Lionel Slams Diana in Concert!

[sansradio]

Child…hold EVERYTHING.

[Boogiedown]

oh my can't we all just get along

[gman]

That outfit is totally tasteless....I don't care what younger folks say...

[RanRan79]

Sans I have a feeling this is all tongue in cheek. Not to say he isn't honestly annoyed that she "apparently" refuses to do it, but I think he was having fun with his audience, especially if this was in response to any scuttlebutt that may have been circulating about the possibility.

It is a bit strange that this reunion hasn't taken place since their Oscars performance back in the day. Add it to the list of things we don't understand about Diana Ross and will probably never get an answer.

[sansradio]

Sans I have a feeling this is all tongue in cheek. Not to say he isn't honestly annoyed that she "apparently" refuses to do it, but I think he was having fun with his audience, especially if this was in response to any scuttlebutt that may have been circulating about the possibility.

It is a bit strange that this reunion hasn't taken place since their Oscars performance back in the day. Add it to the list of things we don't understand about Diana Ross and will probably never get an answer.

I get that feeling, too. Lionel’s known as a funster. But I don’t know—humor is rooted in truth. And I felt a flash of that righteous Tuskegee University legacy anger shining through. ; D

[reese]

Sans I have a feeling this is all tongue in cheek. Not to say he isn't honestly annoyed that she "apparently" refuses to do it, but I think he was having fun with his audience, especially if this was in response to any scuttlebutt that may have been circulating about the possibility.

It is a bit strange that this reunion hasn't taken place since their Oscars performance back in the day. Add it to the list of things we don't understand about Diana Ross and will probably never get an answer.

I think this is just a bit of patter that Lionel does when he intros ENDLESS LOVE. A few weeks ago, he did something similar in the NYC show that he postponed. He just updated it a bit since Diana is in the news this week.

[sansradio]

I think this is just a bit of patter that Lionel does when he intros ENDLESS LOVE. A few weeks ago, he did something similar in the NYC show that he postponed. He just updated it a bit since Diana is in the news this week.

Yeah, the “37 years” bit reveals that the patter hasn’t been refreshed in a few.

[TheMotownManiac]

Child…hold EVERYTHING.

if I had a choice of singing face-to-face with Beyoncé or Lionel Richie, I would choose Beyoncé. I would guess after 37 years that Miss Ross is not as interested as some people might expect. And I’m sure he knows this, but it’s a good bit and there’s no reason for him to change it. I would do the very same thing…… IF I had totally given up hope of ever happening because I am guessing this is the kind of thing she might not care for so much and so, he might be making the situation worse. He seems annoyed to me, and perhaps he feels that because he pinned her last to chart Toppers that she owes him some thing. A case could be made for that axiom, but a bigger case could be made for the fact that if this ross doesn’t want to do, some thing is ross is not going to do the same thing and thata is thata.

[gman]

maybe she feels it should take place at one of her concerts??? Lionel doesn't have to "pay for a gown, a set or anything...all he has to do is show up" LOL....

[REDHOT]

Lionel Richie bring up Diana Ross every time he sings Endless Love, it's a part of his Act/ show,it's entertainment, people are taking this too serious lol, Endless Love is Diana Ross biggest selling song/single, in her career, she had some big hit songs with The Supremes, and some big hit songs when she went solo, none of them Out Sold Endless Love, a song that Lional Richie wrote, and later he did Missing You, a song he written and produced for Diana Ross.

[mysterysinger]

Much as I love Diana, I much prefer Lionel's solo demo of "Endless Love" - warm and homely.

[Ollie9]

I have always felt that Diana would prefer the song to be thought of as hers and hers alone. Behind the bravado Lionel sounds rather sad.

[Jaap]

I have always felt that Diana would prefer the song to be thought of as hers and hers alone. Behind the bravado Lionel sounds rather sad.

I really never got that impression. In many interviews Ross has praised Lionel Richie as a song writer. Having Ross on the record has helped Lionel Richie to establish his solo career, and I'm sure both of them are aware of that, and appreciate that. The song was a mutual favor. I've only seen Lionel Richie live once, a couple of years ago, and the "where is Diana Ross? ... Oh, she's not here, so you [meaning the audience] can sing her lines" was a part of the show then as well.

[Boogiedown]

She is the missing elephant in the room when he performs it. So why not toy with it.

Same as when Diana performs it. Does Diana have any fun moments in hers shows??? Any shtick??
She gave that up long ago? ....

