Lionel Richie Says Michael Jackson Was Nicknamed ‘Smelly’ Over Poor Hygiene

Michael Jackson, widely renowned as the ‘King of Pop’, has a lesser-known legacy courtesy of his friend Lionel Richie, who recalls a rather pungent aspect of Jackson’s life—his habit of cleanliness—or, rather, a lack thereof that earned him the affectionate moniker ‘Smelly.’

Richie shares this amusing anecdote in his newly released memoir “Truly”, which hit shelves on Tuesday. He cites late music producer Quincy Jones as the originator of the memorable nickname, humorously noting that Jackson accepted it in stride, blissfully unaware that he often went days without changing clothes or attending to basic hygiene.

Richie goes on to explain that Jackson’s frequent travels left little room for self-care. He humorously adds that hiring a dry cleaner was risky business, as items tended to vanish into people’s memorabilia collections. Not to mention, a quick shopping trip for fresh gear was also out of the question given his superstar status.

In “Truly”, he elaborates that this absurd situation led Jackson to adopt the rather quirky habit of wearing the same pair of pants until they were no longer suitable for public viewing.

Reflecting on casual hangouts, Richie describes how his friend would often show up wearing whatever happened to be closest at hand—generally a t-shirt and jeans that seemed to defy fashion sense, appearing both ill-fitting and, as one might guess, not particularly fresh.

In a particularly compassionate gesture, Richie recalls an occasion when the “Billie Jean” star was in dire need of a wash. He quietly orchestrated an escape for Jackson, allowing him to shower for the first time in several days, complete with a complete outfit change into clean clothing.

In the end, Jackson’s questionable hygiene habits didn’t detract from his towering success in the music industry; as Richie aptly points out, we all have our peculiarities!