BY Eric Rezsnyak
Whitney Houston was an idol to millions. She inspired with her songs, with her movies, and later, with her unintentional contributions to meme culture. As the Great Pop Culture Debate celebrates Nippy with our Best Whitney Houston Song episode, we also decided to celebrate some of the most popular memes and gifs featuring Whitney, which continue to keep her memory alive in their own, unique way.
Read on for our favorite Whitney memes. Note that we specifically avoided anything unflattering or critical of Whitney. We’re not about that here.
10. The gif to use when the beat hits:
Try and listen to the back half of “So Emotional” without doing that move. You can’t! You can’t do it!
9. Stars: they’re just like us:
8. When you have to play nice…but not that nice.
This is the correct response whenever someone thinks they can try it, because — like Whitney — you are never the one.
7. When you and your boo make that TJMaxx-anista find:
Bravo’s “Being Bobby Brown” reality show was, let’s say, ethically complicated. But it did give us this spontaneous moment of marital bliss between Whitney and Bobby, which can be shared whenever you and your partner/kids/Good Judy score a win.
6. You got a problem? That’s YOUR problem.
Whitney reminding us that BITCH stands for Being In Total Control of Herself.
5. When someone asks, “Who is the Greatest of All Time?”
Whitney did not need to be modest. Neither do you. Modesty is outmoded in a post-Kardashian society!
4. Dad jokes for Whitney stans
3. “Kiss My Ass!”
Again, “Being Bobby Brown” was…of a moment. And it’s not the most flattering portrayal of Whitney. But post-COVID, this clip feels even more real and relatable, and honestly, who among us have not had that reaction to our partner at one time or another?
2. “I Wanna See the Receipts!”
Whitney’s Diane Sawyer was a masterclass in career self immolation, and frankly, everyone involved in it — including Sawyer — should be held to account for the spectacle. But for all its many, many faults, it did give us this sublime moment. Is it better than the Alexis Carrington “I Have the Receipts!” meme? Debatable. But iconic? You bet.
1. Not a meme, but let’s just relive Whitney on the Merv Griffin Show in 1983.
As Whitney herself sang in “The Greatest Love of All,” they can’t take away my dignity.” As difficult as Whitney’s later years were, it is so special that we still have this footage of her big national debut. Perfection. Talk about one moment in time…
What are your favorite Whitney memes? Feel free to share them in the comments? (Again, please keep them positive — we are not interested in mocking someone’s public struggles.)