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When
they wed in 1992 the union seemed to outsiders to be
a mismatch. Houston — once one of the best-selling
singers in history — was a glamorous, pop superstar
with a super-clean, princess-like persona, whereas Brown,
who rose to fame as a member of the boy band New Edition
before striking out on his own, was a sometimes coarse
R&B singer with a more street-wise image.
But
as the years wore on, it would become hard to determine
which one was more troubled. Though Brown — best
known for hits like "My Prerogative" and "Every
Little Step" — would be arrested numerous
times for drugs and alcohol, Houston's own battles with
substance abuse sullied her image.
Together,
the two were a tabloid editor's dream. When Brown was
released from a stretch in jail a few years ago, an
ecstatic Houston greeted him by jumping into his arms
and throwing her arms and legs around him before a throng
of fans and media.
And
in a 2002 ABC interview with Diane Sawyer, an erratic-sounding
and wan-looking Houston, with a profusely sweating Brown
by her side, admitted dabbling in drugs but denied using
crack, then uttered the now famous phrase: "Crack
is wack."
Houston
checked into a drug rehabilitation program in 2004 and
again in 2005, announcing the second time that she was
also using prayer to help overcome her drug problems.
Brown said at the time he was doing what he could to
help her.
"It
takes two to make things work, so I have to be there
for her just like she was there for me when I went through
my rehab stint," he told Access Hollywood.
The
couple did separate for a time a few years ago, but
their marriage endured, despite rumors and speculation.
Their life was put on display last year with Brown's
reality series, "Being Bobby Brown" on Bravo.
The show actually made Brown look like a stable influence,
while a jittery Houston was on display; the couple often
crudely talked about their marriage and love life.
But
earlier this year, the speculation of a possible split
intensified. Brown's sister made headlines when she
alleged in a National Enquirer interview that Houston
was addicted to crack. She also supplied photos of what
she said was Houston's bathroom, littered with garbage
and evidence of drug use.
Phaedra
Parks, an entertainment lawyer in Atlanta who represents
Brown, said he told her Wednesday that Houston recently
filed paperwork in California seeking a separation.
"It
is a legal separation. It is not a divorce or a divorce
petition," Parks said.
Parks
said she has not seen the documents and didn't know
which court they were filed in.
Asked
to speak with Brown, Parks said, "Bobby's not speaking
with anyone at this time."
Recently,
Houston has made attempts to clean up her public image.
On Tuesday night, she attended a public event with cousin
Dionne Warwick and mogul and mentor Clive Davis in Beverly
Hills. And she is working on an album of new material;
she hasn't released a record since 2002.
Houston,
43, won multiple Grammys in the 1980s and 1990s, including
two for the megahit "I Will Always Love You,"
from the 1992 film "The Bodyguard," in which
she also starred opposite Kevin Costner.
"I
Will Always Love You," won Grammys for record of
the year and best female pop vocal, and "The Bodyguard"
soundtrack won album of the year.
Houston
also won Grammys in 1985 and 1987 for best female pop
vocal for "Saving All My Love For You" and
"I Want to Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)."
She won a Grammy for best female R&B vocal in 1999
for "It's Not Right But It's Okay."
Her
musician husband recently reunited with New Edition
for a show at July's Essence Musical Festival. The show
got mixed reviews from the audience when Brown jumped
suggestively around the stage and made vulgar remarks
about his sex life with Houston.
AP
Music Writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody in New York and staff
writer Harry Weber in Atlanta contributed to this report.
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