add your comment
Alejandrina Mildren
February 25th, 2012
1:35 pm
Cool, that is an amazing bail bonds read! I favorited your website and added you in my RSS feed.
Not even in death
February 25th, 2012
1:38 pm
Fans will love you to death…. and beyond. In many cultures and faiths… taking these kinds of pictures is taboo. Even if you don’t object to these death photos… its still a matter of respect for the dead.
CISSY authorized the photo
February 25th, 2012
1:53 pm
@not even
tell CISSY that, i bet shes made millions off that photo
CISSY authorized the photo
February 25th, 2012
1:54 pm
@not even death
why do u care…CISSY made millions on that photo..
bush garden
February 25th, 2012
2:56 pm
people are complaining now now that they have view witney body. all before they wanted to attend her viewing but the mother said no. people just cant be satisfied.
bush garden
February 25th, 2012
3:03 pm
calm down,quietly people and let witney make more money as she RIP. .
bush garden
February 25th, 2012
3:40 pm
wow ! what a cold and harsh world of people we are living with but such freeze is expected when people call names and throw stones at witney whom is gone… We plan but God has the Master Plan for us all. how each one will go only God knows, who number is next God knows, what age God knows.Will we all make it to heaven i dont think so, what you think.. God Bless You All.
stacy
February 25th, 2012
3:43 pm
I think that was a complete disrespect to the Houston family. I’m glad MJ never had his photo taken.
Lainey
February 25th, 2012
9:07 pm
Point of law: When a person dies, their right to privacy dies right along with them.
Medical fact: Drug addiction is not a disease….Alcoholism is, but drug addiction is not (hence the word ‘addiction’, not disease)
Whitney was not stupid…she wasn’t boorn retarded…she knew the dangers of drugs long before her first high. I’m not a fan of Bobby Brown’s, but he didn’t hold a gun to Whitney’s head to start taking drugs….she made that choice with her own brain and mind. She took a fabulous life any other human would have thanked God for with every breath and she disrespected it in every way a person possibly could have. Just ask yourself what kind of role model she was…………she wasn’t a role model in any way….she wasn’t a Mother….maybe biologically she was but who in God’s name wants a Mother like she became?! For decades before her death, she was a pathetic drug addict plain and simple….nothing more than a junkie that wore nice clothes. And you people want the world to have the utmost respect for someone like that….how warped is that mindset!! Her family now has her blood on their hands also as far as I’m concerned….they should have stuck her butt in rehab YEARS ago and nipped it it the bud from the get-go. I just wonder which choice helps them sleep better at night….being enablers to her problem and helping her ruin her entire career, life as a daughter, and life as a Mother to a young girl that needed a mother….or having put her in a golden coffin and sticking her in the cold dark ground!!!!!!!!!
Michele
February 26th, 2012
12:33 am
I agree…move on and let Whitney rest in peace. I don’t think that a photo of her in casket should have been published. God will handle the person who took the picture and all of you posting your stupid comments about someone who is dead. Karma is bitch!!!! Watch your back! I’m just saying!
DH43
February 26th, 2012
5:42 am
Enough already the Enquirer will never change just as human beings curiosity never changes. Whitney Houston had not even been deceased for a week when her family put some of her personal effects up for auction. Whitney has not even been deceased for one week when the family decided to sale the footage to the burial, Whitney had not been deceased for a week when the family stripped the hotel room she was staying in and these are just things that we know about. I didnt buy the enquirer nor do I ever. I have better things to do with my money but one has to ask the question who in this family is making all of these decisions regarding auctions and such? Let the woman rest in peace already. Jokes and comments about Whitney taking drugs isnt doing anyone any good, if Whitney was indeed broke I guess her daughter is just going to have to go back to school and get a job. Yes Whitney was talented and yes she had her own deamons she battled but the difference between Whitney and the non entertainers is that Whitneys problems were aired she never lied about it and did the best she could. Just let the poor woman be. The Houstons should have followed what the Jacksons did.
Saundre W Duncan
February 26th, 2012
10:10 am
I have no ideal why people keep buying this paper. I buy a lot of magazines, but this one I don’t touch at all. It don’t matter what she did,” wrong or right”, it don’t matter what she look like, it still can’t & want change the facts, “WE STILL LOVE HER & TRULY GOING TO MISS HER”. Now the question is, would we miss this paper? NO!!! So why do people keep buying it?
