Lionel Richie’s Book Talk Descended Into Chaos
Getting people to care about your book launch is no easy feat, even if you’re a four-time Grammy winner. On Monday, an event in New York City celebrating the release of Lionel Richie’s new memoir, Truly, reportedly descended into chaos after fans realized they wouldn’t get to hear the music legend sing.
The event — billed as “Truly: An Evening of Lionel Richie With Friends” — took place Monday night at the Town Hall, a 1,500-person venue in Times Square. After it became clear that it really was just a book talk and not a musical performance, fans began jeering at the star, and some even walked out and demanded refunds, according to “Page Six.” “They were pissed,” a source told the outlet. “People walked out; someone yelled, ‘Shut up and sing!’ Another person was apparently escorted out, screaming, ‘I want my money back!’” At one point, Richie was telling a story about a time he was robbed, per the source, “and someone called back, ‘So were we!’” At some point, it sounds like Richie got the message, because he said, “If you’re looking for a concert, you came to the wrong place.”
This may not have been such an issue if fans had actually read the fine print. According to the event description, the evening was “dedicated to personal tales from [Richie’s] new memoir,” and was billed as “an intimate glimpse into the singer’s experiences over an incredible five decades.” Tickets included a copy of Richie’s book, and the singer’s website — which shows upcoming book-tour dates — specifically state that the events will feature “no musical performance.”
In a statement, the singer’s publicist told The Cut that the event “was always advertised as a moderated Q&A” with “no musical performance,” adding that it “seems some customers did not read the language.” I, for one, don’t know what they’re so upset about it — Richie’s memoir apparently includes a story about Michael Jackson’s underwear and musings on his love life. Sounds juicy to me.
Related