Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022) - full transcript

♪ Free ♪

♪ Free ♪

♪ Tell me, will you stay ♪

♪ Hm ♪

♪ Just all that you are ♪

♪ And everything that you do ♪

♪ Away ♪

♪ Away ♪

Coming back in five.

Does anyone have eyes
on Whitney?

I've got eyes on Ms. Houston.



Tighten up on four.

Three, two, switching
to channel four.

Lights 25, stand by.

We are live in five,
four, three, two...

Lights 25, go.

Whitney!

We're gonna do a medley
for you.

It's about love.

The things we do to get it,

and the things we do
to keep it.

♪ Guide me ♪

♪ O Thou great Jehovah ♪

♪ Pilgrim through
This barren land ♪

♪ I am weak ♪



♪ But Thou are mighty ♪

♪ Hold me
With thy powerful hand ♪

♪ Bread of heaven ♪

♪ Bread of heaven ♪

♪ Feed me till I want ♪

♪ No more ♪

♪ Bread of heaven ♪

♪ Bread of heaven ♪

♪ Feed me till I want no... ♪

♪ ...more ♪

♪ Guide me, O Thou... ♪

Stop.

Mommy.
Again.

Mom!
Again.

God gives you a gift,
you gotta use it right.

♪ Guide me
O Thou great Jehovah ♪

You have to learn the melody.

Once you learn it,
then you can play around,

do your little
flourishes.

Now, do it again.

♪ Guide me
O Thou great Jehovah ♪

Know the melody
backward and forward.

♪ Pilgrim through... ♪

And enunciate.

♪ ...this barren land ♪

Pay attention to the words.

Complete every word.

♪ I am weak
But Thou are mighty ♪

Every song is a story.

If it's not a story,
it's not a song.

♪ Hold me
With thy powerful hand ♪

Great singing comes from
three places.

♪ Bread of heaven ♪

The head, the heart...

♪ Bread of heaven ♪

...and the gut.

And get your eyes off
that damn door, girl.

You know what, I quit.
No, you don't quit.

You gave that up when you told
me that you wanted to do this.

Mommy, I just wanna sing.
Again.

♪ Guide me, O Thou... ♪

You will honor
your commitment to this, Nippy.

♪ ...great Jehovah ♪

Your idea, you see it through.

♪ Pilgrim through this... ♪

Pride.

♪ ...barren land ♪

You're a Houston.

♪ Bread of heaven ♪

♪ Bread of heaven ♪

Love you, Mommy.

All right.

Variably cloudy skies at 5,

10 to 15% chance of a...

President Reagan will also
consider curbing some benefits.

A note of optimism this morning
in East Orange, New Jersey.

I'll see y'all Saturday, okay?

Hey. See you Saturday? At 10.

See you Saturday. Okay.
Thank you.

♪ Baby, just suppose ♪

♪ I should happen
To cross your mind ♪

Hey.
♪ And by some chance
A boy like me ♪

♪ You've really
Been trying... ♪

What?
I just said "hey."

Hey.

And you are?

Whitney Elizabeth Houston.

Whitney Elizabeth Houston.

You always say
your middle name?

All right.

Well, I'm Robyn Crawford.

You from 'round here?
Mm-hm.

East Orange.
Word?

Yeah.
Where you go to school?

Mount Saint Dominic Academy.

Oh. Catholic schoolgirl.

White Catholic schoolgirl.

You?
College.

Yep.

Wait a minute.
So, Cissy Houston is your mom?

Uh-huh.
The singer?

Yep.
Heh.

You know, Dionne Warwick
is my first cousin.

Dionne Warwick?
Nah, you shitting me.

No damn way.
Yeah.

Girl, Aretha Franklin's
like my godmother.

Okay, now, Whitney Elizabeth
Houston...

...you dreaming.

No. No, my dream...

No, it's crazy-- Is to be
a professional singer like them.

But the bar is way,
way too high, so...

