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Whitney Houston

Whitney Houston, singer, “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” (March 2, 1988) (archived)

Whitney Houston, the reigning princess of pop, has her sights set on royal marriage, of sorts. She says she'd like to do a duet with the prince of pop, Michael Jackson. "He's one of the people I believe to be a genuine talent, and for me to be able to sing with him would be the ultimate honor. It's one of the goals I'm working toward."

“The Oprah Winfrey Show” (September 14, 2009) (archived)

Oprah: How difficult was Michael Jackson's passing for you?

Whitney: Devastating. I have so many good memories of spending time with him. I've known his family for so many years. For at least 20. I thought: "This can't be true. This can't be true." I knew he was on painkillers at one time. I didn't know how far and how deep it was. I just remember doing the anniversary special, the 30th anniversary, and I remember looking at Michael and I remember looking at myself.

Oprah: That's when you were so bone thin. You were frail.

Whitney: I was, yeah. I was getting scared.

Oprah: Looking at him?

Whitney: Yeah, and then looking at myself going: '"No, I don't want this to be like this. This can't happen. Not both of us." ...

Oprah: You were doing your own drugs at the time, right? That's why you were so thin, right?

Whitney: Yeah, but there were things that were happening emotionally to me. I was worried.

Oprah: For him?

Whitney: Yeah. I was worried for me. There was the marriage thing. A lot of things that were going on. Mike and I were very close.

Oprah: When was the last time you saw him?

Whitney: I think it was that time when I spoke to him during the trial a lot. By that time, he had cut a lot of people off. He didn't want to be seen.

Oprah: Did he cut you off?

Whitney: He'd speak to me on the phone, but he didn't want me to see him. No one have I ever met quite like that young man. And to have it end like that? Saddens me.

“Nothing but Love World Tour” in St. Petersburg, Russia (December 12, 2009)

I had the honor and pleasure of knowing him personally. I had a telephone number. I could call up and say hey Mike what you doing? He’d say Whitney, I’m alright, I’m a little tired.

“Nothing but Love World Tour” in Nuremberg, Germany (May 27, 2010) (mirror) (archived mirror)

Michael and I were friends for at least 20 years. In our business, some things that are very precious you try to keep to yourself because…you know…you know how that is. We wanted to be very discreet about our friendship and our love for one another because it was a true friendship you know. He called me Whitney and I called him Michael. I don’t know what anybody else called him. I don’t know no other name but Mr. Michael Jackson. He was not the ordinary, just not the ordinary but the extraordinary. There will never ever be, in this life time, a man that (can’t understand what she says here).

I have to tell you he could do it all. Whatever he put his mind to. His body, his movement, his songs, his writings, his words and he loved entertaining you…he loved entertaining you.

I have to tell you, I spent time with Michael laughing, crying, crying, laughing, singing, talking, or not talking (she laughs).

[Then she finishes by saying he would want her to tell the fans how much he loved him and he dedicated five decades of his life to entertainment.]

“Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon” documentary (2011)

Whitney Houston: I went to his home in Neverland, and he pulled out all the stops. He picked me up in a helicopter and I got to the house and he had a coach pick me up from the gate to his home. We were in the kitchen, and this is when he had Bubbles the monkey. I had taken off my shoes and I felt this nibble at my toes, and I thought Michael was playing with my toes! Like, “Oh Michael, aren’t you special!” But it was Bubbles sucking my toe. I thought to myself, “You’d better watch out, I’ll take Bubbles home!”

...I really wanted to marry Michael and you [David Gest] were in the way all the time, so that's why.

David Gest: "He should've married you.

Houston: Yeah, he damn well should've, right"

“Video Soul” (1991)

I think [Michael] and I probably would create a lot of magic… Incredible! He hasn’t called me, but I can’t wait.