Whitney Houston’s estate ‘disappointed’ with joke about her death at Golden Globes: ‘It was distasteful’
Whitney Houston’s estate isn’t happy about a joke made at the expense of the late music icon at the 2023 Golden Globes.
Host Jerrod Carmichael, 35, dubbed the Beverly Hilton – the site of the ceremony and where Houston died in 2012 – as the “hotel that killed Whitney Houston” on Tuesday night.
Speaking to TMZ through a rep, Pat Houston, Whitney’s manager and sister-in-law, said, “The Whitney Houston Estate was disappointed in the joke and felt it was in poor taste.”
‘Bad taste’: Whitney Houston’s estate isn’t happy about a joke made at the expense of the late music icon at the 2023 Golden Globes
Viewers reacted audibly as Jerrod cracked the controversial Whitney joke.
“We are pressed for time but they wanted me to call the venue where we are. So we’re live from the hotel that killed Whitney Houston, the Beverly Hilton, guys, so that’s very exciting,” he told the crowd before the next speakers are brought onto the stage.
It’s not known whether or not NBC was aware of the joke beforehand, but the comment could have been spontaneous. Insiders told TMZ Whitney’s camp wasn’t notified of the comment ahead of the show.
Houston was found unresponsive in the bathtub of the suite she stayed in at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in 2012.
Shocking: Viewers reacted audibly when Jerrod called the Beverly Hilton the “hotel that killed Whitney Houston.”
Venue: The Golden Globes were held at the Beverly Hilton, the same venue where Houston died in 2012
Her death was ruled an accidental drowning following a heart attack.
She had trace amounts of cocaine in her system, which a coroner said contributed to her death.
Whitney Houston’s remark wasn’t Jerrod’s only shocking remark of the evening.
Elsewhere in the night, Carmichael couldn’t resist taking a dig at Tom Cruise’s beloved Scientology, with the star coming out with three awards and saying, “Hey guys I found these backstage. Three Golden Globe awards returned by Tom Cruise.
Tragedy: Houston was found unresponsive in the bathtub of the suite she stayed in at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in 2012
“I’m just hosting for a short time or whatever, but I have a suggestion, I think maybe we’ll take these three things and trade them for the safe return of Shelly Miscavige” — referring to Scientology leader David’s missing wife Miscavige, he’s been missing since 2006.
He later took aim at Kanye West – whose career and fortune have gone into freefall amid his anti-Semitism scandal – and said: “Can I hold on a second? Quick, everyone, be quiet, be quiet. I want to take a second and yell Steven Spielberg who is amazing here.
‘It’s my honor, sir, congratulations on The Fabelmans [which is based on Spielberg’s upbringing in a Jewish family]. I actually saw it on Kanye and it changed everything for him. So you’re so good you changed Kanye West’s mind.
No holding back: Whitney Houston’s crack wasn’t the only shocking comment from Jerrod that night