...I'm happy to just sing
my little

"shoop-shoop, diddy-dum,
diddy-doos,"

backing my mom.

Mm.

Let me hear you.

Sing.
Uh-uh.

Aw...

No.

Nah, I showed you
my three-point shot.

Come on, sing.

You know what?

You know, you should come
to Sweetwater's.

Yeah, you can see me sing
chorus for my ma.

Mm-hm.
Mm-hm.

All right,
Whitney Elizabeth Houston.

I'mma come see you.
Mm-hm.

But you better
know how to sing.

♪ I'll be there ♪

♪ When all your dreams
Are broken ♪

♪ To answer ♪

♪ Your unspoken prayer ♪

♪ Yeah ♪

♪ Deep down in my heart
I'm gonna miss you ♪

♪ And in my dreams
I'll kiss you ♪

♪ Ooh ♪

♪ And I'll even wish you luck ♪

♪ On your new affair
Oh, yes, I will ♪

♪ But remember, baby ♪

♪ If you need me ♪

♪ All you got to do is call me ♪

♪ And don't worry ♪
♪ Don't worry, baby ♪

♪ Don't you worry ♪

♪ I'll be there ♪

♪ I'll be there ♪

♪ Oh, yes, I will ♪

All these years,
all these years...

That's it.

...I had to look
the other way...

Just change the subject.

...pretend I don't know
what's going on.

That's what you do
every time.

You're out there doing
everything you big enough to do.

And I'm out there, on the road,
busting my ass!

On the road busting your ass,
huh?

So what are you,
the savior?

Sole breadwinner! That's right.
Sole breadwinner. For years.

I swear to God,
I'll walk out that goddamn door!

Do it! Finally be doing
something!

I've been looking
after these kids.

Out on the road
busting my ass.

Yeah, "busting your ass"!
Doing what?

Yeah, you work now!
You work now!

So you've been working
all this time?

How do you think I'm
walking out these...

Sup, Nippy?

Yeah, I said I'll sit here--
Singing my ass off.

Hey. Don't even worry about it.

Do it!

Look at that.

Hey!

Okay.

♪ You took my breath away ♪

This is so great.

This will be forever.

Nippy. I need you
to listen now.

Mommy.

I love you.

That's great.

♪ Chanson papillon ♪

Mm.

Check us out.

♪ Just begun to fly ♪

Clive!

Hey.

Clive, thanks for coming.
Thank you.

So, she sings backup
for her mother.
Uh-huh.

But wait till you see
this girl.

I'm telling you,
total knockout.

Model looks, right?
But the voice--

Oh, my God, the voice.
She's just-- It's really--

All right, calm down.
I'm here, aren't I?

Come on.
Yeah.

How're you doing?
Good evening.

Evening, sir.

I don't know who the hell

you think you talking to!

Think you're so damn grown!

Well, I know what I want!

You think you know
what you want!

Clive Davis!

- Hi, Gary, how are you?
- A pleasure.

Hey, Gerry.

My voice.
What?

My voice.

It's gone.

I need you to do
the opening solo.

What?

Mama, you were shouting
at me a second ago.

Well, maybe that's
what done it!

And I need some time
to get it back,

so you start the show
tonight.

I'm your mother,
no talking back.

Yeah, Mommy, I just--
Look...

I need you to help me now.

Start the show.

Sing "The Greatest Love of All."
Not another word.

Don't make me whup your ass.

"Greatest Love of All."
All right?

Gerry.

Cissy.
Clive.

How are you?
Good to see you.

Nice to see you too.

