Addressing the headline-making fight between his first and second wives that occurred 37 years ago, Lionel Richie reflected on the incident in his new memoir, Truly, Lionel .
About the “scandal of my century,” the multi-Grammy award winner writes:
“What very few people knew was that Brenda and I were separated. I got a place at the beach, and I was hiding out there, trying to be alone, trying to decompress somehow, because it was killing everyone.” “When the door opens, Brenda is standing there. There is a massive confrontation. Diane is in total shock and I’m trying to leave, to draw Brenda away. It’s the most awful screaming match of life, and it’s all in this small entryway.”
In June of 1988, Brenda Harvey was arrested and faced charges of trespassing, vandalism, battery, and disturbing the peace after she found the music superstar at Diane Alexander’s apartment in Beverly Hills. The charges were later dropped.
Hard to watch the “disastrous” scandal play out in the press, the now 76-year old musician said that the “most painful part” was acknowledging how “heartbroken” Brenda was, adding:
“And I get it. Ladies and gentlemen, I get it.”. “That’s the saddest day in the life of a marriage. When you know you may love each other, still, and you have a history that you will always have, but it’s over. And you know it.”
Until their divorce was finalized in 1993. Lionel and Brenda, who adopted daughter Nicole Richie together, were married from 1975. The superstar singer/songwriter subsequently married Diane from 1995 until 2004. The former couple shares son Miles, 31, and daughter Sofia, 27.
Since 2014 , Richie has been in a relationship with Lisa Parigi.
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Author: Al Denté
Photo: DianeSunshineCoast