Whitney Houston Revealed Why She Hadn't Appeared On David Letterman's Late Show In 13 Years
Whitney Houston was a powerhouse vocalist and one of the most successful singers of all time. Her albums and singles shot up the charts, with her music defining a generation. Houston also made a name for herself as an actress, starring in The Bodyguard, Waiting to Exhale, and The Preacher's Wife.
It was after that, however, that she appeared on the Late Show with David Letterman in 1998. It was her second time appearing on one of Letterman's late night shows. However, the last time she appeared was on the brink of her initial success in 1985.
David Letterman reminded her of how long it had been and asked if he had done anything wrong. Houston's response caused the audience to break out in laughter.
Letterman Had Whitney On As A Guest When She Was Starting To Become Well-Known
When Houston signed a deal with Arista Records, few could've predicted just how big she would become. Despite the fact that her talent was beyond any other singer around, Houston's meteoric rise to the top wasn't a common occurrence at that time.
It was right before this meteoric rise that Houston appeared on Late Night with David Letterman in 1985. During her appearance on the show, Houston sang "Saving All My Love For You." The song was one of the many hits from her self-titled debut album. It also won Houston a Grammy Award which was presented to her by her cousin Dionne Warwick.
After her performance ended, Houston took in the applause and Letterman greeted her with several compliments. Her appearance on Letterman was brief, however. Despite returning from the show's commercial break sitting down with Letterman, there was no interview. The show was over by that point and Letterman closed the program.
The appearance was just one of many that Houston made at the time. These many appearances did more than just sell Houston's debut album. They signaled the arrival of a brilliant singer for a whole new generation.
Whitney's Career Took Off And She Became One Of The Most Successful Artists In History
Following her first Letterman appearance in 1985, Houston watched her debut album soar up the charts. She also won big at several award shows in the coming years. Houston's star was rising and many wondered how she would follow things up.
They would get their answer when Houston released her sophomore album "Whitney" in 1987. The album's biggest hit, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)," became one of Houston's most recognizable singles. The album also delivered the hit singles "Didn't We Almost Have It All," "So Emotional," and "Where Do Broken Hearts Go."
In 1990, Houston dropped her third album "I'm Your Baby Tonight." The song became another hit and "All The Man That I Need" would serve as another classic Whitney Houston ballad.
The following year, as America was fighting in the Gulf War, Houston took to the stage at the Super Bowl where she sang the national anthem. Her performance of "The Star Spangled Banner" would become one of the most beloved versions of the song in history. It was even re-released as a charity single in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks.
As Houston moved into the 90s, she would make a name for herself as an actress. Her first film role was in 1992's The Bodyguard. Her rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You" became her signature hit and the soundtrack became the best-selling soundtrack of all time.
Houston continued to find chart success on movie soundtracks with Waiting to Exhale and The Preacher's Wife. Houston also starred in both films, extending her acting resume.
Whitney Returned To Letterman In 1998 And He Reminded Her Of How Long It Had Been
In 1998, Houston returned with her first full studio album in eight years. Titled "My Love Is Your Love," the album became another success for the singer. It included the singles "Heartbreak Hotel," "I Learned From The Best," "It's Not Right But It's Okay," and the title track. It also included Houston's Oscar-winning duet with Mariah Carey, "When You Believe" from The Prince of Egypt.
Houston returned to Letterman to promote the album where she sang its title track. Houston also sat down for her first proper interview with Letterman after the performance. He began by reminding Houston of her last appearance on his show.
"I was just going over your records and it says that you haven't been on the show since 1985," Letterman said laughing.
"1985? It was that long ago?" Houston asked.
"Yeah, that's what it says," Letterman said. "Did we do something to annoy you? Because that happens frequently. A lot of the big stars get annoyed when they come on the show."
"No Dave, you didn't annoy me or anything," Houston said. "I had a very good time when I was here. I just didn't feel like doing your show."
The audience reacted with laughter.
"Well I can accept that," Letterman responded.
Houston then pulled out a gift for Letterman. She said it was a Furby, which was a very popular toy at the time. Houston joked that she paid $1,700 for the "Furby," but it was clearly not a Furby and not worth $1,700.
The interview turned out to be a pleasant and funny chat. The two discussed her duet with Carey, her daughter Bobbi Kristina, and the time her mother faked being sick so Houston would fill in for her during a show.
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