♪ I believe the children
Are our future ♪

♪ Teach them well
And let them lead the way ♪

♪ Show them all the beauty
They possess inside ♪

♪ Give them a sense of pride ♪

♪ To make it easier ♪

♪ Let the children's laughter ♪

♪ Remind us
How we used to be ♪

♪ Everybody
Searching for a hero ♪

♪ People need someone
To look up to ♪

♪ I never found anyone
Who fulfilled my needs ♪

♪ A lonely place to be ♪

♪ And so I learned
To depend on me ♪

♪ I decided long ago ♪

♪ Never to walk
In anyone's shadows ♪

♪ If I fail, if I succeed ♪

♪ At least I lived
As I believe ♪

♪ No matter
What they take from me ♪

♪ They can't take away
My dignity ♪

♪ Because the greatest ♪

♪ Love of all ♪

♪ Is happening to me ♪

♪ I found the greatest ♪

♪ Love of all inside of me ♪

♪ The greatest love of all ♪

♪ Is easy to achieve ♪

♪ Learning to love yourself ♪

♪ Is the greatest love of all ♪

♪ And if, by chance
That special place ♪

♪ That you've been dreaming of ♪

♪ Leads you to a lonely place ♪

♪ Find your strength ♪

♪ In love ♪

She's incredible.

Okay.

Just okay?

I think I might have just heard

the greatest voice
of her generation.

Yeah. Yeah.
That kind of "okay."

Gerry, my "okay" is different
than your "okay."

- Mom.
- My "okay"

comes with investment
and legal obligations.

Yours comes
with a side of fries.

That's my baby girl.

Whitney Elizabeth Houston.

"And distribution rights
for all albums

created by Whitney
Houston... Heh.

...or Arista during the term
of this agreement...

...in perpetuity throughout
the universe"?

It means a damn long time.

Everywhere.

Wait.

Daddy, what?
She's coming here for you.

Mm-hm.

If you move on, you take her
with you when you go.

Mr. Davis, you are not
my first record exec.

I'm just trying
to protect my family.

No, no, no. I understand.

Well, we have never given
that right to any artist.

Um...

But I believe in you.

So...

Best efforts.

- Okay.
- Okay?

Mm-hm.

Here, let's take a picture.
Okay.

All right.
Ready for the shot?

Congratulations.
Welcome to Arista.

- Thank you.
- Thank you.

Cissy. Thank you.
Thank you, Clive.

John.
Thank you. Thank you very much.

Congratulations.

Now, if you don't mind,

I want to get acquainted
with my new artist

and learn about
her musical tastes.

Okay.

Alone would be great.

It's what I was trying to--

Okay.
Yeah.

So, do you write songs?

No.

Have you ever tried?
Mm-mm.

Is that okay?
Yeah.

We'll just get people
to write them for you.

Now, what kind of songs
do you like?

Hm.

Great big songs.

"Great big songs"?

Yeah.
All right, great big songs.

Yeah, that you almost
can't wrap your arms around.

Songs that are like
climbing a mountain,

that'll stretch me
vocally, that--

I really gotta sing
my raggedy ass off to sell.

Gospel? Country? Black? White?

All the above.

All the above?
Mm-hm.

All of them.

A great song is a great song.

And you are 100% correct
on that.

Okay. So, then,
what we're gonna do

is we're gonna hire the finest
songwriters in America--

In the world,

to write a great big
vocally-ambitious song

for a great new
vocally-ambitious star.

What do you think?

Believe they'd do that for me?
No.

But they'll do it for us.

Okay, so--
Can I--

Can I ask you something?
Yeah, you can ask me anything.

I'm an open book, Whitney,
just so you know.

Even though people say

that the text size is so small

that you need
very strong glasses.

What do you wanna know?

You went to Harvard?

Law, yeah.

What was that like?

Well, stressful.

Actually, anxiety attacks.
I had--

Right here, darling.
Sure.

Thank you so much. Thank you.
You're welcome.

But, you know, you work through
it. I worked through it.

How?
Uh, how?

Exercises. Breathing exercises.

I do that too.

Yeah, but I did it, of course,

you know, away from
everyone because--

You know, you have to remember
that in those days,

and this was a long time ago--

In those days,
you couldn't admit

that there was ever
anything wrong with you.

And can you now?

I want to tell you one thing,
dear Whitney, before we begin.

I never get involved in the
personal lives of my artists.

