Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Whitney Houston's Livestreamed Funeral Will Feature Aretha Franklin, Kevin Costner, Stevie Wonder
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 16, 2012
Modified Feb 16, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jen Chung
Published Feb 16, 2012
Modified Feb 16, 2012
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The funeral for Whitney Houston is open only to invited guests—who include Aretha Franklin, Kevin Costner, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey, and Stevie Wonder so far—but the public will get a chance to observe the services through a livestream. The AP will broadcast the funeral at http://livestream.com/aplive: "It will provide a much-needed connection for fans who have lacked a formal place to eulogize Houston, one of the world's best-selling artists who died in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Saturday at the age of 48."
Details about the funeral, scheduled for Saturday, have been leaking out: Kevin Costner, her bodyguard co-star, will speak as will her mentor Clive Davis. Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder will perform, according to reports. Others guests expected are Elton John, Bill Cosby, David Bowie, and Chaka Khan.
Houston's cause of death has not been released yet; it's believed that she was taking prescription drugs before she was found unconscious in her bathtub at a Beverly Hilton suite on Saturday. NJ Governor Chris Christie has been getting flak for asking that NJ state flags be flown at half-mast in honor of Houston, noting that she "was an important part of the fabric, the cultural fabric of this state." But annoyed people Tweeted at him, "Whitney is no hero, she was a crack head who killed herself. Our flag is not to be lowered for a junkie." Christie replied, "Flag being lowered for her cultural contributions as an artist & New Jerseyan. Her struggles w/substance abuse r a diff topic."
The other drama around Houston's funeral involves ex-husband Bobby Brown. At first, it was rumored he was not invited because her family didn't want him; now it seems like he's going but he'll still perform with New Edition after the services. And the family is also reportedly worried Brown will try to get his hands on Houston's money via their child Bobbi Kristina.
Tagged
aretha franklin
bill cosby
drama
funeral
governor christie
jay-z
kevin costner
newark
Whitney Houston
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
The Knicks are NBA champions. Now they have to start dressing the part.
Before they attempt to fend off LeBron James and the 76ers on Tuesday, the Knicks will have a chance to show off their winning mentality through their tunnel fits.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 19, 2026 at 12:43 p.m. ET
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Arts & Entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .