Rep Swears Whitney Houston in "Great Health"; Now About Her Voice...

Houston's camp denies singer has been struggling onstage during Down Under tour

Whitney is pulling a Britney.

Just as the "Oops" purveyor sought to dispute reports of a Down Under tour debacle, so is the "So Emotional" One, whose camp today issued a statement claiming that, despite reports to the contrary, she's in fighting form, thank you very much.

"Whitney is in great health and having a terrific time on her tour and with her fans," says publicist Kristen Foster. "There were over 9,000 people at her show in Brisbane, and there were over 12,000 at Acer Arena last night in Sydney. Her fans were dancing and singing along with her and Whitney appreciates their support."

But that opinion wasn't exactly unanimous.

Clips uploaded to YouTube and other video-sharing sites seem to show a hoarse, breathless Houston having a rough time with the high notes during Monday's show in Brisbane. In some cases, she apparently relied on her brother, backup singer Gary Houston, and other vocalists to help out.

She also reportedly took frequent time-outs, including stopping for a sip of water smack in the middle of a croaky rendition of show-stopper "I Will Always Love You."

Some fans vented in the local press, demanding their money back. One concertgoer even suggesting to Asiancorrespondent.com that "she couldn't entertain a dead rat."

While calling her Sydney appearance last night "bizarre and weird," the Sydney Morning Herald did give Houston some props, noting she "rocked" the audience during the first half and despite some "incoherence" on her part, those in attendance eventually "warmed to her."

Now that's one for the billboards.