Episode #16.7
- Episode aired Dec 9, 1992
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Des hosts the show from Hollywood, where he gets to resume his strained working relationship with Whitney Houston. Although the behind-the-scenes drama gives Des a stressful time once more, ... Read allDes hosts the show from Hollywood, where he gets to resume his strained working relationship with Whitney Houston. Although the behind-the-scenes drama gives Des a stressful time once more, the resolution is a happier one.Des hosts the show from Hollywood, where he gets to resume his strained working relationship with Whitney Houston. Although the behind-the-scenes drama gives Des a stressful time once more, the resolution is a happier one.
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- TriviaAfter experiencing considerable difficulties with Whitney Houston two years earlier in Episode #14.6 (1990), Des had a better experience with the star this time around.
In his 2001 autobiography "Bananas can't fly!" he recalled: "About six years later (sic) we were in Los Angeles taping two Des O'Connor Tonight programmes in front of an American audience. They were to be very high-profile shows, and we knew the public would expect a stellar line-up of guests. Producer Colin Fay rang to tell me that Whitney Houston had a film and a new single due for release and her management wanted to know if we would take her for the show. Were we interested? 'Book her, Colin. Oh, and Colin, put her on first.'
On the day of the show, Whitney arrived promptly, finished her rehearsal and retired to her dressing room. In America they record at 5.30 p.m., and at about four o'clock Colin Fay had a message from Whitney Houston's management. 'Miss Houston will only sing her song. She will not be doing an interview with Des.' Colin and John Fisher, the executive producer, hurried to my room. John was concerned that without an interview we would be about twelve minutes short for the show. He suggested I should go to Whitney's room to try to persuade her to do it.
I wasn't sure that this was a good idea, but I went, took a deep breath and knocked on the door. I pointed out to Whitney how much the viewers and the studio audience would love to hear about all the wonderful things going on in her life. She had only been married a year, and she was expecting her first child. The film, The Bodyguard, was her first major movie and she was going to perform live in the studio, for the first time ever, her new record, 'I Will Always Love You'. "Whitney, the crowd are going to be thrilled. It's all positive news, and this show is a perfect platform for you to share all these exciting events with a massive audience.'
I went back to John and Colin with a big grin on my face. 'It's OK. The interview is back in.' I was very relieved - it would have been a real shame to have had Whitney there on the stage without being able to talk to her about everything that was happening. Five minutes before I went out to do my studio audience warm-up, we got another Whitney message. 'Miss Houston has changed her mind. She will not be doing an interview.'
It was time for some of my tried and tested positive thinking. The youngish American crowd were in high spirits. They gave me a fantastic welcome and laughed in all the right places. And American audiences don't just laugh, they whoop, yell and squeal. I announced the guests who would be appearing on the show. Each name was received with wild enthusiasm. Then it was time to bring Whitney out on to the set to start the show. I took a chance.
'So will you now welcome the superb talent that is Whitney Houston!' As Whitney walked on to a sensational welcome, I beckoned her over to the couch. To my relief and delight, she came over and sat down. At first she seemed reluctant to talk at all, but gradually she loosened up and in the end she was surprisingly informative. When I asked her if her husband Bobby was romantic, she smiled that smile and said, 'Romantic? He romances me to death!'
She answered all my questions with humour, and the little piece of herself she offered us that night must have won her even more fans. She didn't do the full twelve minutes scheduled, but she kept the audience spellbound for about five minutes before suddenly turning to them and saying: 'Right, enough talking. You wanna hear the song now, OK?'
They certainly did. It was, as I say, the first time she had performed that song in public, but she was just superb. There was no doubt that the record would be a worldwide smash. And so it proved. 'I Will Always Love You' was the biggest hit of Whitney's career, and the movie went straight to number one. Whitney Houston may not be the easiest person to work with, but she is still very welcome to guest on my show any time she wants to."
While such recollections give an insight into some of the behind-the-scenes drama involved in the making of a chat show, it must be noted that not only are such views subjective, but also reliant on memory, with the book being written almost a decade after the fact. Watching the interview, there are several elements that don't match with Des's recall of events, including the fact that it's Des, not Whitney, who decides it's time for the song (unless very clever editing was used for the final product) and these events took place two years after their first meeting, not six.
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