Whitney Houston Death

Just five days before her death, Whitney Houston was GETTIN' DOWN to Madonna's Super Bowl halftime show ... singing and dancing to the music like her old self ... and TMZ has the footage.

It all went down Feb. 5 at a bar inside the Regent Beverly Wilshire hotel ... where Whitney watched the entire game with close family and friends. For the record, we're told she didn't have one drink.

But she did let loose ... because when Madge busted out Vogue ... a super-excited Whitney sang along and even busted out some of the trademark Vogue dance moves.

Sources close to the actress tell us ... Whitney RAVED about the performance and then reminisced about the days when she would battle Madonna on the music charts.

Whitney Houston's "home going" ceremony has turned into a money maker for her Estate -- which very quietly struck a deal to sell the video of the funeral.

Here's how it went down ... Associated Press provided a live pool feed of the funeral to media outlets around the world (including TMZ) on Saturday -- but everyone had to pull the footage 24 hours later. Why?

A rep for the family confirms the family has now "agreed to license footage to several media outlets." The rep says the family is charging "customary fees" to ... "help maximize the estate for the benefit of Bobbi Kristina."

Don't count on finding a scrap of Whitney Houston death room memorabilia -- sources tell TMZ, the singer's family has meticulously stripped the hotel room where Whitney died to preempt would-be looters.

According to sources, the family has removed nearly everything from room 434 at the Beverly Hilton hotel that hasn't been bolted down -- including bed sheets, towels ... even bits of trash.

We're told the family is concerned about people trying to make a desperate buck off Whitney's death -- raiding the singer's hotel room and trying to sell relics of her passing ... whatever they might be.

It's unclear exactly what happened to the macabre souvenirs, but we're told they were all disposed of ... discreetly.

Pop legend Whitney Houston was buried today at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield, NJ.

Houston was laid to rest next to her father, John Russell Houston, who died in 2003. The burial was a small "family only" affair and not the star-studded event that yesterday's moving funeral service was.

As TMZ first reported, Whitney's casket was heavily protected since the funeral yesterday ... with nearly 10 security guards working in shifts to keep it guarded.

Houston passed away back on February 11. A cause of death has yet to be determined.

Bobby Brown has been battling with Whitney Houston's family over seeing his daughter ever since Whitney passed away last week ... but Bobby won't turn this into a legal battle ... TMZ has learned.

Sources close to the New Edition singer tell TMZ ... Bobby really wants to be there for Bobbi Kristina, but does not want to make the situation more stressful for her than it already is.

We're told Bobby was very upset with how he was treated at Whitney's funeral yesterday and feels her family should be as considerate to him as his family was to Whitney when Bobby's mother passed away last year.

According to our sources, Bobby won't bring lawyers into the situation and, as one source said, he feels "this sort of thing you let the higher power handle."

Aretha Franklin canceled her scheduled appearance at Whitney Houston's funeral service in New Jersey yesterday afternoon ... but was well enough to perform at Radio City Music Hall that night.

Aretha said she had been suffering from leg spasms and wanted to rest up for her show, rather than travel for the funeral. She released a statement, saying in part, "heart goes out to my dear friend Cissy, Dionne, Bobbi Kristina and the rest of the family. May God keep them all."

The Queen of Soul dedicated a portion of her show to Whitney, and also to Nick Ashford, who passed away last August.

Just hours after Bobby Brown made a brief appearance and then bailed at Whitney Houston's funeral ... he showed up to perform with New Edition in Connecticut ... and stayed.

Bobby has performed numerous times since Whitney's passing, the first time just hours after she died.

Bobby gave another shout-out to Whitney and again referred to himself as ... "bad ass Bobby Brown."

Still classy as ever.

Multiple guests staying at the Beverly Hilton Hotel the day Whitney Houston died claim their stay was absolutely UNBEARABLE due to commotion surrounding the singer's death -- and the hotel has done nothing to address their dissatisfaction.

TMZ spoke with several guests who stayed on the 4th floor when Whitney died -- the same floor Whitney had been staying on -- and they tell us ... the entire floor was on lockdown over the weekend, making their lives miserable.

We're told guests couldn't walk down a hallway without being hassled for their key cards by hotel security -- to prove they were, in fact, guests of the hotel.

