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Coming out of the dark

Disgraced divas on the mend -- Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and others prove there's hope after public scandal

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By Hannah Tucker

Coming Out of the Dark

Buck up, Britney! These once-disgraced divas prove hope isn't lost.

MARIAH CAREY
Where She Stumbled After a disastrous movie bid and a loopy appearance on MTV's TRL in 2001, an exhausted Carey took a much-needed time-out. The Fix Lying low — and playing to her strengths on 2005's massively successful The Emancipation of Mimi — put Carey right back on top.

CHRISTINA AGUILERA
Where She Stumbled By abruptly adopting a skanky new persona to promote 2002's Stripped. The Fix Clothes helped. So did talent: Last year's Back to Basics proved the newlywed had the pipes (and the creativity) to toe the line between domestic goddess and ''Dirrty'' diva.

COURTNEY LOVE
Where She Stumbled Where do we start? From drug problems to the breakup of her critically adored band Hole, Love's career has suffered many setbacks. The Fix America's Sweetheart (2004) was a decent start. She's now reportedly at work on a solo album that she began writing in rehab.

WHITNEY HOUSTON
Where She Stumbled Houston, we had a problem. After a sizzling run in the '90s, her financial woes, erratic behavior, and cringe-inducing Bravo reality series eclipsed her enormous talent. The Fix Newly single, Houston is now at work on a hoped-for comeback album with Clive Davis.

Posted Feb 23, 2007 | Published in issue #923 Mar 02, 2007 | Order Article Reprints