Lionel Richie’s Advice for Future Stars Amid Controversy

Lionel Richie has some straightforward guidance for upcoming stars as Chapel Lawn finds itself in hot water over fan-related issues. His message? “If you don’t like people, you won’t get fame.”

During a chat on the VEEPS Artist Friendly Podcast with his son-in-law Joel Madden, the 76-year-old artist discussed common pitfalls that entertainers encounter while seeking the limelight. “There’s one thing I haven’t calculated,” Richie remarked. “I hope you like people.”

He elaborated further, saying, “If you hate people, that’s what you’ll sound like. You might spend the first half of your career begging, ‘Look at me, look at me,’ and once you achieve fame, you’ll switch to ‘Don’t look at me.’

The 28-year-old Roan has faced backlash following a variety of fan-related incidents, including past comments describing fans as “weird” and “creepy,” and a recent event in Brazil where a young fan allegedly approached Roan with her bodyguard.

For Richie, this shift in attitude is where stars often falter. “It takes five seconds to say, ‘Hey, thank you,’ or ‘How are you doing?'” he pointed out. “That’s it.” He further added, “The universe gave you what you asked for. Do you really want to be famous and rich without people? It doesn’t work that way. You need to connect with others.”

Madden, who is married to Richie’s daughter Nicole, noted that he has seen this perspective in action. “You actually acknowledge people,” he said, recalling how Richie would greet fans even in casual scenarios, like when he walked through a restaurant.

Richie doesn’t shy away from making eye contact. “Hey, how are you doing?” he would ask, often initiating the conversation, even if the fans were too shy to approach him first.

This has led Richie’s own children to question why he bothers at all. For Richie, the reason is clear. “I used to be invisible,” he shared. “Fans often want to say something, and you can see it on their faces. Ignoring them feels wrong.”

Madden also mentioned that Ritchie’s reputation is widely recognized. “Everywhere I go, people say, ‘Your father-in-law was here. He’s the best,'” he noted.

However, Richie cautioned about the pitfalls of reputation—especially in the age of social media. “Back in my day, technology wasn’t what it is now. What travels fast? Bad news,” he said. “It’s like planting a seed; if you plant a negative one, it can come back to haunt you.”

Richie’s remarks come as Roan is under scrutiny for how she interacts with fans. She has previously expressed that fame shouldn’t give people the right to invade her privacy.

In a recent incident involving soccer star Jorginho’s stepdaughter Ada, who had an encounter with Roan while in Brazil, the situation escalated when reports surfaced of a confrontation with Roan’s bodyguard.

Despite the criticisms, Roan defended herself, stating she is unaware of the incident and maintains a “zero tolerance” policy for invasive behavior. Her bodyguard, Pascal Duvier, has also denied any wrongdoing.

A resurfaced video shows Roan expressing her frustrations about her fans, highlighting the challenges of fame, including unwanted attention and aggressive inquiries.

“If you saw a random woman on the street, would you scream out your car window? Would you harass her?” she questioned in the video, also considering the complexities of personal space and privacy.

The ongoing dialogue touches on how public figures navigate fame and whether their approach can influence their careers positively or negatively. Ultimately, Richie reiterates, “It takes just five seconds to say, ‘Hey, thank you,’ or ‘How are you doing?'”