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Music legend Lionel Richie has shared a string of never-before-heard stories about his long-time friend and collaborator Michael Jackson, revealing that the late superstar had some unusual personal habits, including, according to Richie, occasionally being “a little smelly.”
In his newly released memoir Truly, Richie reflects on his decades in the music industry and his close friendships with some of pop’s biggest icons. Among the most eye-catching revelations are his recollections of Jackson’s “eccentric” lifestyle during the height of his fame in the 1980s.
According to Richie, Jackson’s unique personality was both childlike and absent-minded. “He was like an absent-minded professor but still a kid,” he writes. “Michael had such a magical mind, but sometimes he forgot about the little things, like washing his clothes.”
Richie recalls that legendary producer Quincy Jones, who famously worked with Jackson on Thriller, Bad, and Off The Wall, jokingly nicknamed the star “Smelly.”
“He called him that with love,” Richie explains. “Michael would laugh too, realising he was oblivious to the fact that he hadn’t changed or washed his clothes for a couple of days. We all have our quirks.”
The “All Night Long” singer went on to explain that Jackson’s lack of hygiene was not born from laziness, but rather from the immense pressures and complications of fame. At the peak of his superstardom, Jackson could not simply walk into a store to buy new clothes or drop them off at a cleaner’s without causing a public frenzy.
Credit: HarperOne, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
“Everybody kept something for a souvenir,” Richie reveals. “If Michael sent clothes to be cleaned, they’d often disappear. He just got into the habit of wearing the same pants until they were unwearable.”
The pair’s friendship dates back to the 1970s, when both were establishing themselves as global music icons. They famously collaborated on “We Are The World” in 1985, the charity single that brought together dozens of stars to raise funds for famine relief in Africa.
Despite his quirks, Richie insists that Jackson was “a beautiful soul” who lived in his own creative universe. “Michael saw the world differently,” he writes. “He could find wonder in the simplest things. His eccentricities were just part of what made him who he was.”
Richie also reflects on the challenges of maintaining normalcy amid global superstardom, noting that fame took a toll on both artists in different ways. “When you’re that famous, your world shrinks,” he says. “You lose the ability to do normal things, and that can make you retreat into yourself. Michael just wanted to create, to dance, and to make people happy.”
The memoir, which chronicles Richie’s rise from Motown hopeful to international icon, features stories from his years with the Commodores, his solo success, and his encounters with stars like Diana Ross, Tina Turner, and Prince.
While his comments about Jackson have sparked headlines, Richie says his intention is not to embarrass his late friend but to show him as “real, human, and full of heart.”
“Michael wasn’t perfect, none of us are,” he concludes. “But he was extraordinary.”
