Lionel Richie has shared a cheeky behind-the-scenes anecdote about his late friend Michael Jackson in his new memoir Truly: producer Quincy Jones apparently teased Jackson with the nickname “Smelly”, Richie writes, because Jackson sometimes went days without changing or washing the clothes he wore in the studio or on tour. Richie frames the story as affectionate ribbing among close collaborators rather than malice. EW.com

In Truly Richie describes Jackson as brilliant and eccentric — “like an absent-minded professor but still a kid” — and says the nickname was part of the warm, teasing dynamic among the people who worked on major projects such as “We Are the World.” Richie recalls that Jackson would often laugh along when friends joked about his wardrobe habits, and explains that part of the reason was practical: at peak fame it wasn’t simple for Jackson to just go shopping or send clothes out for cleaning without things getting lost or stolen. People.com+1

Why the detail matters (and why Richie tells it)
Richie’s anecdote surfaced as reviewers and excerpters dug into the new memoir, which was released this season and contains a mix of career recollections and personal remembrances. The “Smelly” anecdote is a small, humanising vignette — it shows how superstars can develop quirky routines under the pressures of touring and recording, and how close collaborators cope with those eccentricities through humor. Richie makes a point of balancing the tease with admiration: he repeatedly praises Jackson’s musical gifts and instinct in the studio. Lionel Richie+1

Context: studio folklore and We Are the World
The story comes from the same era that produced the charity single We Are the World, a high-profile collaboration that Richie co-wrote with Jackson and that Quincy Jones produced. That session — full of superstar personalities and frantic logistics — is often cited as fertile ground for fond, offhand stories that later become part of pop-music lore. In We Are the World’s case, the song’s enormous reach and the cast of characters involved mean small anecdotes can attract outsized attention. Wikipedia+1

Reactions and a note on tone
Media responses to Richie’s passage have been largely lighthearted: outlets reproduced the line as an amusing backstage detail while emphasising Richie’s respectful tone toward Jackson. Some commentary has flagged that anecdotes about a deceased cultural figure can be sensitive, but most coverage has framed the nickname as an example of affectionate studio teasing rather than a harsh personal critique. Richie himself places the story alongside many other memories intended to show both the human and the heroic sides of a long creative partnership. The Independent+1