Discover Yahoo! With Your Friends

Explore news, videos, and much more based on what your friends are reading and watching. Publish your own activity and retain full control.

To get started, first

YOUR FRIENDS' ACTIVITY

    Huge Arena Funeral For Houston, Say Reports

    Whitney Houston's funeral will be held at an 18,000-seater arena in New Jersey on Friday, according to reports.

    TV networks in the US have reported that a private wake is planned for the star on Thursday before a ceremony is held at the Prudential Center the day after.

    A picture of Houston appeared on the electronic board outside the arena, one of the nation's busiest entertainment venues, on Monday night as the 48-year-old's body was flown back to her home city of Newark.

    The singer died in a hotel room at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles on Saturday.

    Los Angeles-based celebrity website TMZ said a jet owned by film star and producer Tyler Perry was used to return the body to New Jersey .

    A police escort accompanied the body as travelled from Teterboro Airport to the Whigham Funeral Home, the same place that arranged her father's funeral in 2003.

    Houston's family were thought to have been debating whether to have the smaller service at the New Hope Baptist Church, where family members have sung over the years.

    It was while singing in the gospel choir at this church that Houston's powerful voice was first noticed.

    Mourners have been flocking to the building to leave flowers, notes and candles.

    If Houston's funeral is held at the Prudential Center it will echo the 2009 memorial held for Michael Jackson at LA's Staples Center.

    But TMZ claimed there might have been a rift in Houston's family over where her funeral is taking place.

    It states that the singer's mother Cissy and cousin Dionne Warwick both wanted the burial to take place in Atlanta.

    Houston was found dead in a bath in her suite at the Beverly Hilton, hours before she was supposed to appear at a pre- Grammy Awards party.

    She was under the water and apparently unconscious when found by members of her entourage, police said in a statement.

    "Ms Houston was pulled from the tub by members of her staff and hotel security was promptly notified."

    The LA police commented after widespread speculation about how the star, who had a well-documented battle with drug and alcohol addiction, died.

    TMZ reported Houston did not die from drowning but a suspected "combination of Xanax and other prescription drugs mixed with alcohol".

    It added that officials with the LA coroner's office had told the singer's family there was not enough water in her lungs "to lead to the conclusion that she drowned".

    LA deputy coroner Ed Winter confirmed there were bottles of prescription medicines in the singer's room but would not give details.

    "There weren't a lot of prescription bottles. You probably have just as many prescription bottles in your medicine cabinet," he said.

    TMZ also claimed that some of the medicine bottles in the room appeared to be from the same pharmacy that was raided after Michael Jackson's death.

    This has not been confirmed.

    The actual cause of death will be determined by the coroner's office after final toxicology results are received.