I am not a babysitter,

I'm not a camp counselor,
I'm not a rabbi.

I know music.

I have an ear,
and I have an instinct.

And in this respect,
I can serve you.

And I will be there for you
at any hour.

Okay?
Okay.

To you. Congratulations.

Thank you.

Mm.

Okay. Let's test that ear.

He said he can get me on TV,

and we drank champagne.

And, Mommy, he called me
"vocally ambitious."

You let her come out
looking like this?

She ain't got a dress?

She needs to start
wearing a dress.

I told her to dress up.
Why?

These are my nice jeans.

Nice jeans?

Yeah, well, it's just me.

Yeah, well,
they don't wanna see "just you,"

and being Nippy
ain't gonna get it.

And you need to take her
wig shopping.

If she's gonna go all the way,

hair short as mine
is not going to get it done.

You're a princess.

With that voice
and the looks,

you could be
America's princess.

Start looking like one.

Tough business, baby, I know.

I'm just gonna sing.

My next guest
has nurtured such superstars

as Barry Manilow,
Melissa Manchester,

Chicago,
Simon and Garfunkel,

Janis Joplin--
And the list is endless.

Today, he's brought
his latest discovery with him,

and she is, in two words,
simply breathtaking.

Oh, God, I think
I'm gonna throw up.

No, no, no, no.

You got this in the bag,
princess.

Come on now. Come on.
Stand up.

Baby, get her something
to drink.

Some ginger ale,
some soda pop--

Something like that.
All right.

Hey. Hey.
Mommy.

You're gonna be fine.

Just pretend you're singing
in the shower.

You want me to imagine
I'm singing butt naked

in front of Merv Griffin?

Come on. It's not helping.

Remember...

Head, heart, gut. Right?

Yeah.

You're my princess.

- All right? All right. Come on.
- You know.

You just know
that you're in the presence...

You know what to do.
...of somebody special.

- She's got it.
- She's got it.

- Wait till you hear her.
- Here's Whitney Houston.

♪ When I think of home ♪

♪ I think of a place ♪

♪ Where there's love
Overflowing ♪

♪ I wish I was home ♪

♪ I wish I was back there ♪

♪ With the things ♪

♪ I've been knowing ♪

♪ Wind that makes
The tall grass ♪

It's too slow.
No, he's fine.

♪ Bend into leaning ♪

♪ And suddenly
The raindrops that fall ♪

Her skin tone is off.

♪ They have a meaning ♪

They're not lighting her right.
It's fine, Cissy.

♪ Sprinkling... ♪

It's too slow.
It's too slow. It's too slow.

Cissy.

Cissy. Cissy.

Let's pick it up. Pick it up.

♪ Clean ♪

♪ And suddenly my world ♪

♪ Is gonna change its face ♪

♪ But I know ♪

♪ I know where I'm going ♪

Whoo!
♪ And I have had my mind ♪

♪ Spun around
And around in space ♪

♪ Yet I've watched it growing ♪

♪ I know you're listening
Lord ♪

♪ So won't you please
Try not to make it hard ♪

♪ To know I shouldn't believe
Everything ♪

♪ Everything that I see ♪

♪ Tell me ♪

♪ Should I try and stay ♪

♪ Or maybe I should run away ♪

♪ Would it be better ♪

♪ Better, better, better ♪

♪ Just to let things be? ♪

♪ Living here
In my brand-new world ♪

♪ It might be a fantasy, yes ♪

♪ Yeah, it could be ♪

♪ But it taught me to love ♪

♪ So I know that it's real ♪

♪ It's real ♪

♪ It's real to me ♪

♪ And I've learned
That we must ♪

♪ Look inside ♪

♪ To find ♪

♪ Yeah, we gotta find ♪

♪ A world full of love ♪

♪ Like yours, like ♪

♪ Like mine ♪

♪ Like home ♪

♪ Home ♪

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, baby.

- You won't forget that name.
- Whitney Houston.

What do you think?

No.

No.
I agree.

