Whitney Houston hairstylist rebukes Oprah over relapse claims

Oprah Winfrey has faced criticism after saying Whitney Houston was high and fell off the stage during a 2009 taping of her talk show, the singer's final appearance meant to mark a comeback after rehab. Winfrey made the remark at Cannes Lions and said she had begged her studio audience not to spread the incident because it would 'destroy' Houston.

Tiffanie Dixon, Houston's longtime hairstylist, called Winfrey's account 'baloney' and said, 'It's not true.' Dixon said she was standing nearby and blamed the fall on organizers failing to rope off the stage. She added that Winfrey had people sign NDAs and threatened to fire staff if the matter surfaced, and insisted Houston 'was not high,' saying Winfrey 'has got a lot of nerve.' Houston's estate also rejected Winfrey's account, saying the singer slipped during a sound check because the area was dark and she was unfamiliar with the stage.

A source described Houston as 'upbeat and happy' that day.

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