Why Exactly Does Lionel Richie Sit on Pillows? A Reasonable Explanation

If you’re just now noticing that Lionel Richie sits on a pillow, you’re a little late to the party. The "Endless Love" singer and American Idol judge has been tucking a cushion under his tush for years. Back in April 2018, X user @linzbot_ even pointed out that Lionel had not one but two cushions stacked on his chair during an episode of American Idol, adding that they, too, would want the extra padding.

Still, it’s only recently that more fans have started catching on, or at least processing, that the 75-year-old singer-songwriter often adds a cushion while seated. Now, many are wondering: Why exactly does Lionel Richie sit on pillows? Here’s what we know, and what fans speculate might be the reason.

Lionel Richie hasn’t publicly addressed why he sits on pillows, but there are a few possible explanations that make sense. The most obvious is for comfort. With American Idol episodes running anywhere from one to two hours, sitting for that long can wear on your backside, especially if the chairs aren’t exactly cushy. Redditor @JohnGradyBirdie seems to agree, writing, "I bet it’s just for comfort." The comment racked up 52 votes, so clearly, others feel the same.

Another user added a little humor to the mix, writing, "He’s 75. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s just got no fat left on his booty and he needs the extra cushions for comfort." Someone else chimed in with the perfect response: "From dancing All Night Long."

Some Redditors speculated that Lionel may be dealing with back issues or sciatica. While there haven’t been any reports confirming that, we do know he had a hip replacement back in 2011 after struggling with arthritis from years of jumping around in platform boots. All that dancing clearly took a toll.

In a 2014 interview with The Mirror, he joked, "So everything about me now is brand new. I’m bionic ... well, no, not really, but the hip is better than ever and touring has been great. I don’t even know I’ve got it."

In a Reddit thread where the comments above appeared, the original poster actually asked if Lionel sits on pillows to boost his height, so clearly, that theory seemed plausible to them at the time. But once people started pointing out that the chairs are height-adjustable, that idea lost traction. One commenter even joked, "Gurl, you’re getting cooked in the comments. Delete this. The chair is literally height-adjustable. The pillows are just for cushioning."

The overall consensus seems to be that Lionel uses pillows, especially during American Idol episodes, for cushioning and comfort. One Redditor put it bluntly: "He’s old. Source: I’m old. Chair pillows are a must. Our a-- gets bony."

Someone else added, "My grandpa had a special pillow for his car. My grandma had a special pillow for the sitting room. Sitting on a chair for hour upon hours hurts your butt, especially if you’re old."

So, it's safe to say Lionel’s love for pillows seems to be less about height and more about keeping things comfy.