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Model Winnie Harlow Responds To Backlash Over Her Whitney Houston Halloween Look
For her costume, Harlow chose to recreate Houston's appearance at the 2001 BET Awards, a moment that generated tons of speculation about Houston's drug use, which she subsequently admitted to the following year.
Everything about Houston's speech at the podium was dissected at the time, from her rail-thin appearance and profuse sweating to her erratic demeanor.
The clip of Houston's speech has long been a meme as well, because whatever may have underpinned it, it is inarguably funny.
Houston's zany take on an acceptance speech had the crowd at the BET Awards guffawing too, especially the moment when she responded to someone calling out to her from the crowd by quoting the Snoop Dogg song "Lay Low."
- YouTubeyoutu.be
Harlow faithfully recreated every aspect of Houston's speech, from her costume, which is nearly an exact dupe of Houston's own slightly disheveled look, to her mannerisms and facial expressions.
And that, for many people, was precisely the problem.
Because it's hard to argue that Houston's BET appearance wasn't one of the lower points of her career that in hindsight seemed to have been the first chapter in her long decline.
The following year, Houston responded to the scrutiny by admitting to using alcohol, marijuana and cocaine in the infamous interview in which she told Diane Sawyer "crack is whack" and "I want to see the receipts" proving she had ever purchased the drug (and sparking an internet catchphrase that exists to this day in the process).
That interview did little to quell the speculation, nor did the Bravo reality show about her husband, Being Bobby Brown, which all but confirmed the couple's, and especially Houston's, problems with drugs when it debuted in 2005.
Along the way, Houston's voice appeared to have become severely damaged, with long-term drug use said to be among the causes.
She staged a comeback with the 2009 album I Look To You, but it would be her last. Houston passed away in 2012 of an accidental drowning at the Beverly Hilton, which was attributed to a combination of heart disease and cocaine use.
Harlow's costume, which recreated the moment when it became unavoidably clear that Houston was in trouble, struck many as insensitive, with fans criticizing her for choosing one of Houston's low points instead of her innumerable career and creative highs.
Harlow, however, had a very different take.
In an Instagram Story, she explained at length what Houston means to her and especially her mother, who is such a diehard fan of the singer she named Harlow after her.
Harlow wrote that she didn't see the BET Awards appearance as a nadir of Houston's but rather an example of Houston's beloved personality.
"That clip has always been one of my favorites. She was radiant, funny, confident, and captivating. She was being awarded."
"The way she moved across that stage with flair and swag? Iconic."
@winnieharlow/Instagram
Harlow went on to say:
"People are more than headlines. A woman who could command a room, make you laugh & carry herself like royalty."
"If all you see when you see Whitney are her struggles, you're missing her charisma, humor, talent, personality, & wit. She was hilarious & magnetic."
"THAT is and what should always be highlighted. The light that made us all love her attention to positivity."
On social media, many sided with Harlow after her explanation and felt those angry about it were being too sensitive.
But others felt Harlow's response rang hollow.
Whether this costume was a misstep or not, Harlow's love of Houston is clear. She also recreated several of Houston's other iconic moments in other Halloween costumes this year, none of which were controversial.
Gavin Newsom Rips Karoline Leavitt After She Says White House Toilet 'Horrified' Her Before Renovation
His post comes after he dismissed all members of the Commission of Fine Arts, an independent federal agency that advises on “matters of design and aesthetics” affecting the president, Congress, and the District of Columbia. He has also appointed loyalists to the National Capital Planning Commission, which will oversee approval of plans for a new ballroom on White House grounds.
He wrote the following in a post that also showed that the former Art Deco bathroom had been revamped in white marble from floor to ceiling:
“I renovated the Lincoln Bathroom in the White House. It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era."
"I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there!”
You can see Trump's post below.
@realDonaldTrump/Truth Social
Leavitt later shared Trump's post and commented:
"When I first learned a toilet like that existed inside the White House, I was horrified. President Trump is making the People’s House more elegant and beautiful for generations of Americans to come!"
You can see her post below.
In came Newsom with this cutting observation:
"Letting Americans starve doesn’t horrify them. Letting healthcare costs triple doesn’t horrify them. Letting our troops go unpaid doesn’t horrify them. A toilet does."
Many echoed Newsom's criticisms.
Following legal action brought by states, the Trump administration said it will resume payments for SNAP, but beneficiaries will receive only half their usual amount.
Officials plan to draw from a $4.65 billion contingency fund at the Agriculture Department—roughly half the $8 billion needed each month to fully fund the program.
In a court filing, the administration acknowledged that exhausting the fund would leave “no funds... for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely.”
Officials also cautioned that there could be significant delays before families relying on SNAP see any of the reduced benefits.