Editing Whitney Houston (section)

=== 2000–2008: ''Just Whitney, Princess Diaries,'' and ''Cheetah Girls'' ===
[[File:Whitney Houston 2000.jpg|thumb|upright=.8|left|Houston outside the [[Capitol Hill]], Washington, D.C., on October 16, 2000]]
Houston's reputation as "[[America's Sweetheart]]", which she was nicknamed for the duration of her career, came under scrutiny at the beginning of the [[2000s in music|2000s]]. Reports of erratic behavior, showing up hours late to interviews, photo shoots, rehearsals and canceling several concerts, had been following her since the late [[1990s in music|1990s]].<ref name="RollingStoneBio">{{cite magazine|title=Whitney Houston biography |magazine=Rolling Stone |year=2012 |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/whitney-houston/biography |access-date=February 12, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091209024845/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/whitneyhouston/biography |archive-date=December 9, 2009}}</ref><ref name="McShane-20000406">{{cite news|first=Larry|last=McShane|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/digest/ent3.htm |title=Whitney Houston Gets Bad Press|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=April 6, 2000}}</ref> 

Houston failed to show up to induct [[Clive Davis]] into the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]] in March 2000.<ref name="Dansby-20000607">{{cite magazine |first1=Andrew |last1=Dansby |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/whitneyhouston/articles/story/5924161/whitney_insider_tells_of_drug_use_failed_intervention |title=Whitney Insider Tells of Drug Use, Failed Intervention |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=June 7, 2000 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527083340/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/whitneyhouston/articles/story/5924161/whitney_insider_tells_of_drug_use_failed_intervention |archive-date=May 27, 2009}}</ref> Weeks later, Houston was scheduled to perform at the [[Academy Awards]] but was fired from the event by musical director and longtime friend [[Burt Bacharach]]. At the time, her publicist cited throat problems as the reason for the cancellation. In his book, ''The Big Show: High Times and Dirty Dealings Backstage at the Academy Awards'', author Steve Pond revealed that "Houston's voice was shaky, she seemed distracted and jittery, and her attitude was casual, almost defiant"; though she was supposed to perform "[[Over the Rainbow]]", she sung a different song during rehearsals.<ref>Movie & TV News @ IMDb, [https://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2004-12-23#celeb5 "Houston's Oscar Confusion"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170325203750/http://www.imdb.com/news/wenn/2004-12-23#celeb5 |date=March 25, 2017 }}, December 23, 2004. Houston was replaced at that Oscar telecast by singer Faith Hill.</ref> Houston later admitted she had been fired.<ref name="Sawyer-Houston-Interview-2002">{{cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/transcript-whitney-houston-im-person-life/story?id=15574357|title=Transcript: Whitney Houston: 'I'm a Person Who Has Life'|date=February 13, 2012|access-date=December 12, 2024|publisher=[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120214082903/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/transcript-whitney-houston-im-person-life/story?id=15574357|archivedate=February 14, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> Houston, however, did show up for a scheduled performance to celebrate Arista's 25th anniversary with [[Clive Davis]], her performance received good reviews.<ref>"Whitney Shines at Arista Anniversary", ''[[USA Today]]'', April 12, 2000.</ref>

In May 2000, Houston's longtime executive assistant and friend, [[Robyn Crawford]], resigned from Houston's management company.<ref name="Dansby-20000607" />

Despite increasing negative press, Houston continued to find success. She produced the film ''[[The Princess Diaries (film)|The Princess Diaries]]'' (2001) alongside fellow BrownHouse partner Debra Martin Chase. Starring [[Anne Hathaway]] and [[Julie Andrews]], the film became an [[sleeper hit|unexpected success]] in the box office, grossing more than $165 million worldwide. Houston and Chase became the first black people in box office history to produce a film that surpassed $100 million in the box office.<ref name="PD1">{{cite web |url=https://people.com/movies/see-whitney-houston-with-a-young-anne-hathaway-on-the-set-of-the-princess-diaries/ |title=See Whitney Houston With a Young Anne Hathaway on the Set of 2001's The Princess Diaries |work=[[People (magazine)|People]] |date=May 11, 2020 |first=Alexia |last=Fernández |access-date=September 9, 2024}}</ref> In August 2001, Houston signed one of the biggest record deals in music history, with Arista/[[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]]. She renewed her contract for $100 million to release six new albums, for which she would also earn royalties.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Lafranco|first= Robert|author2=Binelli, Mark|author3=Goodman, Fred|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938443/the_rolling_stone_money_report|title=The Rolling Stone Money Report|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=July 4, 2002|access-date=January 15, 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070204053142/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/5938443/the_rolling_stone_money_report/|archive-date=February 4, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Whitney Houston Signs $100 Million Contract with Arista Records|page=18|magazine=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|date=August 20, 2001}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MQ0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1|magazine=Billboard|last=Mitchell|first=Gail|title=Arista Aims New Houston Album At 'Core Urban' Fans|date=December 14, 2002|access-date=December 12, 2024|page=1, 64|volume=114|issue=50}}</ref>

