Arts & Entertainment
Robyn Crawford reveals more about relationship with Whitney Houston
Robyn Crawford, longtime best friend of Whitney Houston, is opening up more about her relationship with the late singer.
Earlier this month, her new memoir, “A Song For You,” confirmed the longtime assumptions that she and Houston had been lovers. Now, in a conversation with host Jada Pinkett Smith on the Facebook Watch show, “Red Table Talk,” she has revealed more about the near-lifelong bond between the two.
“I felt it was necessary to talk about the Whitney that I know who was thoughtful with her generosity,” Crawford told Pinkett Smith. “It’s my duty to do that.”
She said she and Houston met while serving as counselors at the same summer camp, falling immediately fell in love and that their relationship became intimate “on all levels,” adding, “There was no shame.”
Crawford went on to say their physical relationship lasted for two year – after which, Houston broke it off, partly out of worry that it would damage her career, but also for religious reasons, saying that “they could go to Hell.” She also said she believes Whitney’s mom, Cissy Houston, was behind the break-up; the elder Houston had called their relationship “unnatural.”
“I always sensed a bitterness in her mom,” Crawford said. “Her daughter was so awesome. There was so much to be joyful about. If anything, Whitney would listen to me. That would bother Mrs. Houston.”
Crawford also revealed that she and Houston continued to maintain an emotional relationship, sending love letters to each other even after the singer’s marriage to Bobby Brown – who was antagonistic to Crawford, to the point of physical altercation, and whom she claims physically abused Houston.
Crawford went on to further discuss that explosive marriage, along with Houston’s issues around addiction and as her own decision to disconnect from the singer, before talking about her memories about Whitney’s death, and the death of her daughter with Bobby, Bobbi Kristina.
You can watch the conversation on Facebook Watch.
Impulse Group DC held “10’s Across the Board: A Celebration of 10 Years” at Bravo Bravo (1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) on Sunday, Dec. 14. Impulse Group DC is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) and affinity group of AIDS Healthcare Foundation dedicated “to engaging, supporting, and connecting gay men” through culturally relevant health and advocacy work.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Rob Reiner, most known for directing untouchable classics like “The Princess Bride,” “Misery,” “When Harry Met Sally…,” and “Stand by Me,” died Dec. 14 alongside his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, in their Los Angeles residence. While investigations are actively underway, sources have told PEOPLE Magazine that the pair’s son, Nick Reiner, killed his parents and has been taken into custody.
Reiner was a master of every genre, from the romantic comedy to the psychological thriller to the coming-of-age buddy movie. But in addition to his renowned work that made him a household name, Reiner is also remembered as a true advocate for the LGBTQ community. In 2009, Reiner and his wife co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights, helping fight against California’s Prop 8 same-sex marriage ban. They were honored at the 2015 Human Rights Campaign Las Vegas Gala.
In a statement, HRC President Kelley Robinson said: “The entire HRC family is devastated by the loss of Rob and Michele Reiner. Rob is nothing short of a legend — his television shows and films are a part of our American history and will continue to bring joy to millions of people across the world. Yet for all his accomplishments in Hollywood, Rob and Michele will most be remembered for their gigantic hearts, and their fierce support for the causes they believed in — including LGBTQ+ equality. So many in our movement remember how Rob and Michele organized their peers, brought strategists and lawyers together, and helped power landmark Supreme Court decisions that made marriage equality the law of the land — and they remained committed to the cause until their final days. The world is a darker place this morning without Rob and Michele — may they rest in power.”
Reiner’s frequent collaborators have also spoken out as the industry is in mourning, including figures like Ron Howard and John Cusack.
A joint statement from Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest (who starred in Reiner’s “This is Spinal Tap”) reads: “Christopher and I are numb and sad and shocked about the violent, tragic deaths of our dear friends Rob and Michele Singer Reiner and our ONLY focus and care right now is for their children and immediate families and we will offer all support possible to help them. There will be plenty of time later to discuss the creative lives we shared and the great political and social impact they both had on the entertainment industry, early childhood development, the fight for gay marriage, and their global care for a world in crisis. We have lost great friends. Please give us time to grieve.”
While attending the 2019 HRC Los Angeles Dinner, Reiner spoke out about the need for equality: “We have to move past singling out transgender, LGBTQ, black, white, Jewish, Muslim, Latino. We have to get way past that and start accepting the idea that we’re all human beings. We’re all human beings, we all share the same planet, and we should all have the same rights, period. It’s no more complicated than that.”
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington perform “The Holiday Show” at Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.). Visit gmcw.org for tickets and showtimes.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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