newark. there are giant clusters of balloons that have adorned the makeshift memorials honoring the star outside of that church where there now is an air of reverence inside, but there is also celebration because she has lived a life worth of celebration, her many, many achievements and there will be tributes and beautiful words paying tribute to whitney houston. craig melvin is there for us live. it is expected to begin shortly, correct? reporter: it is expected to begin at any moment now, alex witt. the funeral set to start at noon. weir told it will probably last about an hour and a half. a number of dignitaries, a number of performers are inside that church. we will see and hear from some of those throughout the next several hours, we are told. one of the folks who was set to perform will not perform. as we reported a short time ago, aretha franklin, the queen of south herself, was set to give a musical tribute at whitney s funeral will not be performing. we learned tha
makeshift memorials honoring the star outside of that church where there now is an air of reverence inside, but there is also celebration because she has lived a life worth of celebration, her many, many achievements and there will be tributes and beautiful words paying tribute to whitney houston. craig melvin is there for us live. it is expected to begin shortly, correct? reporter: it is expected to begin at any moment now, alex witt. the funeral set to start at noon. weir told it will probably last about an hour and a half. a number of dignitaries, a number of performers are inside that church. we will see and hear from some of those throughout the next several hours, we are told. one of the folks who was set to perform will not perform. as we reported a short time ago, aretha franklin, the queen of south herself, was set to give a musical tribute at whitney s funeral will not be performing. we learned that and shortly thereafter we learned she ll not be there as well bec