Rosie O’Donnell is getting candid about her past relationship with the late Whitney Houston. Speaking with Andy Cohen on an episode of “Watch What Happens Live,” the previous “The View” co-host said that she once tried to intervene when she believed Houston was headed down the mistaken path and claimed she was met with a little bit of resistance.
O’Donnell’s comments about Whitney Houston got here around the identical time talk show host Oprah received backlash from the general public after claiming that the “I Will All the time Love You” singer fell off her “Oprah” soundstage within the early 2000s on account of being high on drugs.
“I’m the form of friend that all the time tells a friend when I feel they’re in trouble, which doesn’t all the time make the friendships last,” O’Donnell told the “Real Housewives” executive producer on a recent episode of “WWHL.”
Because the conversation continued, O’Donnell said she became apprehensive about Houston when the singer reportedly missed the screening of a “Cinderella” program she produced, which O’Donnell called “an enormous deal.”
“I remember pondering that is like the start of the top and anyone needs to assist her now,” O’Donnell said. “Everybody gets lost of their life, and once you’re in the general public eye, you wander away very nationally…but we will’t pretend we don’t see what we see.”
And while some were appreciative of O’Donnell’s care and concern, the media personality said that some members of her team told her to mind her own business. “As someone who cares about her and who loves her and desires her legacy to stay, I just desired to let you understand that that is doing her a disservice,” she said.
Fans Back O’Donnell For Attempting To Save Houston
Houston fans responded to O’Donnell’s statements, praising the 64-year-old for having her friend’s back when she needed it most.
“An actual friend all the time tells the reality, even when that truth could also be hard to listen to,” someone wrote, while one other said, “Rosie seems like she is a very nice, kind, caring person. Love her much more.”
Other users chimed in, posting, “She may not have all the time been super near Whitney, but what she did was the mark of a TRUE friend. Love Whitney, love Rosie.”
A fourth wrote, “She was tearing up when talking about Whitney. Everyone deserves a friend like Rosie.”
Oprah Faces Backlash After Saying Whitney Houston Was On Drugs During 2009 Talk Show Appearance
In response to a previous report from The Blast, Oprah recently received a robust rebuke from the general public after she spoke about Houston and her alleged 2009 drug use during a Cannes Lions appearance.
“The primary interview I did along with her after we’d gone behind stage and I asked her about her intention, she was clean, however the day she got here to my show then to perform in front of the audience, she was not, and he or she fell off of the stage,” the “Color Purple” actress claimed.
She went on to say that she then “begged” her studio audience to maintain quiet in regards to the situation, and one other person claimed that the TV personality even threatened to fireplace her staff if the rumors got out.
One user on Instagram clapped back at Oprah, saying, “I feel like we could respect her memory higher than talking about this publicly a decade plus after she passed,” while one other user wrote, “Oh, wow, and also you thought this was an ideal time to say this?”
Whitney Houston’s Estate Fires Back At Oprah’s Claims, Saying The Singer Was ‘Not High’ During Her Appearance
Houston’s estate manager, Pat Houston, wasted no time firing back at Oprah, denying her claims that the singer fell on account of being high on drugs.
While Houston’s estate confirmed that she did fall, they said her stumble was on account of her unfamiliarity with the stage slightly than her being intoxicated.
Before Houston’s sudden death in 2012, the singer handled addiction struggles, a fact her estate confirmed of their statement.
“Like many individuals, she faced personal battles, nevertheless it is inaccurate and unfair to connect that struggle to each performance or every chapter of her life,” the statement read. “What the studio audience witnessed on stage was the results of discipline, talent, and commitment—not the assumptions others project.”
Houston’s Hairstylist Also Slammed Oprah For Allegedly Lying About Mishap
Along with Houston’s estate, her personal hairstylist, Tiffanie Dixon, also defended the singer against claims that she was high during her appearance on the “Oprah” show.
“It’s not true. She fell because they didn’t rope off the stage… I used to be standing right there,” Dixon said.
She revealed that Oprah’s comments about her former client “disturbed” her, prompting her to inform the world that the renowned talk show host was allegedly lying. “There’s no truth and no validity… It’s a lie… She’s got a number of nerve,” she added.