the dead dont hear us
February 26th, 2012
10:43 am
whitney is resting in peace because shes worm meat now…she cant hear or see anything…so for all ya’ll saying we should let whitney RIP please shaddup..nobody is disturbing her…
the dead dont hear us
February 26th, 2012
10:46 am
@sandra
people buy the ENQUIER for the same reason u waste your money on other magazines…for entertainment….duh..the magazines u buy arent any better than the ENQUIER
CourtJester
February 26th, 2012
12:05 pm
This is such an outrage in light of the fact that video footage of JFK’s (nondrug abuser) head being blown into pieces in the back seat of a convertible. are played on national networks over and over still to date.. Its Life and Death people shut up and deal with it. People just have to complain no matter waht to have something to do. Spend more time with your own family and friends and enjoy the life that god has given. Tomorrow is NEVER promised no matter how much money you do or do not have. What morons
CourtJester
February 26th, 2012
12:07 pm
ps IT IT NO DIFFERENT THEN THE 6 OCLOCK NEWS SHOWING VIDEO OF A CAR CRASH IN WHICH PEOPLE WERE KILLED. YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL HIPOCRITS OR HOWEVER YOU SPELL THAT
Jerry Salazar
February 26th, 2012
2:50 pm
People need to get over themselves. I’m glad the Photo of Whitney Houston was shown. I wasn’t able to go to New Jersey and if I was able to go, I wouldn’t have been able to attend because I wasn’t one of the few that was invited. The family of Whitney are so greedy that they wouldn’t let the rest of her fans pay there respects to Whitney. She was a star and if it wasn’t for them, she would have been nothing. I don’t have a problem with them having a private service, but let the rest of the world pay their respects. I can’t even get a funeral program because Houston’s publishers were handling all that and we need the family’s permission. I’m sorry for their loss, but we lost someone special to us also.
Kelly
February 26th, 2012
5:35 pm
I was in the checkout line at Save Mart yesterday, and I saw that morbid photo for the first time. I was shocked, apalled, and completely disgusted by what I saw. The National Enquirer has done some pretty nasty things over the years, but this time they went too far! Just knowing that somebody would even take a picture of Whitney Houston’s body in a casket in the first place, is disturbing enough. And then the photo ends up on the cover of the Enquirer! That is just morbid and wrong! Whitney Houston’s family is already going through a painful time, and this will only add to their pain. My heart goes out to Whitney’s family and friends during this difficult time. May God help them find peace.
Rose
February 26th, 2012
8:42 pm
Whitney lived in the public eye all of her career, so now when it isn’t convenient you want privacy. I admit it was tacky on how the picture was taken, but I believe that the public had a right to see her. Whitney never hid from the camera…did you see Being Bobby Brown???? Now the family should really work hard dispose of every tape that she was filmed with Being Bobby Brown. She was shown in the worse light ever. at least the memory of her is now in a peaceful state. I am really sorry that she couldn’t overcome her dependency of drugs. Her daughter has to devastated and lost.
nba basketball
February 27th, 2012
10:10 am
As usual, the webmaster posted correctly..!
Chanel
February 27th, 2012
11:15 am
Whitney chose to be an artist and lived in the limelight, why should her death be any different. It doesn’t even look like her. Why does the photographer have to ask forgiveness from God? That’s about the most ignorant thing I have ever heard. I checked the bible and no where does it decree you can’t take pictures of dead people. However it does state no judging, and do not place any idol / graven image over him. So some of ya’ll need to be asking for some forgiveness yourself.
Personally you should all be giving your thoughts to the soldiers who die for you and your country. I feel Whitney would never take a bullet foryou and probably wouldn’t even have acknowledged any of you individually. Nuff said.
haley
February 27th, 2012
3:22 pm
i understand mrs. cissy houston and on the other hand for us that also loved whitney houston it helps us to be a peace as well at least for me all question has been answered with that photo along with the homegoing viewing i thank. she looked very beautiful and at peace
Greg Doran
February 28th, 2012
12:52 am
Many people should be lucky to get this much attention and be remembered if not honored. Once you are dead and gone, you are nothing more than a memory if even that. Will anyone recall Elvis Presley in a hundred years? Will people even know what James Brown did for a living? Very few will know about the celebrities we grew up with a century or two from now. We are nothing more than a speck of dust on a grain of sand. Cheers!!!
Outraged over the National Enquirer Whitney Houston casket photo? | King of Pop Tribute
February 28th, 2012
4:55 am
[...] Outraged over the National Enquirer Whitney Houston casket photo? 28 Feb2012 Posted by WMaster in Articles var addthis_product = 'wpp-263'; var addthis_config = {"data_track_clickback":true,"data_track_addressbar":false};if (typeof(addthis_share) == "undefined"){ addthis_share = [];}Outraged over the National Enquirer Whitney Houston casket photo? Are you outraged over the National Enquirer's cover photo of Whitney Houston lying in repose? It's generated a great deal of criticism, but it's not a new idea. The photo on the right is the National Enquirer from Sept. 6, 1977, showing Elvis in his … Read more on Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
thomas brownstown
February 28th, 2012
9:21 am
thank you for posting this topic, i am really intereted in this.and will continue to read your posts
Frederich Moore
February 28th, 2012
10:30 am
I love you Whitney Houston and I’m glad ur home because the real fun begins when u go home and when I say this becuz u don’t have to be bothered by the addictions no longer just make sure that u sing to the lord he will enjoy that soul filled lovely music of ur voice
the dead dont hear us
February 29th, 2012
10:32 am
@frederich
whitney busted hell wide open…that junkie aint in heaven
Peggy Ann Harris
February 29th, 2012
3:24 pm
I feel that this was wrong, this is about having RESPECT for a Family, This was just WRONG.