Taken to the Emotional Cleaners?

Here's the new video for Whitney Houston's "Million Dollar Bill," a song I find utterly irresistible. (Loving the video, too: What a surprise to see the opening scene and realize it's the dry cleaner a block from my apartment, seen below on my way home from work!) I've never been a HUGE Whitney fan -- I've liked some singles ("Saving All My Love for You," "My Love Is Your Love" remix, please) and hated others ("I'm Your Baby Tonight," "My Name Is Not Susan"), but I must confess this new one is the first thing of hers I've ever actually bought. Although I didn't give much thought when I clicked the "purchase" button on iTunes the other week, looking back I think it may have been the same motivation that caused (compelled?) me to subscribe to Martha Stewart Living the day she was released from prison. (I got 12 issues and never even looked at one. I don't like crap like that!) Call me a sucker for an underdog, but there's something about a woman who's been on top who falls from grace -- however much by her own doing, or not -- that makes me wanna see her rise again. Whitney's appearance on Oprah left me with serious doubts about her recovery (as my pal Debora put it, you probably don't EVER fully recover from being on drugs locked away in a bedroom watching TV for weeks on end). But I'm happy to hear that with the right collaborators, she's still capable of making a catchy little tune that can make me smile and dance, even if I move about as good as Whitney does. (Hat tip to Andy)