Whitney Houston alive, rumors of death false

A spokeswoman for gay icon Whitney Houston issued a statement Thursday that the pop superstar is alive. "Whitney Houston is fine. This is a rumor, and it's not true. She thanks everyone for their concern. She is fine and at home with her family," said publicist Nancy Seltzer in a statement. Rumors swept the country Thursday that Houston had died of a drug overdose, no doubt fueled by the singer's emaciated appearance last Friday at the Michael Jackson tribute concert in New York. The star was a no-show on the following Monday, the night of Jackson's second tribute event. How prevalent was the death story? "I'm getting calls from everywhere," said a staffer at Arista Records, Houston's label. Houston has long been rumored to be gay or bisexual herself but has repeatedly denied the rumors.