GETTY Lionel Richie
Lionel Richie dished on what keeps him youthful after he was trending for the wrong reasons during King Charles III’s celebration, according to a May 9, 2023, article from Page Six.
Those watching were more concerned with the”All Night Long (All Night)” singer’s face than his singing chops. According to a May 9, 2023, interview with Daily Mail UK, Richie has a different approach to maintaining a youthful glow, and it’s not what most of Hollywood resorts to.
“Plastic surgery locks you in for that year while you recover, and after that, you can’t go naturally; you’re staying right there. You try and go back to reset, and you can’t, and that s*** goes wrong!” he said to the outlet in a May 9, 2023, interview.
So, what’s his secret if Richie hasn’t had a facelift or any other surgical procedures? At 73-years-old, he opts for a healthier diet that consists of “water” and not eating “too much red meat.” While admitting that exercise is a great way to stay in shape, he also credits sex.
“I know it’s real boring. Sex will work also, and it’s good for your heart,” said Richie.
According to the Independent, Richie had a special moment with King Charles III, 74, The “American Idol” judge revealed an “inside joke” the two share.
“He says, ‘How do you look the way I look, and I look the way I look?’ I said, ‘You come to Hollywood, and I can help you,'” says Richie.
The Health Scare That Almost Ended His Career
GETTYLionel Richie
With questions about his plastic surgery history and his ability to be healthy and touring well into his 70s, his health wasn’t always the best. In the 1990’s “during the height of his solo career,” Richie experienced a traumatic moment dealing with a “mysterious illness” that required multiple surgeries on his throat.
According to a February 14, 2022, interview with PEOPLE. During that moment, he stated in the interview that he was close to having “a nervous breakdown.”
“You don’t want anybody fooling around down there. This is your identity. I never really thought that it would end,” he says.
At the time of his health crisis, Richie was going through a few exhausting events, from a divorce from his “ex-wife Brenda Harvey” to being the caretaker for his father. The mystery illness was later revealed as “diet-induced acid reflux.”
His Must-Have Healthcare Request While On Tour
While battling the now-known illness, Richie takes his health seriously, even on tour. During a July 17, 2017, interview with Forbes, Richie shared his requirements for medical treatment while on tour.
“Besides getting great sleep, great food, and lots of water, the other thing people on tour will say more times than anything else is, “I need a doctor.” He said to the outlet at the time.
The “Dancing on the Ceiling” singer acknowledges the stresses of travel and the number of unpredictable things that can happen on tour— to make sure he gives himself the best shot at getting treatment, he has to think about everything.
“The reason for that is because there’s always altitude changes, issues like dehydration, or even food poisoning. There are a number of things that happen on the road that isn’t predictable, and the problem is you don’t want to risk the idea that there’s no convenient way to see a doctor except maybe through the hotel who’ll send you a doctor,” he said.