Lionel Richie<\/a> wants the internet to quit playing telephone with one of his Michael Jackson stories.<\/p>\n The Grammy legend stopped by The Joe Rogan Experience<\/em> and cleared up why Jackson once carried the nickname \u201cSmelly.\u201d<\/p>\n After his new memoir Truly<\/em><\/a> dropped, some outlets\u2014including People<\/a>\u2014<\/em>ran with the idea that Richie was clowning Jackson\u2019s hygiene.<\/p>\n COMPLEX SHOP:<\/b> Shop the brands you love, anytime and anywhere. Uncover what’s next. Buy. Collect. Obsess.<\/a><\/p>\n But while sitting in front of Rogan\u2019s mic, Richie made it clear that wasn\u2019t the case.<\/p>\n \u201cEverybody thought I was saying Michael smelled,\u201d Richie said. \u201cNo\u2014that was Quincy [Jones]\u2019s nickname for him. \u2018Here comes Smelly.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n The name had less to do with soap and more to do with superstar chaos. Jackson\u2019s clothes were constantly vanishing because people treated them like collectibles.<\/p>\n \u201cImagine sending your clothes out and only getting half of them back\u2014the other half are souvenirs,\u201d Richie explained. \u201cSo he\u2019d wear a pair of jeans until they tried to run away from him.\u201d<\/p>\n Richie shared how Jackson would sometimes show up wearing shoes two sizes too big because someone gifted them to him, and he didn\u2019t want to be rude by refusing. \u201cMichael, you could\u2019ve gotten them in the right size,\u201d Richie remembered telling him. Jackson\u2019s response: \u201cI didn\u2019t want to embarrass the guy.\u201d<\/p>\n Between stolen socks, missing T-shirts, and jeans left behind on Richie\u2019s floor, Jackson\u2019s day-to-day was anything but normal. \u201cEvery time he put on underwear, it was new\u2014because the old ones never came back,\u201d Richie said, laughing.<\/p>\n So yes\u2014\u201cSmelly\u201d stuck, but it was an inside joke born out of wild circumstances, not a diss. For Richie, it\u2019s just another snapshot of what it was like to grow up alongside one of the most famous artists on the planet.<\/p>\n Truly<\/em> is available now and dives even deeper into Richie\u2019s life, from his Commodores era to co-writing \u201cWe Are the World\u201d with Jackson.<\/p>\n <\/a> BTS Clarifies Participation in Michael Jackson Tribute Album<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ,<\/p>\n <\/a> Paris Jackson Accuses Attorneys of Skimming Money from Michael Jackson’s Estate<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ,<\/p>\n <\/a> Donny Osmond Says Michael Jackson Gave Him ‘Offensive’ Advice After His Career Stalled<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Young Thug Plans to Perform \u201cNinja\u201d at ComplexCon, Asks Adin Ross to Stream It<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Anuel AA Reportedly Sued for Alleged Assault at Orlando Amusement Park<\/a><\/i><\/b><\/p>\nRelated News<\/h3>\n
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