Dirty Diana Michael.
Lionel Richie has called for bad hygiene for Michael Jackson, claiming he is “smelling” and that he will not change or wash clothes for days.
“Michael was very close with his brother and mother, but when he went solo and made albums, movies and videos of these monsters, he was in charge of his own ship,” the singer of “Endless Love” wrote in his newly released memoir, “Truly.”
“His day to day life was something you could call eccentric. He’s like a professor with a heart, but he’s still a child,” added Richie, 76.
The “American Idol” judge said he and the late music producer Quincy Jones would tease their fellow Jackson.
“Michael will laugh, too. I’m noticing that he hasn’t noticed the fact that he hasn’t changed or washed for a few days,” Richie wrote. “We all have quirks.”
The “All Night Long” crooner said the “thriller” musician would perform on tour in “elaborate outfits made by his stylists” and would wear pajamas, slippers or studio outfits.
“Whenever Michael came to visit me, he wore anything – he wore jeans and a t-shirt,” Richie wrote, adding that Jackson would never put any deodorant around him. “And either the jeans were either falling off him, or too short to even become jeans, or well, it smelled.”
When the former Commodore frontman asked about Jackson’s pants, the “King of Pop” replied, “Lionel, I walked by the valley store. The owner came out and gave me a free pair.” ”
“Everyone kept something for souvenirs,” Richie wrote. “He’s just got the habit of wearing the same pants until they don’t get tired.”
Richie recalls the time he gave Jackson jeans and clean underwear and encourages him to take a shower when the Jackson 5 frontman was told he had a dirty smell.
“I drove him home in the street behind him, and he was sweet and grateful,” Richie insisted in his memoirs.
“As soon as I got back home, I passed the living room and noticed that I had a pair of Michael Jackson underwear and his old rat jeans on the carpet.
“What do I do laugh? MJ was here.”
Page 6 contacted Jackson Estate for comment but did not immediately respond.
Richie and Jackson were close friends and collaborators until June 2009 when the “Beat It” hitmaker passed away from overdose on propofol and other prescription drugs.
Richie’s new memoir, “Really,” appeared on the shelves on Tuesday.