Worse ... we're told law enforcement and EMS were running all over the hotel all weekend, creating an intolerable ruckus -- making it impossible to get a moment's quiet, let alone sleep.

When guests asked the hotel to refund their money, or offer a discount -- we're told the hotel refused ... instructing guests to file an official complaint either online or at the hotel's front desk.

A rep for the Beverly Hilton tells TMZ, "Given the extraordinary nature of the events of last Saturday evening, The Beverly Hilton took every precaution to protect the privacy of the Houston Family as well as the hotel guests who may have been impacted by the incident."

The casket of Whitney Houston will be heavily guarded until the burial Sunday morning, with a whopping 10 security guards tasked with keeping watch on it ... TMZ has learned.

According to our sources, the casket will be kept at the cemetery until tomorrow's burial ... but will be well-protected until then.

We're told the family will get an opportunity to see Whitney one more time between now and tomorrow morning.

TMZ has obtained a complete copy of the program handed out during Whitney Houston's funeral today in Newark, NJ.

The program contains dozens of photos of Whitney -- from when she was a baby, through her chart-topping days and beyond.

Kevin Costner, Clive Davis, Alicia Keys and Stevie Wonder were among those that spoke and sung during the service.

As TMZ previously reported, Bobby Brown showed up at the church, but was turned away because he wasn't allowed to bring his nine-person entourage into the church with him.

Bobby Brown was asked to leave Whitney Houston's funeral today ... after he got into an argument with Whitney's family over whether or not he could bring nine people into the church with him ... TMZ has learned.

Brown was spotted going into the church today in Newark, NJ ... but was seen leaving shortly thereafter.

According to our sources, Brown was invited, plus two, but instead showed up with an entourage of nine people. We're told Bobby became upset when he found out they would not seat his whole party.

Our sources say Bobby wanted to sit with his daughter, Bobbi Kristina, but Whitney's family was not having it.

We're told Rev. Jesse Jackson tried to smooth things over ... but to no avail.

Rev. Al Sharpton spoke of the incident with Bobby as he left the church, saying, "He showed nothing but love and respect for Whitney. I wish people would leave Bobby alone" (see video below).

Brown issued a statement later on, saying, "My children and I were invited to the funeral of my ex-wife Whitney Houston. We were seated by security and then subsequently asked to move on three separate occasions."

He continued, "I fail to understand why security treated my family this way and continue to ask us and no one else to move. Security then prevented me from attempting to see my daughter Bobbi-Kristina. In light of the events, I gave a kiss to the casket of my ex-wife and departed as I refused to create a scene."

Whitney Houston's funeral has only just begun ... but Bobby Brown has already left the church.

Our camera guys outside the funeral spotted Bobby ever-so-briefly on his way in ... and his SUVs returned a short time later, though Bobby cannot be seen leaving (see video below).

Rev. Al Sharpton tweeted just moments ago, saying, "I am at Whitney's funeral. I spoke with Bobby Brown trying to calm him down and not distract from the services. Today is about Whitney!"

As TMZ first reported, after some opposition from some family members ... Bobby was officially invited to the funeral today.

A list of people scheduled to speak during the "home going service" for Whitney Houston was just shown to the media outside the church ... but one famous name listed will be a no-show.

Aretha Franklin will not be at the service today, CNN is reporting, due to illness.

Tyler Perry, Kevin Costner, Clive Davis and Dionne Warwick are among those scheduled to speak.

The gold hearse carrying the body of Whitney Houston just arrived to the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, NJ ... where Whitney's funeral service will be held in just a few hours.

Hours before the funeral of Whitney Houston is set to take place, fans left a slew of balloons in a makeshift memorial outside the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, NJ.

Around 1,500 invited guests will pay their last respects today -- among them... Kevin Costner, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, Revs. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton.

Whitney Houston's family wants Bobbi Kristina to enter a live-in rehab facility ASAP -- but sources tell TMZ, they're holding off on telling her until after Whitney's funeral today.

According to sources connected with the family, Bobbi has struggled with substance abuse issues for the last three or four years -- and the family wants her to seek out professional help at a 60-day live-in treatment facility before her problems get worse.

We're told the family is aware Whitney fell off the wagon in the weeks leading to her death -- and they don't want the same fate to befall her daughter.

But they're not putting pressure on her to enter rehab right away -- they want to give her time to grieve during and immediately after her mother's funeral today.