or


[02/17/12 - 10:05 AM]
Al Roker's Exclusive Interview With Aretha Franklin About Whitney Houston and Her Legacy Airs on "Dateline" Tonight at 10P/9C
Viewers will also see exclusive footage of Houston at the Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts in 1997 when the school was named in her honor.

[via press release from NBC]

AL ROKER'S EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH ARETHA FRANKLIN ABOUT WHITNEY HOUSTON AND HER LEGACY AIRS ON "DATELINE" TONIGHT AT 10P/9C

February 17, 2012 - New York, NY - On the eve of Whitney Houston's funeral, more of Al Roker's "Today" interview with Aretha Franklin, will air on "Dateline" at 10p/9c. Performing at Houston's memorial tomorrow, Franklin talks to Roker exclusively about when she first met Houston, who she affectionately called Nippy, where she was when she found out that the legendary singer had passed and what she believes Houston's legacy will be. Viewers will also see exclusive footage of Houston at the Whitney E. Houston Academy of Creative and Performing Arts in 1997 when the school was named in her honor.

And after the interview, Natalie Morales will report on Hollywood TV producer Bruce Beresford-Redman and his wife Monica who were vacationing with their family at a luxury resort in Cancun Mexico in April 2010. But when Monica was later found dead on the hotel property, Mexican investigators now had a murder mystery on their hands...and a primary suspect, her husband.

Sound bites from Roker's interview follow. If used, must include mandatory credit with airdate, Dateline, Friday, February 17, 2012:

AL ROKER: Did you ever have any idea that this little girl would become this?

ARETHA FRANKLIN: Who knew? Who knew? No one could forecast the monumental success she had. No one knew how big she would blow up.

###

AL ROKER: We've all read about Whitney's struggles. And, you know, through the years, did she ever talk to you about that - look for some sort of guidance or counseling?

ARETHA FRANKLIN: No, but early on, I let her know that if she needed any advice and if she needed to talk about anything, she could always call me.

###

ARETHA FRANKLIN: She had a number of difficult evenings in Europe. I watched that online myself.

AL ROKER: And when you watched it, what did you think?

ARETHA FRANKLIN: I didn't like what I saw happening. The audience was -- they were very rude. Oh, I'm sure that she was totally devastated by the time it was over. She had to be totally devastated. You know, when you're a singer and you can't sing what it is you want to sing. You know, when you can't give the audience what you want to give, it's very disheartening.

###

AL ROKER: Do you think about what her legacy is going to be? I mean, here this collection of just unbelievable songs...

ARETHA FRANKLIN: Yeah certainly her body of work is going to go on for generations to come. From generation to generation, that definitely would be her legacy. Yeah.

AL ROKER: But you know, again, there's -- this ending. Do you think that tarnishes it at all? Or takes away from it?

ARETHA FRANKLIN: No, I don't. I don't think that we should focus on the challenges that she had. Because in some way, we all have challenges, from time to time. I don't think we should focus on that. Look at the character of the person and the character of the woman. And think about the hits and forget the misses.

###

David Corvo is the senior executive producer and Liz Cole is the executive producer of "Dateline" (Fridays at 10p/9c and Sundays at 7p/6c). Follow "Dateline" on Facebook and Twitter @datelinenbc.





  [february 2012]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· DATELINE NBC (NBC)





[10/24/25 - 02:30 PM]
Video: First Look at Upcoming New Drama "Memory of a Killer" Starring Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperioli - Premiering This January on FOX
Dempsey stars as a hitman, Angelo Doyle, leading a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret - he has developed early onset Alzheimer's.

[10/24/25 - 02:02 PM]
"20/20" Is Friday's Most-Watched Newsmagazine Across the Board
In addition, "20/20" posted its best Adults 25-54 in more than four months.

[10/24/25 - 02:01 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board, Leading NBC in All Key Demos for the 4th Straight Week
"Nightline" grew year to year across the board: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.

[10/24/25 - 01:05 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Makes Television History - Rising for Fifth Straight Week
The October 21 episode scored 6.63 million Total Viewers and a 1.38 rating among Adults 18-49, hitting new season highs in both demographics.

[10/24/25 - 08:01 AM]
Netflix Announces "Hollywood Arts," A Brand-New Spinoff of Hit Live-Action, "Victorious," with Daniella Monet Returning as Star and Executive Producer
The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026, followed by releases on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.

[10/24/25 - 07:14 AM]
FOX Sports Readies for Major League Baseball's 121st World Series Presented by Capital One
Action leads off Friday, October 24, between the National League and current reigning World champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League champion Toronto Blue Jays from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9: The Reunion - Official Trailer - Netflix
Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.

[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM]
Experience the Family, the Fun, and the Fantastic! Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Lands Exclusively on Disney+ November 5
Continuing the celebration of Marvel's First Family, the announcement was made live from SpaceCon 2025 in San Antonio, where The Fantastic Four: First Steps Immersive Pop-Up Experience invites attendees to step inside the iconic Baxter Building.

[10/24/25 - 06:00 AM]
The CW Network and Xfinity Celebrate 11 Years of the NASCAR Xfinity Series by Presenting the Third Stage of the Championship Race Commercial-Free
Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, November 1, the commercial-free stage presented by Xfinity was created to thank the loyal race fans who have supported the NASCAR Xfinity Series for more than a decade - helping the series grow through their unwavering enthusiasm, increased viewership, and continued trackside attendance.

[10/23/25 - 05:01 PM]
Video: "As You Stood By" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When two women plot to end an abusive marriage through murder, an unexpected visitor arrives - threatening to shatter everything they've carefully planned.

[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM]
Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock
Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.

[10/23/25 - 02:28 PM]
The 305 Just Got Hotter: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Moves to BET Season 7 Premieres Tuesday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT
The upcoming seventh season dives deeper than ever into Miami's thriving entertainment scene, following a cast of stars who are rebuilding, rebranding, and redefining success in real time.

[10/23/25 - 01:30 PM]
Critically Acclaimed Noir Thriller, "Dark Winds," to Return to AMC and AMC+ Sunday, February 15
The series' gripping fourth season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime.

[10/23/25 - 12:01 PM]
Video: BET+ Releases Trailer for Horror Film "A Demon's Revenge"
In the film, following the bloodshed in Belize, Peaches, played by Jhoné Lucas, delves deeper into Caribbean folklore and the terrifying truth that lurks beneath.

[10/23/25 - 12:00 PM]
FOX Entertainment Acquires Equity Stake in Chain, Forging Strategic Partnership with Experiential Food Phenomenon Co-Founded by B.J. Novak
Included in the investment is a first look development deal through Chain Media.