Lionel Richie: Behind-The-Scenes Secrets Of ‘American Idol’ Judge
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
4. In 2007, Lionel appeared as an animated version of himself on "The Simpsons."
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
4. In 2007, Lionel appeared as an animated version of himself on "The Simpsons."
5. Lionel loves being a grandpa to adopted daughter Nicole’s two kids, calling it “the greatest thing in the world,” and adds, “The beauty of grandchildren is Nicole takes them home!”
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
4. In 2007, Lionel appeared as an animated version of himself on "The Simpsons."
5. Lionel loves being a grandpa to adopted daughter Nicole’s two kids, calling it “the greatest thing in the world,” and adds, “The beauty of grandchildren is Nicole takes them home!”
6. The protective dad says he’s “scared to death” over 19-year-old Sofia’s romance with reality TV douchebag Scott Disick, 34, who has a long history of womanizing and bad behavior.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
4. In 2007, Lionel appeared as an animated version of himself on "The Simpsons."
5. Lionel loves being a grandpa to adopted daughter Nicole’s two kids, calling it “the greatest thing in the world,” and adds, “The beauty of grandchildren is Nicole takes them home!”
6. The protective dad says he’s “scared to death” over 19-year-old Sofia’s romance with reality TV douchebag Scott Disick, 34, who has a long history of womanizing and bad behavior.
7. Lionel, shown here in 1984 with John Denver and Placido Domingo, considered becoming a preacher in the Episcopal Church — but decided he wasn’t “priest material.”
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
4. In 2007, Lionel appeared as an animated version of himself on "The Simpsons."
5. Lionel loves being a grandpa to adopted daughter Nicole’s two kids, calling it “the greatest thing in the world,” and adds, “The beauty of grandchildren is Nicole takes them home!”
6. The protective dad says he’s “scared to death” over 19-year-old Sofia’s romance with reality TV douchebag Scott Disick, 34, who has a long history of womanizing and bad behavior.
7. Lionel, shown here in 1984 with John Denver and Placido Domingo, considered becoming a preacher in the Episcopal Church — but decided he wasn’t “priest material.”
8. He’s an avid gardener and loves growing bougainvillea.
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
4. In 2007, Lionel appeared as an animated version of himself on "The Simpsons."
5. Lionel loves being a grandpa to adopted daughter Nicole’s two kids, calling it “the greatest thing in the world,” and adds, “The beauty of grandchildren is Nicole takes them home!”
6. The protective dad says he’s “scared to death” over 19-year-old Sofia’s romance with reality TV douchebag Scott Disick, 34, who has a long history of womanizing and bad behavior.
7. Lionel, shown here in 1984 with John Denver and Placido Domingo, considered becoming a preacher in the Episcopal Church — but decided he wasn’t “priest material.”
8. He’s an avid gardener and loves growing bougainvillea.
9. He owns a King Charles Spaniel named Napoleon and says of the pup, “He doesn’t listen to me — ever.”
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Photo credit: Getty Images
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
4. In 2007, Lionel appeared as an animated version of himself on "The Simpsons."
5. Lionel loves being a grandpa to adopted daughter Nicole’s two kids, calling it “the greatest thing in the world,” and adds, “The beauty of grandchildren is Nicole takes them home!”
6. The protective dad says he’s “scared to death” over 19-year-old Sofia’s romance with reality TV douchebag Scott Disick, 34, who has a long history of womanizing and bad behavior.
7. Lionel, shown here in 1984 with John Denver and Placido Domingo, considered becoming a preacher in the Episcopal Church — but decided he wasn’t “priest material.”
8. He’s an avid gardener and loves growing bougainvillea.
9. He owns a King Charles Spaniel named Napoleon and says of the pup, “He doesn’t listen to me — ever.”
10. The nasty dance-floor funk classic "Brick House" — for many, the Commodores most enduring hit — was among the few of the band's recordings on which Richie (in red) did not sing lead.
Lionel Richie, the unofficial adult-in-the-room alongside Katy Perry and Luke Bryan on the rebooted "American Idol,"may be better known to younger viewers as Nicole and Sofia's father — but The National ENQUIRER knows there's more to this music man than meets the eye!
Photo credit: Getty Images
1. Although the lead singer for the 1970s hit-makers The Commodores made his name famous, he wasn’t the first to have it. “My dad was Lionel Richie Sr.," he told an interviewer. "And the funniest man!” he says.
2. Despite being an Oscar-winning songwriter — for the ballad "Say You, Say Me" from the 1986 film "White Nights" — he doesn’t know how to read or write music.
3. A high school tennis star, Lionel won a sports scholarship to Tuskegee University and majored in economics — but dropped out after his sophomore year.
4. In 2007, Lionel appeared as an animated version of himself on "The Simpsons."
5. Lionel loves being a grandpa to adopted daughter Nicole’s two kids, calling it “the greatest thing in the world,” and adds, “The beauty of grandchildren is Nicole takes them home!”
6. The protective dad says he’s “scared to death” over 19-year-old Sofia’s romance with reality TV douchebag Scott Disick, 34, who has a long history of womanizing and bad behavior.
7. Lionel, shown here in 1984 with John Denver and Placido Domingo, considered becoming a preacher in the Episcopal Church — but decided he wasn’t “priest material.”
8. He’s an avid gardener and loves growing bougainvillea.
9. He owns a King Charles Spaniel named Napoleon and says of the pup, “He doesn’t listen to me — ever.”
10. The nasty dance-floor funk classic "Brick House" — for many, the Commodores most enduring hit — was among the few of the band's recordings on which Richie (in red) did not sing lead.
