Kevin Costner delivered a rousing eulogy at Whitney Houston’s funeral yesterday, which was held at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, NJ, and televised live on CNN.
Costner, whose main connection to the late pop queen was starring as her love interest in The Bodyguard, was frank about how some people might not expect him to be there speaking at Houston’s funeral. He joked about the fact that he was a white male and she was a black female, but added that adding an interracial relationship to The Bodyguard made it a more risky venture.
“[Whitney] and I had a lot in common,” said Costner. “I know many of you in the crowd are thinking, ‘Really?’ She’s a girl. You’re a boy. You’re white. She’s black. We heard you like to sing, but our sister could really sing. So what am I talking about?… We both grew up in the Baptist Church… My grandmother played the piano, and she led the choir, and her two daughters, my mom and my aunt, sang in it.”
But Costner really wanted to let the nation know that, despite Whitney’s confident exterior, she was often worried about being “good enough.” For a belter who sang so many songs that have become anthems to the gay community, Whitney too had her insecurities, as we all do.
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Costner ended the 15-minute speech with a tearjerker, fighting back tears himself: “So off you go Whitney. Off you go. Escorted by an army of angels to your heavenly father. And when you sing before him, don’t you worry. You’ll be good enough.”
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
jennings cannon
Thanks for this. I believe that love and respect that transcends race and differences is indeed the greatest love of all.
Abaca
@Jennings Cannon, Well said!
Allen
Nice speech. But, post funeral, it seems that there is a bit too much emphasis on Costner instead of Whitney Houston.
Costner’s speech makes him relevant again. He’s now a heroic figure who championed a black singer for a role when the studio heads said no. And, given the continued racism in Hollywood, many are left to ask how many white leading men would ever fight for a black leading lady? (Actually, I know of only Tom Cruise who fought for Thandie Newton in Mission Impossible 2.) He’s also now a good friend to Whitney who had a similar experience growing up in the church.
I just wish that were other speeches that talked about Whitney and how she had helped others or about her talent that got this same kind of media attention. How many people know that Whitney Houston has an adoptive son? What do we know of Whitney’s mentorship of other entertainers? I wish stories like those were being posted today.
Again, this is not a slam against Costner. He’s obviously, one of the good guys. However, the lack of stories about Whitney reminds me of how our culture works. In American culture we constantly see the interpretation of the history of minorities, ethnic/racial or LGBT, through the lens of a white heterosexual (or just heterosexual) protagonist as the kind, sympathetic figure who champions/defends the minority. This takes away from the individuals’ personal struggles and triumphs.
David Ehrenstein
Whitney was a closeted lesbian who married Bobby Brown for cover
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2103164/Whitney-Houstons-REAL-tragedy-giving-female-partner-Robyn-Crawford.html
“I Will Always Love You” was directed at her lover Robyn.
Allen
@David Ehrenstein:
Was she lesbian or bisexual? Could she have married Bobby Brown because she loved him? If Whitney need a beard, why couldn’t she find someone more successful or manageable than Bobby Brown? Why couldn’t she have loved him?
David Ehrenstein
@Allen: Not according to Peter teatchell she didn’t.
Tatchell, for those of you sleeping under a rock, is the most iomportant gay activist in the UK and doesn’t chatter about celebrities much at all. He did in this case because he was there and saw what he saw. Whitney married Bobby to “save her career.” Her being a lesbian was known all over the damned place. Don’t you rememebr that wacky staory about her, Jodie Foster and Kelly McGillis on the set of “The Accused”/ It was crap but indicative of the fact that everyone was talking about the fact that she was a Big Ol’ Dyke. Her sexuality took a back seat to her “career troubles” when she became a cracka ddict thanks to Bobby — her dealer.
Chitown Kev
@David Ehrenstein:
David, myself and some friends of mine was spilling all of the Whitney/Robin/Bobby tea this weekend.
The thing about is this: Whitney liked thugs. Both Robyn and Bobby Brown fit that persona.
Also, even I heard that Miss Whitney was getting a little heavy into drugs before she and Bobby hooked up.
And Bobby wasn’t her dealer all that much. Her brother (Gary, I think) was her main dealer)
And yeah, we were all giving the houston family “the side-eye” because Robin wasn’t at the funeral
David Ehrenstein
@Chitown Kev: Where IS Robyn these days?
shannon
KEVIN COSTERS “EULOGY’ WAS SELF DERVING AND SELF CENTERED!!! ALL I HEARD WAS I DID THIS…I DID THAT….I….I….I….
Chitown Kev
@David Ehrenstein:
Rumor has it that Robyn is now partnered.
There were a couple of gossip blogs that had ALL the tea that became the basis for discussion.
The basis for discussions (at least at the gossip blogs was Robyn Crawford’s esquire article.
http://www.esquire.com/the-side/music/whitney-houston-6654718
And here is SO MUSH of the tea…and there was some cross pollination of Whitney tea between lipstick alley and the queens at data lounge.
http://www.lipstickalley.com/f343/robyn-crawford-whitney-houstons-death-369861/