Whitney Houston has no immediate relatives. Her Estate has no reason to make money, actually. Her only real heir was her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, and she’s dead. As we all know.
But lack of immediate relatives hasn’t stopped her remaining family– two brothers, and a sister in law was her manager and now executor — from crassly cashing in on this tragic woman.
“An Evening With Whitney Houston” was announced a tour yesterday featuring a hologram of the late singer. Macabre? Maudlin? Yes. Bottom feeding? Absolutely. I defy Whitney’s “Estate” to explain any reason beyond avarice to set this plan in motion. Whitney has no children to feed. It is hoped that her brothers are taking care of her mother, Cissy Houston. (Their father is even dead, relieving them of that responsibility.)
Whitney would never approve of this. There’s no spin they give this stupid idea to make it seem palatable. Whitney knew her family was only interested in living off of her. But the Estate– brothers Gary and Michael— have clearly been identified in two documentaries and many articles as the ones who introduced Whitney to drugs. And now that she’s dead, they will profit off of her?
I remember my visit to Whitney’s New Jersey mansion back in 1989. The whole family was there. They had no independent life. Four years into Whitney’s career, they were all in. No one had an outside life, or a job. It was all based around Whitney.
When the tour– which starts in Europe on February 25th– comes to the US this fall, please do not give them money. Boycott this, and all hologram tours. They are so deeply disrespectful to the artists.
