Oprah Winfrey's recent remarks about Whitney Houston have sparked renewed controversy, with a veteran journalist accusing the media icon of altering her account of an incident involving the late singer. During a June appearance at the Cannes Lions festival in France, Winfrey, 72, stated that Houston, who passed away in 2012, had “gone back on drugs” at the time of their 2009 interview. This interview was intended to mark Houston’s return following rehabilitation. Winfrey also recounted an episode in which Houston allegedly fell off the stage of Winfrey’s talk show set, attributing the fall to drug impairment.

Houston’s estate quickly disputed these claims, asserting that the singer’s fall was caused by darkness on the stage and her unfamiliarity with the setting, not substance use. According to the estate’s statement, Houston was “absolutely not high” during the incident.

The situation escalated after journalist Roger Friedman published a report challenging Winfrey’s most recent version of events. Friedman recalled a 2021 conversation during a Zoom event hosted by music executive Clive Davis, where Winfrey reportedly said the fall was not drug-related. Friedman quoted Winfrey as saying, “It was not drugs,” with Davis reportedly agreeing. Instead, Winfrey described the fall as a slip that unsettled Houston, leading her to pause and recover before continuing.

Friedman suggested that Winfrey’s Cannes Lions narrative contradicted her earlier account and accused her of knowingly providing a false version of events. He stated, “There’s no reason to lie about it now except to make headlines,” and indicated he might release footage of the 2021 discussion to support his claim. Representatives for Winfrey did not respond to requests for comment.

This dispute highlights lingering sensitivities surrounding Houston’s struggles and the legacy of her final years in the public eye. The differing accounts reflect broader controversies over the portrayal of the late singer’s challenges and the accuracy of widely circulated anecdotes involving prominent figures like Winfrey.