Lionel Richie says Michael Jackson was nicknamed ‘Smelly’ for poor hygiene and would “wear pants until they were unwearable”

MIchael Jackson and Lionel Richie circa 1985 – CREDIT: Lester Cohen/Getty Images

Lionel Richie has opened up about his friend and collaborator Michael Jackson in his new memoir, claiming that Jackson may have had some hygiene issues at the height of his fame.

In Richie’s new memoir, Truly, he claims that Jackson led an “eccentric” day-to-day life, “like an absent-minded professor but still a kid.” He went on to claim that late music producer Quincey Jones, who worked with Jackson on some of his most famous songs, would tease Jackson with the nickname “Smelly.’

He also claims in his book (an except of which was published in People): “Michael would laugh too, realising that he was oblivious to the fact that he hadn’t changed or washed his clothes for a couple of days or so…We all have our quirks.”

Richie says his poor hygiene was partly due to his extreme level of fame, saying he couldn’t simply visit a department store to buy things or risk being mobbed by fans. Also, he says when he sent clothes for cleaning, they’d often never be returned on account of his fame.

“Everybody kept something for a souvenir,” writes Richie. “He just got into the habit of wearing the same pants until they were unwearable.”

He goes on: “He was on tour performing in the elaborate costumes made for him by his stylists, or he was in his pyjama bottoms and slippers in the studio or he was in his going-out attire. Or he was at home in something loose and comfortable so he could practice his dance moves and play with his menagerie of pets.”

He continued: “Whenever Michael came to visit me, he was wearing whatever — jeans and a t-shirt. And the jeans were either falling off him or too short to even be jeans and, well, smelly.”

“I drove him home, on his back streets, and he was sweet and thankful. As soon as I walked back into my house, I passed by the living room and noticed that there on the carpet was a pair of Michael Jackson’s underwear and his old, ratty jeans. Just lying there like roadkill,” he writes. “What do I do but laugh? MJ was here.”

Richie has just completed a tour of the UK this summer. The last time Richie was here was in 2023 to perform at the Coronation Concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle. Following renditions of his songs ‘Easy Like Sunday Morning’ and ‘All Night Long’, the 73-year-old received some backlash from fans watching the broadcast at home, who were quick to point out how his vocals sounded different to what they expected.

Richie also toured the US in 2023 with Earth, Wind & Fire on their Sing A Song All Night Long Tour. He then performed a residency in Las Vegas later in 2023.

In other news, a forthcoming Jackson biopic, titled simply Michael, is currently scheduled to release in April next year. It is directed by Antoine Fuqua, with Michael’s real-life nephew Jaafar Jackson playing the King of Pop. Oscar nominee and Euphoria star Colman Domingo will play Michael’s father, Joe Jackson.