ABC’s 20/20 dedicated two hours to the life and legacy of Whitney Houston Friday, and THR Editorial Director Janice Min was on hand to help flesh out the singer’s career.
“She decided she was going to stage a big comeback,” Min said, explaining why 2012 could have been the year of Whitney.
THR learned earlier this month that Houston’s camp had approached producers of the The X Factor about becoming a judge on the show.
“She had looked at Jennifer Lopez on American Idol as an example for her to follow to get back on television and use that as a way to start selling albums again,” Min said.
VIDEO: Whitney Houston’s Final Performance Two Days Before Her Death
Min also discussed Houston’s sometimes unflattering public image. In recent years, the singer was plagued by rumors of drug abuse and romantic flings. Before that, her tumultuous relationship with then-husband Bobby Brown was fodder for headlines.
“It became not about the music, not about her brilliance, not about her voice,” Min said. “It became about ‘What’s she doing with this guy?'”
Poor concert performances also dogged Houston, with missed notes being cruelly replayed and dissected online.
STORY: Whitney Houston Funeral: Family, Friends and Stars Celebrate Singer’s Life
“Her performances would go viral,” Min said. “A million commenters would come on and talk about what a train wreck she was.”
Watch one of the clips below. The rest can be found at ABC.
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