- Okay, this is Whitney Houston.
- Take one.

♪ A few stolen moments ♪

♪ Is all that we shared ♪

- No.
- This is Whitney Houston.

♪ Oh, where do
Broken hearts go? ♪

♪ Can they find
Their way home? ♪

Let's try this one.

And cut it there.
Is that better?

Yeah, that's one word for it.

Go again.

♪ So I'm saving ♪

♪ All my love for you ♪

What? What? What happened?

It's the lyrics. They're just--

It was beautiful.
All right. Let's do it again.

Okay.
Okay, I'm serious.

♪ How will I know
If he's thinking of me? ♪

Maybe.
Maybe? Why?

♪ How will I know
If he really loves me? ♪

♪ I say a prayer
With every heartbeat ♪

You know?

I could do something
with the chorus.

Go up a key,
get more out of it.

Yeah, but that's not a reason
to do a song.

It's got to have a hook.

A hook?
Yeah.

I'll give it a hook.

♪ There's a boy ♪

♪ I know ♪

♪ He's the one I dream of ♪

♪ Looks into ♪

♪ My eyes ♪

♪ Takes me to the clouds above ♪

♪ Mm-hm ♪

♪ Ooh, I lose control ♪

♪ Can't seem to get enough ♪

♪ Uh-huh ♪

♪ When I wake from dreaming ♪

♪ Tell me, is it really love? ♪

So? How do I look?

Ridiculous.
I do not. Do I?

This is the look they want.

America's sweetheart.

And you're gonna
give it to 'em.

Just watch me.

♪ How will I know? ♪

♪ How will I know
If he really loves me? ♪

♪ I say a prayer
With every heartbeat ♪

♪ I fall in love
Whenever we meet ♪

♪ I'm asking you 'cause you
Know about these things ♪

♪ How will I know
If he's thinking of me? ♪

Holy shit! Holy shit.

Nip! Nip! Wake up!

Nip, wake the hell up!
Wake up, Nip!

What?
Nip, it's on! Listen!

Oh, my God!
Wait, wait, wait!

This is big, right?

Big? What? This is huge.

Try huge! Oh, my God.
Hey. Hey, come work for me.

Huh?
Full-time.

Handle bookings,
wardrobe, travel.

I don't know?
Find me a box of Fruity Pebbles

or a Cap'n Crunch
at 1 a.m. in the morning.

If you say "1 a.m.," you don't
need to say "in the morning."

That's why I need you.

I want someone
I can trust completely.

You're the only one.

Yeah, well, you could trust me,
but you can't afford me.

Well, okay, yeah.
You can't afford me.

Well, I'm getting you cheap,
bitch.
Yeah?

Yeah.
Okay. Okay.

Do your parents know?
Have you talked to them?

Your mom won't be happy.
She hates me.

We'll go see Daddy.

Hey.
Hi.

Hi.
Hello.

It's gonna be okay.

Just booked us a couple's table.

Just me and you
and a nice bottle of--

Let's pick this up later on.

Nippy. You know better than
to come charging into a room

without knocking.

How do you do?

Barbara, this is my daughter,
Whitney.

Congratulations.

Your dad's told me
a great deal about you.

So pretty.

Bye.

Bye, Nippy.
Uh--

What's this about?

Well, Rob's gonna
come work for me full-time,

as my creative assistant.

Creative assistant?
Mm-hm.

Nice title.

You two have been spending
a lot of time together.

Sharing an apartment,
thick as thieves,

out everywhere, arm in arm.

And now you want
to officially work together.

Side by side,
in the public eye.

You always wear your hair
so short?

Uh...

Easier to manage.

"Easier to manage."

Miss Crawford,
let me tell you something.

Whitney is Daddy's girl.

Always was, always will be.

Nothing comes between us,
you understand?

Yeah. Yes, sir.

She's my princess,

and we're building
something here.

Something that you
will have no part in.

Now, here's what I want.
You want my blessing?

Hmm?

Go out on dates.

With young men.