[Ollie9]

I really never got that impression. In many interviews Ross has praised Lionel Richie as a song writer. Having Ross on the record has helped Lionel Richie to establish his solo career, and I'm sure both of them are aware of that, and appreciate that. The song was a mutual favor. I've only seen Lionel Richie live once, a couple of years ago, and the "where is Diana Ross? ... Oh, she's not here, so you [meaning the audience] can sing her lines" was a part of the show then as well.

I think the song would have been just as huge had Lionel or Diana performed it as a solo making him very generous indeed.
I do remember Diana once introducing “Endless Love” as a song Lionel Ritchie wrote for her, being either wishful thinking or confusion with “Missing You”.

[jobeterob]

I think the song would have been just as huge had Lionel or Diana performed it as a solo making him very generous indeed.
I do remember Diana once introducing “Endless Love” as a song Lionel Ritchie wrote for her, being either wishful thinking or confusion with “Missing You”.

I think this song needs Lionel and this song needs Diana - the solo’s pale in comparison to what they did together and the cover versions also remind me of the 50’s versions of R n B songs - just pale whitewashed versions

[captainjames]

I would not take Lionel serious as he jokes about Diana being there. He did well as far as royalties with the song and its just a fun moment with him in concert. I have always wonder why he never had the desire to reunite with the Commodores.

[jobeterob]

I would not take Lionel serious as he jokes about Diana being there. He did well as far as royalties with the song and its just a fun moment with him in concert. I have always wonder why he never had the desire to reunite with the Commodores.

Perhaps they don’t like each other much. Most groups have issues over time - a few can see beyond the breakup but many can’t and a lot of them have a cantankerous member that is miserable to deal with.

I think it is clear Lionel is joking - if he were serious, it would ensure they would never sing together again.

The song is a difficult song to sing and Diana is going to be 80 - so time is running out.

[REDHOT]

Jobeterob, i think that ship has sailed.

Perhaps they don’t like each other much. Most groups have issues over time - a few can see beyond the breakup but many can’t and a lot of them have a cantankerous member that is miserable to deal with.

I think it is clear Lionel is joking - if he were serious, it would ensure they would never sing together again.

The song is a difficult song to sing and Diana is going to be 80 - so time is running out.

[jobeterob]

Jobeterob, i think that ship has sailed.

I think so too

[Ollie9]

I think this song needs Lionel and this song needs Diana - the solo’s pale in comparison to what they did together and the cover versions also remind me of the 50’s versions of R n B songs - just pale whitewashed versions

I agree with the Diana & Lionel duet being the definitive version.
Rather sadly i consider Diana’s solo version the worst recording of her career. Strained vocals supported by a vanilla arrangement make for an uneasy listening experience.

[sansradio]

This piece from The Root gave me a smile:

https://www.theroot.com/heres-why-li...ian-1850825758

[reese]

This piece from The Root gave me a smile:

https://www.theroot.com/heres-why-li...ian-1850825758

Harmless fun on Lionel's part. But this story makes it sound as if Diana backed out on Lionel's show so that she could sing for Beyonce. And of course, some people will believe it. LOL.

[lucky2012]

Harmless fun on Lionel's part. But this story makes it sound as if Diana backed out on Lionel's show so that she could sing for Beyonce. And of course, some people will believe it. LOL.

Lol. Yes, it does make it sound that way. Yes, some, even here on SDF, will believe it. I think Lionel is just having fun. Beyonce/Diana were at SoFi stadium in LA. Where was Lionel?

[marybrewster]

She is the missing elephant in the room when he performs it. So why not toy with it.

Same as when Diana performs it. Does Diana have any fun moments in hers shows??? Any shtick??
She gave that up long ago? ....

It's just as scripted in 2023 as it was in 1967.

[midnightman]

Y'all are a bunch of fools if you took what Lionel said seriously. Some Diana fans be ready to yank someone's heads off lol

[midnightman]

I agree with the Diana & Lionel duet being the definitive version.
Rather sadly i consider Diana’s solo version the worst recording of her career. Strained vocals supported by a vanilla arrangement make for an uneasy listening experience.

It sucked hard. Honestly, this is why her RCA material is unlistenable for the most part.

[REDHOT]

You are Spot On about everything lol

Y'all are a bunch of fools if you took what Lionel said seriously. Some Diana fans be ready to yank someone's heads off lol

[RanRan79]

Y'all are a bunch of fools if you took what Lionel said seriously. Some Diana fans be ready to yank someone's heads off lol

I just re-read the thread and there isn't a single post [[unless it was something said by a single poster in this thread that I block) that says Lionel was serious.

[midnightman]

I just re-read the thread and there isn't a single post [[unless it was something said by a single poster in this thread that I block) that says Lionel was serious.

I didn't mean you lol

But I'm sure some fans not in this forum took it wrong. My point still stands.