Whitney Houston’s addiction….to nicotine….is being blamed for the singing legend’s recent tour controversy and string of questionable performances in Australia. Houston’s tour promoter, Andrew McManus, cites the “I Will Always Love You” singer’s refusal to quit smoking for her faltering voice during a series of shows in Brisbane and Sydney this month.
The R&B superstar’s Nothing But Love Tour has been steeped in controversy after complaints from critics and fans Down Under, who claim Whitney been struggling to complete her sets. Thousands of fans walked out of the star’s first show in Australia in more than 20 years last Sunday night after she coughed her way through songs, took regular breaks to catch her breath, and croaked through a series of her signature hits.
“Whitney smokes. God bless her, I can’t tell her not to. She will not take any substances. She just will not. It is what it is. She’s comfortable with the show she’s performing. She knows she’s not hitting every note like she used to. But it’s value for money, it’s Whitney Houston warts and all,” McManus explains, blaming Whit’s tobacco addiction for a recent onset of breathing troubles. “I talked to her after the Sydney show. I told her I have her back, but she said, ‘If the good Lord wants me to be attacked and ridiculed that’s the road I have to go down.’ It’s an interesting approach. Here I am being aggressive in trying to protect her and she said, ‘I love you for it but let it go. I can only give my best, if that’s not good enough, so be it. I’m comfortable in my own skin.’”