A performance at ''[[Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Special]]'' in September 2001 led to increasing rumors of drug use and possible health issues due to Houston's extremely thin frame.<ref name="abcnews">{{cite news|last=Knolle|first=Sharon|title=Reports of Whitney Houston's Death Denied|date=September 13, 2001|work=ABC News|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/reports-whitney-houstons-death-denied/story?id=102477|access-date=July 27, 2019}}</ref> She canceled a second performance scheduled for the following night.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Lynette|last1=Holloway|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/11/business/in-switch-whitney-houston-has-to-sell-an-album.html|title=In Switch, Whitney Houston Has to Sell an Album|work=The New York Times|date=November 11, 2002|access-date=December 12, 2024|page=C0009}}</ref> Within weeks, Houston's rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was re-released after the [[September 11 attacks]], with the proceeds donated to the [[New York City Fire Department|New York Firefighters 9/11 Disaster Relief Fund]] and the [[Fraternal Order of Police|New York Fraternal Order of Police]]. The single reached No. 6 on the US Hot 100, topping its previous position.<ref name="mtv010917">{{cite news|first1=Shaheem|last1=Reid|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1448905/whitney-houstons-star-spangled-banner-to-wave-again/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140727084327/http://www.mtv.com/news/1448905/whitney-houstons-star-spangled-banner-to-wave-again/|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 27, 2014|title=Whitney Houston's 'Star-Spangled Banner' To Wave Again|publisher=MTV Networks|date=September 17, 2001|access-date=July 27, 2019}}</ref><ref name="whitneyhoustonbillboardhistory">{{cite magazine | url = {{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Whitney Houston|chart=all}} | title = Whitney Houston ''Billboard'' chart history |magazine=Billboard | access-date =October 29, 2011}}</ref>

Houston released her fifth studio album, ''[[Just Whitney]]'', in December 2002. The album debuted at number nine on the ''Billboard'' 200 and was certified platinum, though it received mixed reviews.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/just-whitney/whitney-houston|title=Just Whitney" by Whitney Houston|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=July 27, 2019}}</ref><ref name="Group2003">{{cite magazine|title=Vibe|magazine=Vibe Vixen|date=September 2003 |page=186|issn=1070-4701}}</ref><ref name="Sawyer-Houston-Interview-2002"/> In August 2003, Houston's second television film as a producer, ''[[The Cheetah Girls (film)|The Cheetah Girls]]'', premiered on the [[Disney Channel]]. A soundtrack of the film, executive produced by Houston, became successful, reaching double platinum status in the US. Later that November, Houston released her first Christmas album, ''[[One Wish: The Holiday Album]]'', which featured traditional holiday songs and was certified gold in the US.<ref>{{cite web|website=Live About|url=https://www.liveabout.com/best-rampb-christmas-songs-standards-2851629|first1=Mark Edward |last1=Nero|title=10 Great R&B Christmas Songs|date=May 24, 2019|access-date=July 27, 2019}}</ref>

In April 2004, Houston's second film as producer, ''[[The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement]]'', was equally successful in the box office like its predecessor, earning $134 million in the box office. For most of the year, Houston toured internationally.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite news|last=Cashmere|first= Paul|url=http://www.mtv.tv/news/Whitney-back-with-Clive-Davis-13112/|title=Whitney Back With Clive Davis|date=September 17, 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709025508/http://www.mtv.tv/news/Whitney-back-with-Clive-Davis-13112/|archive-date=July 9, 2012}}</ref> Houston's success behind the scenes continued in 2006 with the airing of ''[[The Cheetah Girls 2]]'', which Houston served as executive producer. The film remains one of the highest-rated [[Disney Channel Original Movie|Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOM)]] in history with more than 8.1 million viewers tuning in for the premiere.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6408870.html |title=Disney Movie Skips to Another Record |first=R. Thomas |last=Umstead|date=January 22, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070209132433/http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6408870.html |archive-date=9 February 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>