Oprah Winfrey says she cared for the late great Whitney Houston during what the media expert described as one of the singer’s most embarrassing moments, and one that could have “destroyed” her career.
Speaking at the Cannes Lions International Festival at the Lumière Theater alongside festival chairman Phil Thomas on June 23, the 72-year-old media icon reflected on a painful moment of The Oprah Winfrey Show, when the iconic singer fell off stage during a performance, an incident that could have derailed her music career.
“I had so much trust from the audience of ‘The Oprah Show’… I think it was (Whitney Houston’s) last show with us, and she had gone back to drugs,” Winfrey revealed, according to Variety. “The first interview I did with her when we were standing backstage and I asked her about her intentions, she was clean, but the day she came to my show to perform for the audience, she wasn’t and she fell off the stage.”
Oprah Winfrey said she knew if the story had gotten out, it would have “destroyed” Houston’s career.
Winfrey said the moment immediately struck her as one that could have had devastating consequences if it had reached the audience the wrong way. This moment taught her the power and responsibility she carried as a media icon, and shaped the way she handled storytelling, influence and public trust throughout her career.
“I knew if that story got out… it would destroy her,” Winfrey continued. “And even though the audience was there and the audience had cameras, I begged them not to release those pictures because it would ruin her life, and they didn’t. That wouldn’t happen today, I can tell you that,” she added.
Sadly, Whitney Houston died in February 2012 at the age of 48 after an accidental drowning. complicated by the effects of heart disease and chronic cocaine use.
According to Variety, Winfrey used the story to initiate a call to action on purpose, influence and integrity in modern media.
“What you do is not just about making money and creating influence for yourself… it’s an additional aspect of life,” she said. “But you have a greater calling in life… Your greater job here on this planet is to be the best human being you can be, not the best creator, not the best talk show host, not the best podcaster, but how do you evolve into the creation that you are meant to be?”
Opra Winfrey was honored with the LionHeart Award at the Cannes Lions 2026.
Earlier this week, Oprah Winfrey was honored at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity with the LionHeart Award, recognizing leaders whose work has reshaped culture and have delivered lasting social impact. In a press release, festival organizers praised Winfrey’s decades-long legacy, from redefining daytime television to amplifying underrepresented voices in media.
“Oprah Winfrey’s influence extends far beyond the media. She has consistently used her platform to uplift others, challenge perspectives and inspire change,” festival chairman Phil Thomas shared in a press release. “Her continued commitment to using influence responsibly has helped create opportunities for others while increasing understanding on a global scale – embodying the true spirit of the LionHeart Award.”
Congratulations Oprah Winfrey!
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