GenX Bitch Turns 40: Whitney, “What-ney,” Why and “How-ston”

In the immediate aftermath of the death of Whitney Houston I wanted to interject my opinion about the woman, the icon, and “The Voice.” However, I give you the choice to stop reading now because I am going to be brutally honest, and I am going to accuse you dear reader, of lapping this tragedy up like a greedy and malnourished dog.

First, I want to establish that I have never been a fan of the genre of music that Whitney Houston became famous for. However, she was undeniably one of the most amazing and gifted singers of my lifetime.

Houston is the one that took up the gauntlet from Aretha Franklin and raised the bar even higher. When vocalists like Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera emerged on the scene, you undeniably had to compare them to Whitney Houston.

Yet again we are all asking why? Why Billie Holiday? Why Jim Morrison? Why Janis Joplin? Why Jimi Hendricks? Why John Lennon? Why Kurt Cobain? Why Michael Jackson… and now we’re asking, once more, “Why,” in regards to Whitney Houston?

“Why?” when you have beauty, fortune and fame? When you have reached the pinnacles of music and acting, why?

Now, let’s all of us take a step back from the outpouring of love for Houston. Nobody is surprised regarding the circumstances surrounding her death—and we can’t help ourselves from watching the ongoing media coverage—AND what amazing lucky timing for the media that Houston’s death occurred the way it did when it did?

We can’t stop watching because the circumstances of her death are almost to good to be true. We watched the squeaky-clean artist when she married bad-boy Bobby Brown and we waited for the obvious outcome of that matrimony. We watched with guilty pleasures when the train-wreck of their marriage was broadcast in the MTV reality television show, “Being Bobby Brown.”

We watched her once brilliant career spiral downwards. We watched her attempted comebacks, her body and voice ravished by substance abuse. We stood by and watched and secretly enjoyed ourselves. Why, because the struggles of the rich and famous make us feel so much better about ourselves.

Now the media, music industry and Hollywood couldn’t have anticipated a more glorious final outcome for the legend that once was Whitney Houston. Her death occurring in her hotel room at the Beverly Hilton while she was getting ready to make an appearance at Clive Davis’ annual Grammy party downstairs—a party hosted by Houston’s mentor, the man who discovered her—Clive Davis.

The fact that Houston’s daughter, whom she had with Bobby Brown, was also in the hotel when her mother died. The fact that Houston died the night before the Grammy’s and now Hollywood is scrambling to rework the show just hours before it is to be telecast.

The fact that as the stars poured out on the red carpet of the Davis party many of them expressed their condolences and then quickly mentioned some of the projects they were themselves currently working on. The fact that in just a few hours from now, those same stars will appear next on the red carpet of the Grammys, expressing their condolences while making sure to mention what designers they are wearing.

The fact that in this moment Houston’s music is rapidly being repurchased—and with every sound-bite of, “I Will Always Love You,” Ms. Dolly Parton gets even richer. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe that everybody is truly sorry for the loss, myself included, but the checks gilded with Houston’s golden touch will all get cashed, immediately.

Indeed, the media couldn’t have asked for better circumstances and neither could the public. Again we feed on the misfortunes of the stars and we will continue to feed on it. The media will continue to make documentaries of the tragic deaths of the fallen stars, corporations will continue to advertise and we will watch. How much longer until a Google “doodle” is to be created? I’m sure Vegas already has the odds.

In a spooky way, I am surprised that some entity hasn’t stepped forward as a sponsor for Houston’s death “event.” Although we know they are covertly wishing they had.

Oh wait, that’s what CNN is for.

Stephanie R. Woehrmann (GenX Steph) has been a struggling independent contractor since 2008 after being laid off from her newspaper job that she held for 15 years. GenX Steph welcomes comments and hopes to engage and motivate her readers to actively make positive changes in our global community. Follow her @GenXbitch on Twitter and Facebook.

Always remember, “Crack is Wack.” —Whitney Houston in a 2002 interview with Diane Sawyer for ABC television, a Disney Corporation.