(ThyBlackMan.com) That’s what Kanye should’ve said!
Whitney Houston was barely dead a month before Oprah swooped in to participate in the exploitation of Houston and her daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown. Yeah, you were tuned in, riveted as Oprah showed so much concern for Bobbi Kris and empathy for the rest of the Houston clan. That’s what you saw. I saw a businesswoman with a floundering network that instantly recognized a ratings grab at the expense of the pain of a family, friends and community. Yeah, Oprah knew you would tune in.
I was a bit uneasy watching that awkward conversation near the piano. I felt bad for Bobbi Kris, felt badly for the decisions the adults around her had made throughout her entire life. I watched a girl barely nineteen publicly trying to deal with the loss of her mother amid a media frenzy and whirlwind of activity that have thrust her square in the crosshairs of the media and Oprah. I was saddened as she talked about lights going on and hearing her mom’s voice and how she stumbled to put together sentences when asked how she was doing, which was more of an indication of how she wasn’t dealing well.
I lost my grandmother at 18 and was extremely traumatized by the loss, so imagine losing your mother at the same age on a very public stage and then having cameras and lights in your face barely a month later? While trying to
Cue the vultures…
Auntie Pat seems to be so caring and trying to keep Bobbi Kristina so close, because she loves her and the girl needs to be loved on right about now, but it’s more likely that she’s trying to stay close to the gravy train. That was Whitney’s house where the interview took place and mostly everything they have is courtesy of Nippy, Inc. The most telling part of the conversation was when Oprah asked where Bobbi Kristina was living and Auntie Pat said she was “between homes, she stays here sometimes”, so where else is she staying?Anyone with internet access has seen the blogs document Bobbi Kristina’s wild behavior, so now that she’s lost her mother and is seemingly estranged from her father, who’s exactly going to rein her in? I would have much rather Oprah sat down and had an adult conversation with the child, talking to her about the pitfalls that come with the newfound fortune and how those around you can drain you, much like she witnessed with her mother. Perhaps she did it privately, but publicly, she made the girl look like an idiot.
The bulk of the show was sent talking to Pat Houston, Whitney’s sister-in-law, best friend and manager, that’s a lot of hats to wear and can be quite confusing when the cameras are on. She looked like she was in business mode that night, trying to ensure she preserved the brand, but she came across emotionally detached from the situation and seemed more intent on placing herself in the top position of Whitney’s hierarchy. For all things Whitney, Pat Houston is now the expert and I’m sure we’ll see her often cashing in on the legacy. The streets are talking and saying that it was her that took the picture of Whitney in the casket, that she’s trying to hold on to Bobby Kristina because of the $20 million windfall the woman-child is said to inherit.
Another disturbing moment for me was when Whitney’s brother Gary was asked what he would miss most about his sister and his response was “singing duets” with her. Really? You’re not going to miss her fried chicken or the way she laughed heartily at times or just the conversations you had? These are some of the things we miss when we lose people, part of a relationship and intimate moments between people who love. It was all just weird to me. However, you do notice there was one person missing from the circus, Cissy. Cissy wasn’t ready to talk in front of a camera; she’s hurting, smarting from the pain of losing her daughter. She’s still searching for answers, asking God why, wondering if she could have done anything differently to avoid the pain she’s feeling.
I’m sure Bobbi Kristina is in a similar place and would rather had none done the interview, but she’s being lead to the wolves by the hounds and Oprah was there to capture it all to the tune of 3.1 million viewers. 3.1 million people haven’t watched OWN in months, but Oprah was sure that Black America would take a break from NeNe Leakes to tune in as she put pain on parade. That’s exploitation, but we’re so needy for information and to feel like part of what’s going on that we completely ignored the pain for the story.
Sad.
Maybe I just hate Oprah, but I love Black people…
Staff Writer; Al-Lateef Farmer
More of his work can be found over at: The World According to Teef.
Also feel free to connect via Twitter; http://twitter.com/wrldacrdng2Teef
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anything you wanna ask me." So that's what Oprah did.
I felt that there was such a connection, especially when Whitney said that she knew that Oprah was praying for her too. Oprah looked as though she was ready to cry when she replied, "I was. I was." My gut feeling tells me that Oprah was beyond shock to hear of Whitney's passing. Probaby still in shock when she interviewed Bobby Kris. IMO, this girl is a spoiled, whiny, Bobby-like brat.
I understand that she indeed lost her mother. But I don't remember her shedding any tears during that interview. Pat cried on television. Gary broke down a bit, but I didn't see any tears. Oprah had more tears than anybody.
I don't know if it's true or not that Oprah did that show for high ratings. But I do know that that family didn't even have to sit w/ Oprah. On the second part of Whitney's interview after she sang I Didn't Know My Own Strength, Whitney told Oprah that she felt more comfortable being interviewed by Oprah. Maybe Whitney's family felt the same way.