     
    • Kate  •  Marlow, England  •  3 months ago
      Who on this almighty earth am I or you to judge other people ?
      • Skydiver 3 months ago
        DRUGS ARE NO EXCUSE!!!! AND IF THEY ARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT THEN SET A GOOD EXAMPLE!!! I DON'T CARE WHAT THE PERSONAL LIFE, YOU BUY DRUGS FROM DRUG DEALERS THEN YOU SUPPORT THE DRUG DEALERS AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENS AT THE U.S. BORDERS WITH ALL OF THE MURDERS DOWN THERE BY THE DRUG KING PINS AND GANGS!!!! EVEN PRESCRIPTION DRUGS MIXED WITH ALCOHOL WILL KILL YOU... GOOD EXAMPLE HERE... TOO BAD MANY PEOPLES KIDS WONT LEARN FROM IT BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE TOO BUSY IDOLIZING THIS PIECE OF #$%$ TO TEACH THEIR KIDS ANYTHING!!!! FRICKEN MORONS.......
      • The Jukebox 3 months ago
        Well spoken Kate! Nobody has the right to judge us druggies. The government should make a lot more of your tax available to us - drugs are expensive hey. Oh, and all the dangers we are exposed to. Snort, snort ... another line. Remember Kate "NO JUDGEMENT" I love you for it xxx
      • D 3 months ago
        I think we all understood you the first time Skydiver so chill out!
    • frances  •  Edinburgh, Scotland  •  3 months ago
      This girl is someone's daughter and a mother ! Rest In Peace Whitney Peace Perfect Peace
      • J 3 months ago
        Shut up Stupid.
        Stop stating the obivious
      • D 3 months ago
        Well said Frances. These narrow minded fools on here think they know it all, but the sadest thing of all is that they have no respect for her family which is my mind is dispicable. Nobody knows about her personal life and what went wrong or what happened. These people would be the first to punch you or me in the face if we dared to react this way to the passing of one of their own!!!
      • Skydiver 3 months ago
        DRUGS ARE NO EXCUSE!!!! AND IF THEY ARE IN THE SPOTLIGHT THEN SET A GOOD EXAMPLE!!! I DON'T CARE WHAT THE PERSONAL LIFE, YOU BUY DRUGS FROM DRUG DEALERS THEN YOU SUPPORT THE DRUG DEALERS AND LOOK WHAT HAPPENS AT THE U.S. BORDERS WITH ALL OF THE MURDERS DOWN THERE BY THE DRUG KING PINS AND GANGS!!!! EVEN PRESCRIPTION DRUGS MIXED WITH ALCOHOL WILL KILL YOU... GOOD EXAMPLE HERE... TOO BAD MANY PEOPLES KIDS WONT LEARN FROM IT BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS ARE TOO BUSY IDOLIZING THIS PIECE OF #$%$ TO TEACH THEIR KIDS ANYTHING!!!! FRICKEN MORONS....
    • Jili  •  Zurich, Switzerland  •  3 months ago
      An 18,000 seat arena? So this will be another bun fight like Michael Jackson's funeral. Don't these people have any sense of propriety? Have a memorial service later if you like but a sober funeral with just the close family would be surely more appropriate.
      • Harris 3 months ago
        Couldn't agree with you more Jili. The same thought went straight through my mind as soon as I read the story. In fact, I sighed a sigh of dispair at what humanity has become when this sort of thing happens.
      • EDWARD 3 months ago
        I wouldnt go. I couldnt listen to all her fellow drug addicts all saying how shocked they were that she died of snorting drugs. They would also be surprised to hear that Evil Kanevil crashed his motor bike, or that the local butcher cut his finger.
    • ahmed  •  Malmö, Sweden  •  3 months ago
      its sad reading some umsympathetic comments from people who have enjoyed her music one way or the other. i feel that its rather unfortunate that she ended up on drugs and ultimately died from it.she really tried hard to stop but couldnt.we all should do one thing, say RIP to her and advice celebrities as well as ordinary people to abstain from drugs.
      • mike 3 months ago
        she shoulnt have started shes a big girl she new the score
      • D 3 months ago
        First of all Mike it's knew and not new. Secondly, it's narrow minded people like you who just can't stop to think that she went through a rough time. If you are strong and are able to get through the hard times then good luck to you. Others may not be as fortunate. She didn't hurt anybody, and has been a fantastic Mother and Daughter. She did her very best to get out of it.
      • Bushgag 3 months ago
        Think Positive Stephen, $mile more help $omeone, you might feel good.
        i am not having a go at you.
    • stav  •  3 months ago
      Amazing how Druggies are held up as Icons and then you get Ex forces with no legs walking the south pole, Who deserves more publicity ??
      • carol 3 months ago
        in in agreement with u there stav
      • jason 3 months ago
        Completely with you on that Stav...................well said
      • FanofStan 3 months ago
        Sadly, we live in a very superficial world, Stav.
    • Aaliyah A  •  3 months ago
      All of us arrive on this earth to play a role in its history. Some play a bigger role than others. But because they led not so perfect a life is no reason to condemn them - your own life has been less than perfect as well. Sympathy for the loss of such a talented person is what would make you human as she was. RIP Whitney.
    • madmoto  •  3 months ago
      drugs are for mugs.
    • lumamba  •  Lusaka, Zambia  •  3 months ago
      its sad, that she has died, I was expecting another Album....not the news of her death
    • A Yahoo! User  •  3 months ago
      if a celebraty dies its all over the news if a soldier dies its not :(
    • suzanne m  •  Motherwell, Scotland  •  3 months ago
      Whatever you think about Whitney Houston,it must have been difficult for her daughter watching her mother slowly killing herself.Ihope she gets over this and learns to lead a happy and productive life.
    • acard  •  Manchester, England  •  3 months ago
      Sit back and watch the worms come out of the woodwork when the divvy-up comes. There will be some fighting then. It happens every time and theres always someone who wants it all.
    • ClashCityRocker  •  Norwich, England  •  3 months ago
      What do Bobby Brown and Blake have in common?
      A: Responsibility.
    • M  •  Milton Keynes, England  •  3 months ago
      15,000 3rd World children will starve to death today, just like they do every day. 15,000 sets of parents will lower their children's bodies into the grave because they could not feed them. The one death which gets reported is that of a multi millionairess who literally had it all but could not manage to hold it all together.
      We really need to look at our priorities.
    • snaphappy  •  Newton Abbot, England  •  3 months ago
      Why are these people canonised after death? Houston like Jackson and a long list of other celebs p****d their privelidged lives down the toilet. Yet we turn our backs in disgust at the street junky begging in a shop doorway. Apart from money what's the difference?
    • lubulwa  •  3 months ago
      It is high time you behaved human, death awaits us all wether you do drugs or not, blaming the dead is irresiponsible you can do more than that.
    • Jean  •  Brighton, England  •  3 months ago
      when will we ever learn those who take drugs & booze who really want to brake free from it need help getting there heads sorted out 1st just weening people of alone wont do it they need to sort out WHY do i do it then maybe they will get a result
    • ray  •  3 months ago
      Why the curtains, I take it they did put her in a coffin?
    • King Chaz  •  Windsor, England  •  3 months ago
      Im i the only one sick to feckin death of hearing "i will always love you"
    • tope  •  Lagos, Nigeria  •  3 months ago
      IT IS QUITE UNFORTUNATE, Y DRUG AGAIN, ANYWAY MAY HER GENTLE SOLE REST IN PERFECT PEACE
    • Kim  •  Maidenhead, England  •  3 months ago
      it is beyond me how rich an famous people mess their lives up but then again they are only human, r.i.p