Daddy, with boys?

Be seen in public
and photographed with young men.

Wait, Mr. Houston,
are you serious?

You don't ever have to ask me
that question again.

Well...
I'm not gonna do that, so...

Well...

...that tells me
just about everything

I need to know now then,
doesn't it?

Daddy...

You want me to approve
of you hiring this girl,

who has no experience
in management whatsoever? Hmm?

Do you have any experience
in personal management?

No.

Well then, you get out there,
baby girl.

You get out there,
and be seen with young men.

You hear? Go on.

♪ If you say ♪

♪ My eyes are beautiful ♪

♪ If you say ♪

♪ My eyes are beautiful ♪

♪ If you say my eyes ♪

♪ My eyes are beautiful ♪

♪ It's because ♪

♪ It's because ♪

♪ They're looking ♪

Chemistry with Jermaine.

♪ At you ♪

Watch your needles.

- You slept with
- Jermaine Jackson.

You're just gonna sit here
and tell me

you slept
with Jermaine Jackson?

Rob!
Huh?

Rob, it's just a guy.
What, it's just a--

It's just a guy?

You know what, I don't know what
you're so upset about.

Just a guy!
We agreed we had to see guys.

We didn't agree to screw them!
Rob!

Do you love him?

Do you?

He loves me, but I'm not sure.

Rob.
That's what it is?

I'm sorry.
It took you no damn time!

Rob, I'm not cleaning
this shit up. Robyn!

You know what? Fine.
Smash everything.

It's all crap anyway.

I hate you so much right now!

Yeah? Speak up,
Rob, I can't hear you.

And you know what?
You know what?

Hey, not the vacuum cleaner!
Are you crazy?

Yo, think about it. How are we
gonna clean this place up?

Shit, you crazy, Robyn.

You crazy.
Yeah?

So that's it?

Just like that?

I want a family.

A husband. Kids.

Faith and family.

I love you.

We love each other. Right?

Huh?
And the Bible says--

Oh, my God. The Bible!
No, no, no.

Leviticus-- You know, we can go
to hell for this kind of shit.

I don't want to go to hell.

Yeah, I'm not
in such a hurry myself.

Yeah, well, look it up.

Look that up.

Hey.

I love you.

In perpetuity,
throughout the universe.

I need my best friend.

Rob, please.

Please.

♪ It's the light of day
That shows me how ♪

♪ 'Cause when the night falls
Loneliness calls ♪

♪ Oh, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ Somebody ♪

♪ I wanna feel the heat
With somebody ♪

♪ Somebody ♪

♪ Yeah, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ With somebody who loves me ♪

♪ Oh, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ Somebody ♪

Yeah. Yeah, I want it.

You want it?
Yes. It's about--

It's about wanting to dance
with somebody really bad.

Yeah.
I mean, really...

...really, really, really,
really bad.

And for whatever reason...

...for whatever reason,
you can't.

Okay. Good.
Mm-hm.

Well, I can't wait
to see what you do with it.

♪ Oh, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ I wanna feel the heat
With somebody ♪

♪ Yeah, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ With somebody who loves me ♪

♪ Ooh, yeah ♪

♪ Ooh, yeah ♪

♪ Uh-huh ♪

♪ Yeah, come on ♪

♪ Don't you wanna dance? ♪

♪ The clock strikes
Upon the hour ♪

♪ And the sun begins to fade ♪

♪ There's still enough time
To figure out ♪

♪ How to chase my blues away ♪

♪ I've done all right
Up till now ♪

♪ It's the light of day
That shows me how ♪

♪ And when the night falls ♪

♪ My loneliness calls ♪

♪ Oh, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ I wanna feel the heat
With somebody ♪

♪ Yeah, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ Oh, yeah ♪

♪ With somebody who loves me ♪

♪ Oh, I wanna dance... ♪

You also get a bottle
of Dom Pérignon from me

every time one of your
singles...
Clive?

...reaches number one
on the charts.

Number one?
Congratulations.

