October 2, 2025
Lionel Richie says the late King of Pop’s poor hygiene earned him one other memorable nickname.
Lionel Richie is opening up about Michael Jackson’s poor hygiene habits.
In his newly launched memoir, Actually, Richie will get candid about his friendship with Jackson and the King of Pop’s “eccentric” way of life. Having grown up within the highlight below the steerage of his mother and father, Joe and Katherine Jackson, Richie believes Jackson might have missed out on studying some fundamental classes in private care.
“Michael was very shut along with his siblings and his mother, however as soon as he went solo, making these monster albums, films and movies, he was in command of his personal ship,” Richie wrote within the e book, based on Folks. “His day-to-day life was what you would name eccentric. Like an absent-minded professor however nonetheless a child.”
Because of this, the Thriller singer was given the nickname “Smelly” by producer Quincy Jones, the mastermind behind the long-lasting album.
“Michael would chortle too, realizing that he was oblivious to the truth that he hadn’t modified or washed his garments for a few days or so,” wrote Richie. “All of us have our quirks.”
Richie defined that the King of Pop’s shortcomings in private hygiene made sense given his hectic but low-maintenance way of life when he wasn’t on stage or within the highlight.
“He was on tour performing within the elaborate costumes made for him by his stylists, or he was in his pajama bottoms and slippers within the studio or he was in his going-out apparel,” Richie wrote. “Or he was at residence in one thing free and comfy so he might observe his dance strikes and play along with his menagerie of pets.”
However even the “Hi there” singer couldn’t deny that Jackson was usually “smelly” each time they have been collectively.
“Every time Michael came visiting me, he was sporting no matter—denims and a t-shirt. And the denims have been both falling off him or too brief to even be denims and, effectively, smelly,” Richie wrote.
Richie believes life on the highway stored Jackson from washing his garments, and gadgets despatched to the dry cleaner usually disappeared as “souvenirs.” Because of this, Jackson “simply obtained into the behavior of sporting the identical pants till they have been unwearable,” Richie recalled.
As a supportive buddy, Richie let Jackson bathe at his residence and supplied him with recent garments.
“I drove him residence, on his again streets, and he was candy and grateful. As quickly as I walked again into my home, I handed by the lounge and seen that there on the carpet was the pair of Michael Jackson’s underwear and his previous ratty denims. Simply mendacity there like roadkill,” Richie recalled. “What do I do however chortle? MJ was right here.”
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