Top 10 Things I Wanna Dance With Somebody Got Factually Right and Wrong
#10: Houston’s Nippy Nickname Right
To her fans, the music industry, and the rest of the world, Whitney Houston was “The Voice.” To her closest friends and family, she was Nippy. Throughout “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” those in Houston’s inner circle affectionately refer to her using this nickname. While this is accurate, the film doesn’t delve into why they called her Nippy. It’s been said that her father, John Houston, derived the name from a comic strip, presumably “Nippy Nibbs.” As a baby during the winter, the fussy Whitney would kick off her blanket at night. John would say, “Nippy, seldom right,” alluding to the mischievous comic character. The nickname stuck well into adulthood. So much so that Houston’s management company was dubbed Nippy, Inc.
#9: How Clive Davis Discovered Houston Right
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A background singer who eventually went solo, Cissy Houston trained her daughter to sing from the head, heart, and gut. Whitney provided backup for her mother at a New York club. One night, Cissy pretended like she couldn’t sing, asking a then-teenage Whitney to take the spotlight. In the movie, Clive Davis is present on the first night that Whitney assumes center stage. This seems off, as Whitney was already regularly singing two songs during her mother’s act. Davis also wasn’t the only record producer interested in Whitney, entering a bidding war with Bruce Lundvall of Elektra. However, Davis was indeed encouraged by Gerry Griffith to check out Whitney’s act. After attending the show, it was only a matter of time before Davis signed her.
#8: Houston Didn’t Write Any of Her Songs Wrong
After signing Houston, Davis asks her if she can write music. Houston says that she only sings, but Davis assures her that there are plenty of songwriters out there. It’s true that Houston was a singer first and foremost with her most iconic songs being written by others. However, the film neglects to mention that Houston did have a few co-writing credits. Her most notable collaborations were with Babyface. The two co-wrote “Queen of the Night” with L.A. Reid and Daryl Simmons. They teamed up again for “Count On Me,” which Houston performed with CeCe Winans. Houston also had writing credits for “Whatchulookinat,” “I Didn't Know My Own Strength,” and “Something in Common,” the latter of which she sang with then-husband Bobby Brown.
#7: Houston’s Miscarriage Right
It had been rumored that Houston was pregnant before tying the knot with Bobby Brown in 1992. While shooting “The Bodyguard,” though, she suffered a miscarriage. Houston confirmed in a 1993 interview with Barbara Walters that she sadly lost her unborn child during the production of her most successful film. As tragic as this was for her, Houston returned to work the following day, although she would take some time off to recuperate. By the time Houston sat down with Walters, she had given birth to Bobbi Kristina Brown. While the film explores one miscarriage, Houston reportedly endured at least two more in 1994 and 1996. Bobbi Kristina was the only baby Houston carried to term, but her life also ended in tragedy in 2015.
#6: Houston Was Quick to Accept “The Bodyguard” Wrong
When Davis hands Houston the script for “The Bodyguard,” she initially passes. Houston immediately changes her mind when she learns that Kevin Costner is playing the bodyguard. In reality, Houston was hesitant to star in the 1992 drama, but it took more than a casting announcement to get her onboard. Houston had issues with the character of Rachel Marron, feeling she was underdeveloped in the first draft. She remained on the fence even after the script went through rewrites. After a few months, Houston was finally convinced upon receiving a comforting phone call from Costner himself. Costner not only deserves credit for persuading Houston, but also for suggesting that she sing Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” instead of “What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted.”
#5: Houston was Booed at the Soul Train Awards Right
Houston was an inspiration to African-American artists, but some of her more closed-minded critics argued that she wasn’t “black enough.” Even as a kid, Houston was ridiculed by others in the community for having a lighter complexion. Although Houston put up a tough front, there’s no denying that these harsh words got under her skin. Nowhere was this more apparent than at the 1989 Soul Train Awards. When Houston’s category came out, a mix of cheers and boos could be heard from the crowd. It was the boos that stuck with Houston, who knew they stemmed from the perception that her music was “too white.” That night forever changed Houston’s life, as she met her future husband Bobby Brown, who sat in front of her.
#4: How Bobby Brown Proposed Maybe
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There are varying stories about how Bobby Brown popped the question. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” depicts the version where the two are in the back of a car. According to Brown, Houston accepted on the spot and asked the driver to pull over. The film adds a bit where Brown tells her that his ex-girlfriend, Kim Ward, is pregnant with his child, which is why Houston gets out of the car. Houston gave a different account of their courtship. She claims that when Brown proposed, she said, “Forget about it. No way. It’s just not in my plans.” About a year later, though, Houston had grown closer to Brown and accepted his second proposal. Whichever vision is true, it wouldn’t be the happiest marriage.
#3: Money Led to Tension Between Houston & Her Father Right
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Serving as Whitney’s manager, it’s been claimed that John Houston stole a lot of money from his daughter over the years. Their relationship reached its breaking point when John Houston Enterprise sued for $100 million, arguing that Whitney hadn’t paid the company for negotiating her Arista Records contract. The film leaves out Kevin Skinner, the company president who filed the lawsuit. While Whitney claimed her father wasn’t involved in the lawsuit, Skinner said John was also a plaintiff. In any case, the lawsuit got thrown out about a year after John died. Despite their differences, Whitney brought herself to forgive her father, believing that others were manipulating him during his sick state. Although she didn’t attend his funeral, Whitney did mourn privately.
#2: Houston’s Drug Dealer Right
Houston is among the many talented artists whose lives ended far too soon due to drugs. “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” leaves out a few chapters in Houston’s history of addiction, most notably her interview with Diane Sawyer. Houston also went to rehab more than once. On the whole, however, the film does get to the root of Houston’s drug problem, which contributed to her accidental drowning in 2012. Before Houston’s death in the film, she’s seen interacting with a familiar “fan” asking for an autograph. It turns out this is actually her drug dealer. In real life, Houston reportedly purchased cocaine two days before her passing. Her dealer, David Joseph, hid the drugs in a pen while Houston included the money with her signature.
#1: Houston’s Sexuality Right
Houston’s sexuality didn’t have a conclusive label. Based on everything we know about the singer, though, the film explores her sexuality from every angle. During her early days of fame, Houston denied being in an intimate relationship with Robyn Crawford, her best friend, roomie, and executive assistant. Crawford also initially shot down these accusations, but seven years after Houston’s death, she confessed that their relationship had been sexual. That changed after Houston entered the public eye, becoming romantically entangled with names like Jermaine Jackson and Bobby Brown. Houston married Brown and repeatedly professed her love for him. While she had a falling out with Crawford, many believe Houston’s life would’ve turned out much differently had their relationship been accepted by her family and society.