Number one!

♪ I've been in love, y'all
And lost my senses ♪

♪ Spinning through the town ♪

♪ Well ♪

Her debut album

was the most successful

debut solo album in history,

sweeping the American Music
Awards, winning a Grammy.

Her eagerly awaited second
album is about to be released.

Will she be able to live up
to the world's expectations?

♪ ...hot enough to last ♪

♪ So when the night falls ♪

♪ My lonely heart calls ♪

I wanna make a toast

to my brothers
Gary and Michael,

Gary's new girlfriend Pat,

and my best friend Robyn.

Mwah. Love you, girl.
Girl, I love you.

- To Italy!
- To Italy!

Gary, take a picture of us!

Okay. Come on.
Cheese!

Oh, my God!

Wow! That is crazy!

♪ Oh, somebody ♪
♪ Who ♪

♪ Lord, somebody ♪
♪ Who ♪

♪ To hold me in his arms, oh ♪

- It's incredible, Susan.
- The name on everyone's lips

- is Whitney Houston.
- Go, Nip, go!

Whitney Houston transcends
age, race, lifestyle.

That show sold out,
so this one had to be added.

At 23, she is
the true heartbeat of America.

♪ Oh, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪
♪ Come on ♪

♪ Don't you wanna
Dance with me? ♪

♪ I wanna feel the heat ♪
♪ Heat! ♪

♪ Yeah, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ Yeah. Somebody, somebody ♪
♪ With somebody who loves me ♪

♪ Oh, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ I know you wanna
Dance with me ♪

♪ I wanna feel the heat
With somebody ♪

♪ Yeah, yeah ♪

♪ Yeah, I wanna dance
With somebody ♪

♪ Said don't you ♪

♪ Whoa ♪
♪ With somebody who loves me ♪

Are you pinching yourself yet?

One more, and you'll
have beat the Beatles

for the most consecutive
number ones in history.

♪ I wanna dance with somebody ♪
♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪

♪ With somebody who loves me ♪
♪ Come on, come on ♪

♪ I wanna dance ♪

Thank you much!

And good night!

Well, it's a criticism I
increasingly hear from callers.

That I'm not Black enough?

No, your music.
Your music isn't Black enough.

What would you like me to say?

The truth.
Aren't you selling out?

Whew.

You've got a lot of nerve
asking me that.

That's what my mother tells me.

It's a valid question.

A common criticism of you
and your music.

That you're a sellout.

That you're not
a real Black artist.

You're about to walk out,
aren't you?
No.

You'll be walking out
before I will.

How do you respond?

If I'm not a Black artist,
what am I?

You tell me.

Look, I don't know
how to sing Black,

and I don't know how
to sing white either.

I know how to sing.

Music is not a color to me.
It has no boundaries.

Why somebody gotta say
something dumbass like that?

I mean, who said that?
That's just bull.

And it makes me angry, actually.
It's hateful and uninformed.

Why I gotta be what someone
wants me to be anyway?

Sing what I want to sing.
Be how I want to be.

Reach as big an audience
as I can.

Isn't that what art's
meant to do?

My whole life,
"She ain't Black enough.

She ain't white enough."
Well, how about,

"She's not obedient enough"?

How about,
"She ain't fearful enough"?

Hm.

Hm.

Well, you heard it from Whitney
herself, ladies and gentlemen.

Was that too much?
Hell no.

All right.

Morning, Max.

Mr. Houston.

Look at this.

Here you are. Good morning.

Thank you.

Use it wisely.

Anna.

Are you a businesswoman?

Yes, I think so.

What does
a businesswoman do?

Well, what does
a businesswoman do?

She says what she doesn't want.

- Good morning.
- And she knows,

primarily, what she wants.

That's a pretty tough thing

to have to determine sometimes,
you know?

Most of the people
that work with me,

the people I have known
for many years,

you know, they're people,
competent people

I can trust to look out for me
and to do their job well.