When folks became aware of Whitney possibly having a drug problem, so did Oprah. When Kevin Ammons penned the novel, GOOD GIRL BAD GIRL, he stated how before Bobby entered Whitney's life, she was doing drugs with her brothers Michael and Gary. According to the author, stints in rehab didn't work for her brothers. It wasn't until after Whitney's passing did Michael confess that he introduced his sister to crack cocaine. It was obvious by Cissy's facial expression that she had no idea that it was Michael. All those years she and damn near everybody in the whole wide world accused Bobby. I know I did.
Anyway, before she had ever appeared on Oprah's show, Whitney said that she would never go on Oprah b/c she knew that Oprah would delve into her and Bobby's business. However, Whitney did go on Oprah w/ Angela Bassett to promote the movie, Waiting To Exhale. During a break, Whitney suppose to have had broke down in tears b/c movie was about bad and unhealthy relationships/marriages like hers. Oprah asked Whitney if she wanted to talk about it, and Whitney no. Then she pulled herself together after the commercial break.
Lo and behold after Michael Jackson's death, Whitney does an interview w/ Oprah. She's also promoting her disappointing CD. She basically told Oprah what the world already knew, except for Michael intoducing her to cocaine. We also found out that Cissy obtained a court junction that forced Whitney to enter rehab. Which didn't work for her either b/c she said that she contiued using drugs. In the very beginning of that interview there's a picture of Whitney sitting in a limo. She looked like a crackhead in the projects yet she was rich and considered an icon. Also, Oprah stopped tape and wanted to speak w/ Whitney in private. It wasn't until after Whitney passed that Oprah told us what it was that she wanted to gain out of their discussion or something like that. Oprah said Whitney rolled her neck a little and said, "You can ask me
This is a very sad time, and why it has to be public is just beyond me. I think it's in very poor taste for anyone to invade the family's privacy now. Shame on the media for intruding, it's just wrong.
100% CORRECT. Bobbi Kristina lost her beloved mother at a very young age. I lost mine at 35, & facing marriage, and giving birth to my only child within 1.5 years, I can tell you I needed my mom more than ever. If you can't catch the implication of brother Gary hinting at a career, read the article again. Thank you, Mr. Al-Lateef Farmer for having the guts to write what I would bet the majority of us who have suffered the loss of our mothers think. I applauded you!
Wow! Sounds like someone has double standards. Oprah looking to cash in? Really? With all the money she has? Before you start pointing on people doing their jobs as cashing in you should look at this article and your job as well. So when you were writing this article you were hoping nobody would come to this site to read it?? Of course not, so by you claiming that someone is cashing in, it looks like so are you; it is your job however to write stories like this so you can also cash in; otherwise if you had a problem with Oprah you would have sent her an email. It is the media's job to tell us what is happening around us, it would be nice for you to continue doing so without judging people who do exactly what you're doing.
Wow, such pure and utter hatred for the most part. My question is this, how can you demonize Oprah for doing her job by interviewing mentally capable, consenting adults. If you hate Oprah, fine, but do not make her a wrong doer in this situation, everyone had a choice as to whether or not to participate. Bobbi Kristina is 19, men go off to war and die at that age, she may be young but she isn't mindless. Every one is entitled to their opinion, but cheapening your opinions with such obvious venom is really uncalled for. Oprah haters listen up, when is someone a has been, at what age. Was Whitney a has been at 48 years old? Not in my opinion, they both still had/have a whole lot to offer the world and their number of loyal fans can prove that. Who are any of you to judge so harshly.
Oprah is need of money? Really?! You do know, she is the richest women on the planet, and among the top richest people in the world? So please with your "starving for rating". That woman could lose all of her network and TV productions and still be among the rich from all the other businesses and forms of revenue streams...
I am not surprised that a 'blackguy' website has nothing positive to say about its own, I mean a black woman. I guess your perception would have been different had Diane Sawyer got the first interview with the fam? *rolling eyes*
As for BobbiKris, she isnt new to being in the spotlight! Hello... Her mother was the most famous female R&B/POP/ICONIC singers of the twentieth century.
This author is clueless and cant seem to put a comprehensive logical thought together.
I think it's safe to say that Oprah was a close family friend of the Houston's, and if they didn't want to do the interview, they could have declined.
It's a double edged sword, because on the one hand, Oprah could be perceived as a vulture, but on the other hand, the family wasn't forced into the interview, and they were able to squash rumors about Whitney that had been circling around her death.
Of course it's going to help Oprah's ratings, but if anyone was going to get the first interview with them, it would be her.
I think this article is negatively skewed, and we can all sit here and speculate, but truly, the bottom line is, the family choose to do the interview to get some of their emotions out there, and if this helps them to grieve, so be it.
PS: There is absolutely nothing wrong with Whitney's brother saying he'll miss singing duets with her. Did you not see the way he broke down crying when he was signing the final song? That is the most outrageous piece of this article, and beyond judgmental.
I didn't tune in, and was glad I didn't... praying for Bobbi Kristina and the family...
I AGREE 100%. IT WAS CLEAR TO ME WHAT OPRAHS MOTIVES WERE AND IT PAID OFF. OPRAHS NETWORK IS FAILING AND SHE KNEW THIS WOULD BRING IN VIEWERS.