ABC/YouTube Lionel Richie performs on "American Idol" in 2021
Lionel Richie recently got upstaged by his tiny pup during one of the last concerts of his successful Las Vegas residency. For the first time ever, the legendary singer and “American Idol” judge brought his little dog Sylvester onstage and the crowd went wild since the little guy has become quite famous as Richie’s “head of security.”
Lionel Richie Brings His Pint-Sized ‘Head of Security’ Onstage
On October 15, 2022, Richie posted an Instagram video of his concert the previous night, showing him carrying Sylvester out onstage wearing a pint-sized puppy t-shirt that said “Security” on the back.
The crowd loved getting a glimpse of the real-life Sylvester, a black and tan Pomeranian who goes everywhere with Richie and his longtime girlfriend, Lisa Parigi, and makes frequent appearances on Richie’s Instagram page. In fact, the dog has had his own “Sylvester Richie” Instagram account since 2018, with over 5,600 followers.
What prompted Richie to bring Sylvester on stage was that one of his fans, watercolor artist Victoria Paull, had brought a portrait she’d painted of the pup to a concert and it made its way to Richie.
To caption his video, Richie wrote, “For the 1st time my Head Of Security made an appearance on stage … 🐾 @sylvester.richie … Victoria made this beautiful portrait of him and brought it to the stage last night..”
The painting can be seen in Richie’s video, as the camera pans back and forth from Sylvester to the painting, but it’s also in an Instagram post that Paull uploaded on October 13, in which she stated that she’d handed over the framed portrait the night before.
She wrote, “It was such an honor to paint your adorable Sylvester. Your show was absolutely phenomenal! Thank you @lionelrichie.” Richie responded with an emoji of two animal paw prints.
Lionel Richie is Having an Amazing 2022
GettyLionel Richie performs during the 2022 iHeartRadio Music Festival
It’s been a huge year for the Grammy-winning superstar, who has experienced a resurgence in popularity since becoming one of the “American Idol” judges when the show moved from FOX to ABC in 2018.
Richie kicked off 2022 by receiving the prestigious Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. In announcing the honor, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden said, “Lionel Richie’s unforgettable work has shown us that music can bring us together. Even when we face problems and disagree on issues, songs can show us what we have in common.”
Now 73, Richie wrapped up his sold-out residency at the Wynn Las Vegas on October 22, which he extended multiple times due to high demand. According to his website, his last concert of the year is AtLive in Atlanta on November 11, where he’ll take the stage with Billy Joel, Miranda Lambert, Sheryl Crow and others.
Richie has also begun filming his sixth season of “Idol” with fellow judges Katy Perry and Luke Bryan, including initial auditions in Las Vegas, New Orleans, and still-to-come in Nashville. Season 21 will begin airing in early 2023.
And, finally, on November 5, he’ll be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame alongside other music greats like Eminem, Dolly Parton, Carly Simon, and the Eurythmics. No word on whether Sylvester, his “head of security,” will get to attend.