Lionel Richie reveals unexpected story of Elizabeth Taylor on 'The View'

Staying at home during the coronavirus pandemic took some getting used to for Lionel Richie, who is used to traveling around the world for his career. But he says it has stirred up a memory about one time when he had stars Elizabeth Taylor and George Hamilton over for dinner.

The music legend joined "The View" Wednesday along with his fellow "American Idol" judges, Katy Perry and Luke Bryan.

Richie admitted that social distancing at home has been "interesting" but said it's also given him time to reminisce about a time in 1986 or 1987 when Taylor and Hamilton were dating and invited themselves over to his home for dinner.

"Elizabeth Taylor and George Hamilton, I ran into them, and they said, 'We want to have dinner, your house, Sunday,'" Richie said.

"I go back home and I say to myself, 'Wait a minute. What [do] Elizabeth Taylor and George Hamilton eat?'" Richie added.

Richie said he was worried he had a "situation" on his hands. So, he decided to call Taylor and ask her what she'd like on the menu.

"[Taylor] says, 'Listen, Lionel, call Maurice's Snack 'N Chat... Tell them to bring me my usual,'" Richie recalled of their phone call. The popular soul food restaurant in Los Angeles opened in 1940.

Richie said he assumed he'd end up waiting for some one-of-a-kind hors d'oeuvres, but that wasn't the case.

"I call them on the phone and I say, 'Maurice, what do they eat?' She said, 'Fried chicken, baby. Collard greens, candied yams, mac and cheese and corn bread.'"

"Are you kidding me? The divine two of them," Richie said of his reaction.

Come dinner time, he said the Hollywood couple was an hour-and-a-half late because they stopped at a 7-Eleven convenience store to buy lottery quick picks.

In another apparent throwback, Richie said in an Instagram post Friday that he was considering bringing back his classic 1980s hairstyle, and included the hashtag #QuarantineLife.

"I wasn't planning on rocking the 'fro, but ... I'm celebrating that the hair is still there," Richie joked. "I have done a lot of research. There are no bald love song singers."

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