But it's hard sometimes
to make the transition

from being the friend
to the boss

or from the boss
to the friend.

Or from the daughter to the boss
or the boss to the daughter.

You know, you have to wear
different hats at times.

So, you are a tough cookie?

Sometimes.

Always?
Not always, no. Sometimes.

That means sometimes.

Daddy, what is it?

I want you to fire her.

Robyn is a nobody.

The Bible tells us,
"Do not be misled.

Bad company corrupts
good character.

Walk with God, not the devil."

Daddy...
I need her gone.

Daddy, there is nothing
going on.

She is a bad influence.

And the press
is talking too much trash.

It's damaging the brand.
Do you understand?

Since when--

Since when did your little girl

become "the brand"?
I missed that.

Your mama would have killed
to become a brand.

We just couldn't get her there.

I'm not firing Robyn.

I need her. I need somebody
I can trust 100%.

You can trust me 100%.

Or you better damn do.

Now you go do as I tell you.

I'm the manager here.

I know you are. You work for me.

You don't say.

Daddy...

...I do.

How is that, to become the boss
of your own family?

Of your brothers
and their wives?

Of your own father and mother?

Or are you still
the "little girl" sometimes?

Sometimes.

Now, look here,
you stupid, little broad.

Don't you talk
to me like that.

I'll talk to you
any way I like.

You know who I am?

You think I let dames
get away with anything?

Yes?
Clive, I wanna do a movie.

What?

A movie.

Why?

We'll find you a movie. Sure.

Okay. Night.

- You didn't ask but you wanted.
- I did my share. What about you?

Who do you think you are,
you can be so particular?

You're nothing.
You get funny with me,

and I'll throw you right back
to that crummy dance joint

where I found you.

How are you feeling?
Here she comes.

Whitney!

There she is.

Whitney "Whitey" Houston!
Whitney "Whitey" Houston!

Pay no attention.
Come on.

Shame on you!
Shame on you!

Whitney "Whitey" Houston!
Whitney "Whitey" Houston!

Who was that?
I don't know. Come on.

No, I don't wanna talk
to nobody.

Mrs. Houston!
Just stay focused.

Keep it together.
What's going on?

Give it up

for Bobby Brown, everybody!

♪ Yeah, do it like this ♪

Is this an awards show?

♪ Yeah, get busy ♪

My God.

The amazing Bobby Brown,
ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you. Thank you.

Ladies and gentlemen,
please take your seats.

The show will be back on
in five minutes.

Girl, I swear to God.

Right there. Yeah!
Right there?

And I'mma do it again.

Oh.

Hey!

Girl, I swear to God.

What the--?

What are you doing?

Yo, I'm not even
playing around, man.

You better chill.
I'm not.

Hey, hey, hey. What's up?

Oh, no. I'm so sorry.
I'm really sorry.

You're Bobby Brown, right?

Yeah. Yeah. What about it?

I got a question for you.

And what's that?

How old are you?

Old enough.

He's old enough.

He's old enough, you know.
He's old enough.

Ladies and gentlemen,

our host, Anita Baker.

She looks so good.
So good.

The nominees
for the best music video are...

Janet Jackson, "Control,"

Michael Jackson,
"The Way You Make Me Feel,"

Whitney Houston,
"I Wanna Dance With Somebody,"

Whoo!

Jody Watley,
"Looking For A New Love."

Are they booing me?
And the winner is...

The winner is Janet Jackson,
"Control."

Keep it together.

Hey, hey. Don't even worry
about it.

You're Whitney Houston.
All right?

They dogs.

Give me a pen
and a business card.

You got to be prepared.

You know, the kind of success
that you're enjoying,

that the Black stations
ain't got no control over

and they don't own,
it drives 'em crazy.

Oreo. They calling me an Oreo.

If they wanna see Black,
I'll show 'em Black.

No, you don't.
Don't you go changing nothing.

You keep on doing
what you doing,

'cause what you doing
ain't nobody ever done before.

The first one over the hill
always gets whupped.