Whitney vs. Oprah: Round 2

by Raina Kelley

I may be tanking my own career by concentrating on the resurrection of Whitney over all of the other work I have to do, but I don’t care. Here’s my recap of what happened on day two of Oprah’s much-hyped interview with Whitney.

3:59 p.m.:  Still excited. Still think I may be losing my mind.

4:  Oprah is setting up the drama. Whitney’s daughter Bobby Christina will be on the show. There will be singing and screaming and surprises. Oprah is tooting her horn again.  It was a great interview but not because of her. Hearing WH say “you sprinkle the base in with the weed” was enough for me.

4:01:  How Whitney left Bobby: She said I’m going out for sugar and milk and never came back. She went to Los Angeles. That is so bad-ass. Then she put their house on the market and sold all the furniture and cars.

4:03:  Oprah stills seems shocked that Whitney didn’t care about being famous. What part of drug-addicted and miserable doesn’t she understand? Whenever a woman has to say; “Mommy has to go,” as WH did to her daughter Bobby Christina, the recording studio can wait.

4:07:  Oprah is still hawking this really big surprise. It better be an actual surprise and not just WH singing.

4:11:  Whitney’s last straw was finding a counselor who helped famous people find their way out of this madness and then her daughter discovered her Dad’s cheating on the internet and told her mother to get a divorce. “She was far more intelligent than I could imagine.”

4:15:  Whitney expressing love for God again.  And you know what?  I’m kinda feeling it. But the whole moment is ruined because Oprah would not let WH get off the subject of love until she said she loved Oprah, too.

4:20: Whitney Houston on Michael’s death: “Devastating.” What else was she going to say? But I do love that WH admits that looking at Michael was like looking in a mirror.  

4:23: Oprah congratulating herself for doing this interview.

4:25: Oprah asking and answering her own questions about why Whitney left Bobby.

4:26: Piece of advice: when you’re holding on to your marriage out of habit as Whitney says she was, it’s over.

4:28: Oprah mentions she’s meditated to a WH song today (“I Turn To You”). And I care, why?

4:29:  Best part of the interview. Oprah says: “You knew when you were doing it that this was going to be my favorite cut.” Seriously, does she even hear herself?

4:30: Watch out Rihanna! Bobby Christina is starting to sing really, really well.

4:33: Whitney announces herself drug-free. But, she adds, “I do have a drink every now and again. Don’t get me wrong.”

4:35: Yuck and yuck … now they’re both talking about how they prayed for each other this morning at the same time in the same hotel.  It’s not the sentiment I dislike, just the self-indulgence. I hope this isn’t the surprise.

4:40: The Voice sings. (WH looks great by the way.)

4:41: Yes, her voice isn’t what it was; but her arrangements are smarter and when she sings, her instrument expresses something deeper and better than that pop-nonsense I loved when I was 13.

4:42: Oprah reaction shot No. 1.

4:43: Oprah reaction shot No. 2.

4:44: Oprah reaction shot No. 3 and No. 4 and No. 5.

4:45: Oprah and Whitney hug. Whitney’s back is to the camera.

4:48: Oprah tells us how she couldn’t sleep the night after the interview because they had such a powerful connection. Can we move on ladies?

4:51: Bobby Christina on her mother: “Words can’t describe how proud I am of my Mother.” I don’t think it’s fair to ask a 16 year old what she thinks about her parents’ marriage and divorce.

4:52: Commercial break. Where’s my surprise?

4:54:  Jennifer Hudson on video proclaiming Whitney her hero.

4:55: Oh wait. This is a video homage starring Celine Dion, Dionne Warwick, Christine Aguilera, Clive Davis and Jennifer Hudson, all praising. Is this the big surprise of the interview?

4:57:  This is really weird. I guess the surprise is that Whitney didn’t know her album was opening at No. 1 on the Billboard charts. How does revelation make any difference in my life? Nonetheless, congratulations to WH on her triumphant return. She rocks but I’m a little worried about O.