A man of the world

Lionel Richie was wrapping up the first leg of his European tour when we caught up to him in Paris. Then it was back to L.A. (where one of his children, Nicole Richie, lives with his grandchild, Harlow) to rehearse for a performance on “American Idol.” His latest album, “Let’s Go,” was released last week.

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How is Paris?

They have the nerve to tell me they wanted me to check out of the hotel. I made the announcement they’re going to have to throw me out.

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It’s a great city!

The beautiful part about it, you walk down the street, it makes love to you. We just finished a 42-date tour. That is one-half of Europe. I had the amazing brainstorm of, OK, before I go back to L.A., let’s stay five days in Paris.

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I imagine these kinds of tours are very taxing.

A lot of people think it’s misery and pain. A) It’s the desire to do it. You have to love it. The second thing: You have to be conditioned. You have to commit. It’s like saying you want to join a gym. So when you say you tour the world every two years, by the time the tour is over, you have about six months off to do another album. It takes a year and a half to tour the world. I’d like to say it’s a nice, quiet show where everyone applauds at the end, but it’s a huge karaoke night. Everyone’s singing, and you have to come up to where they’re singing.

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Things have changed in terms of live music production since you started.

What it used to be -- believe it or not, it wasn’t technology at all. You couldn’t hide behind the lights. Or as I call it, you couldn’t have your other costar with you, the technology. You had to walk on stage, they’d turn on enough lights to see you, four spotlights. And you had to play your record. Now everything, down to you singing, may be not true! That part I don’t like. We’ve kind of trained a generation now where it’s OK if you’re not singing live.

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And we’re easily fooled because people are so amped up in studio on the recordings.

Maybe 15 years ago, Milli Vanilli was completely destroyed because of the words “faking it.” Now the whole thing is faking it. And it’s acceptable.

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Are you going to do a non-European leg later?

We’re about to come across America. It’s about to be announced. I’m dying to tell you!

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And are you going to hit the Arab world?

You get the strangest, most wonderful invitations in life. When you go to Libya and ask, “What acts have been here besides me?” “You’re the first person that’s been here since 1957.” OK! I met King Abdullah II from Jordan and his lovely wife. I get off the plane and he comes backstage, the first thing he said was, “The next time you come, be sure to bring Nicole.” I go, “I beg your pardon?” “We’re big fans of Nicole.” I could have fainted right in front of him.

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You’ve been at this a while -- and you’re going to be 60 next month.

In my world of Lionel Richie, the oldest person I deal with is 35 years old. I would love to tell you I’m stressing on this. But it’s actually very hip knowing what you know [at this age]. Now I know when I’m going to a club, I’m having a great time at the club because I get it: “Lionel, do you want four shots of tequila?” “No, I’ll only take one.” Four shots of tequila, I’m on top of the table. One shot, I’m in the party.

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That reminds me of your daughter. I am surprised by how straight her head is screwed on.

Where most people would get into a dangerous situation -- drugs, alcohol, the wrong type of people, the wrong area of town -- she can check it out and exit graciously. How many people exit through drug abuse? You wouldn’t know that this is the same person that five years ago had a reality show. There’s still that woman there who’s a spoofer of life, but she’s changed in her chemistry.

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So now they’re going to boot you out of your hotel.

By the time I get back to L.A. after a world tour, I have India already in me, Egypt in me. All these rhythms and beats are in me. Or I wouldn’t have written “All Night Long.” There’s a world beat somewhere.

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There’s a lot going on out there!

Regardless of what they tell you on television -- this area of the country is in turmoil, is dangerous, they don’t love Americans -- they love America! You just have to get in it and get down to the people, instead of the politics or the religion. I spent two days with this guy, this DJ, he was killing! And I’m thinking I’m learning something brand-spanking new from this guy in Dubai. Well, he went to school in UCLA! He saw me every day at the club.

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The world does shrink a little.

That’s what I love about the music and movie business. And the fashion business! They’re all locked together. You’ll think, where did I see that fashion? Oh, I saw that in Kenya! Now it’s down on Rodeo Drive. . . . It puts the full circle to what I’ve done with my life. And the next generation has come along.

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We all made it.

Of course, well, stand by for part three and four, because Harlow’s coming! But I think the full circle’s been fantastic. As my father told me, if you can end up at the end of the day and you are respected, that’s the ballgame. To have some 30-odd-year stint in the business, through all the craziness in the ‘80s and ‘90s, if your body of work is respected, you can’t ask for too much more than that.

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