On Sept. 7, 2001, one month after signing a $100 million record deal with Arista, Houston shocked audiences at the Michael Jackson 30th Anniversary Celebration concert with her alarmingly gaunt appearance. Speculation was rampant: Was Houston — whose prior studio album had sold a disappointing 2.8 million — anorexic? On drugs? In 2002, the singer sat down with Diane Sawyer and admitted to past drug use, but declared: ''Crack is wack.''
CAREER IMPACT: MINOR This episode was one among Houston's many career setbacks, including being fired from an Oscar performance in 2000, and a weird 2005 reality show with husband Bobby Brown. Today the singer — who arrived looking glam and healthy at a pre-Grammy party in February, and who filed for divorce from Brown last year — is recording a new album with Clive Davis.
