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[New York Daily News Article About Why Whitney Didn't Perform At The Oscars] Tinseltown Plays 'Where's Whitney?' Hollywood was abuzz yesterday about why Whitney Houston never got to sing at the Oscars. The Grammy-winning songstress was scheduled to perform in the Burt Bacharach musical segment that featured Queen Latifah, Ray Charles and Isaac Hayes. But, at the last minute, she was replaced by Faith Hill. Insiders said Houston had difficulty completing her musical numbers during a rehearsal Friday and bungled some of the lyrics. The rehearsal performance fueled rumors that Houston didn't leave the show of her own accord. But Houston spokeswoman Nancy Seltzer said the singer was ill. "Whitney arrived in Los Angeles with a sore throat," she said. "After participating in rehearsals both Thursday and Friday nights, she was unsure that she would be better by Sunday. She therefore regretfully withdrew from the performance." Jane Labonte, a spokeswoman for the Academy, agreed, and said: "The poor gal was sick. She couldn't sing to the best of her ability. She wasn't fired; it may have been a mutual decision, but she was certainly part of the process." The decision to select Hill apparently didn't sit well with Garth Brooks, who was set to perform after Whitney. Word is, he was upset that other country singers weren't considered. But Brooks' rep, Karen Bird, said the singer's "concern was for Whitney and her feelings, because he had known her for a long time, not over who her replacement would be." NEWSFILE: 28 MARCH 2000 |