In the wake of Whitney Houston‘s passing, actress Janet Hubert, best known for her role as Aunt Viv on 90’s sitcom ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’, pens an open letter to talk show host Wendy Williams after witnessing a tearful Williams speak of the late Houston during a segment on her show.
Williams looked visibly distraught while speaking of her and Whitney’s feud during a radio show hosting days and wishing she [Houston] had overcome her personal struggles and wouldn’t have come to an early demise.
After reflecting on what she saw Janet writes,
Dear Wendy,
This past weekend was a very difficult time for so many of us.
I watched the funeral service with the rest of the world, and cried time and time again with each story that was told. I felt like I knew more about this amazing woman than ever before. We all watched her as a little girl, center stage, singing like a bird, she was destined for superstardom. To watch her center stage full circle in death was a feeling no mother should ever have to feel. I applaud Ms. Warwick, the pastor, and all others who formed a police line of love and protection around her that was impenetrable only to those who really knew her. We, the public accepted their decision to keep it private, but they allowed us to witness her Home Going ceremony, I don’t know if I could have been so gracious. WE felt like we knew her and we knew nothing about her except what we read and hear from people like you and other media outlets. I listened to her interview with you and was compelled to say out loud. “Go on Whitney tell her like it is,” when you pried into her life back then. I had my son in the same year as Ms. Houston; we did Ebony Magazine that same year, she introducing her baby girl and me my son. I am trying to be dignified, but here goes.
The Internet has become somewhat like the 10 commandments, and this is why… whatever is posted or commented on… is forever written in stone. Neither I nor anybody can stop anyone from making up stories, reviews, lies etc, cutting and pasting whatever they decide to put together like a bad buffet breakfast.
I have had some horrible meals shoved down my throat on the web that I had no parts of.
I still have a bad taste in my mouth from a recent cut and paste meal from your beloved TMZ (THE MUDSLINGING ZONE). I believe you said once “If you heard it on TMZ then it must be true,” really Wendy?
The Internet is indeed the information highway, but it can also be “a Forum of Hate.”
Though I never knew Whitney Houston, I felt a profound sense of loss and sadness. On Sunday morning I took my dog for a walk in the park across the street and still could not shake the sadness I felt. I wondered if what I was feeling was perhaps related to losing my mother and brother this past year, but then I thought no, it was something else.
You (Wendy Williams) said that morning with tears in your eyes, that you would not discuss Whitney any further, but you crucified her the whole time she was alive, as you do so many people on your show. I want to ask you why? What do you get out of this besides money?
How do you sleep at night knowing that you are one of the biggest bullies in the world disguised as HOT TOPICS? Celebrities are not topics we are people, just like everyone else, we hurt and we hear and we bleed real blood, not fake blood, just as you do.
How do we as parents teach our children to honor each other, treat each other with kindness when all they see are images of people like you who condone and promote meanness, rude reality TV stars, and your opinion as you berate world renowned people like Janet Jackson, Gwyneth Paltrow, and others you slam on a daily basis.
I keep asking myself why no one is saying anything about this. What the hell are they afraid of? Where are my sisters out there who feel as I do?
Well Wendy, I try to teach my son to stand up, shout, and scream when there is injustice. Yeah yeah, I know, I have been screaming for years and will continue to do so as long as there are images that depict black women as neck shaking, over bearing women who can’t get along.
A sister, a mother, a daughter, a star, left this world way too early; she was loved by the world. The world mourned, I don’t think that we needed you to try and take down another brilliant sister on that following Monday morning. (Your rude comments about Janet Jackson)
You started right back up without hesitation or pause… you need to stop Wendy. We need to stop, and the world needs to stop. I need to stop as well. There will be no more quotes from me to be misquoted. We need to join together, wrap our arms around our children, everybody’s children. Remember you have a child who will suffer every slingshot and arrow that gets thrown back at you Wendy; our public lives greatly affect our children.
I know I am going to suffer some arrows for writing this letter to you, I know you are loved by many, but remember this Wendy; they love you when you are up and they love to take you down. You will not always be up, you will not always be on the A list and attend all the parties. Ride the wave sister girl, but make sure you know how to swim when the ride is over. Artists are survivors, we work hard to build our crafts and careers and I ask that you simply remember that in the future.
I’m just sayin’ it like l mean it too.
Janet Hubert
Well, well, well….. I think she said just about what everyone else may have been thinking when Wendy cried her eyes out during her show, talking about her remorse and sorrow over Whitney’s death.
We heard Aunt Viv was crazy and I initially thought, oh lord here we go, but I have to agree with a lot of what she’s said. Wendy Williams has been a long time hypocrite. Even as a blogger (and I admit I love blogging) I have my limits and if you’ve followed this blog then you’ll know I don’t add to speculation or engage in hateful gossip. Even if it means getting more hits on my website I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.
There are so many articles/topics we could cover or even speculate on, believe me! But I have long said celebrities are people first, celebs second. And to be honest, sometimes they even leak their own crazy stories for more publicity but I constantly have to ask myself where does it end, what am I comfortable writing about and what I’m not? It’s not enough to just overlook reporting on a topic because other media outlets have already covered the story and you think, well, what harm can I do that hasn’t already been done, right? The truth is, LOTS! People believe in the lies because they see it published on a website or hear it on the radio and television. Those lies are perpetuated for years, decades, or even a lifetime to come. Again, where does it end? When is it enough?
I just hope Whitney’s story and others like hers teach people/the media to be less judgement, hateful and even, at times, evil in an attempt to feel better about their own situation and (in the media’s case) earn more money from attracting viewers.
(Photo: Google Images)
