‘Gross’: Fans react to Lionel Richie’s 40-year age gap with girlfriend

Romantic relationships with a large age gap often raise eyebrows, and Lionel Richie is making headlines this week after fans of the singer recently discovered that Lisa Parigi, his girlfriend of more than seven years, is about 40 years younger than him.

The singer, who turns 72 in June, has reportedly been dating the self-proclaimed lifestyle blogger, who’s reportedly in her early 30s, since 2014, Page Six reports. And, in the past few days, the pair’s large age gap has come to the internet’s intention after a Twitter user shared a photo of the two cuddling up to each other.

@kulanicool’s tweet, in which he says, “Lionel Richie with his new bae. He’s 71 and she’s 30, love wins”, has since blown up on Twitter, with others jumping on the bandwagon and sharing their thoughts on Lionel and Lisa’s mammoth age gap.

Lionel Richie with his new Bae, he’s 71 and she’s 30, love wins ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6csW7dhlFa

— K U L A N I (@kulanicool) February 22, 2021

The majority of people seemed to back Lionel’s relationship, with Twitter user @char_babiee commenting, “Somebody wanna tell [me] why everybody & their momma got an issue with Lionel Richie dating a 30-yr-old (supposedly)? They are both legal consenting adults, correct? He didn’t force her or coerce her or manipulate her, correct? So what’s the problem?”

While @TrickyGem added, “Lionel Richie and his 30-year-old woman Lisa Parigi living [their] best life. He looks great for 71 btw, would [of] guessed 56 at the most. Goals asf [as f***]! Get money, find love later.”

However, one said while the age gap doesn’t necessarily bother them, it’s the fact that Lionel’s girlfriend is younger than his daughter that’s an issue. Lionel’s daughter, Nicole Richie, who he adopted with his ex-wife Brenda Harvey in the 1980s, is 39 years old.

John_Vuli_Gate tweeted, “Personally, I don’t have an issue with age, but Lionel Richie is dating someone younger than his daughter – that to me is problematic.

While @SistasicilyN thought it was downright “gross”, saying, “He could be her grandfather. Sorry, but to me this is more about money than love. I am not buying it. He may love her but I am not buying she loves him. Sorry, I have seen it too often!”

Other celebrity couples with big age gaps include Dick Van Dyke and Arlene Silver (46 years), Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones (25 years), Alec and Hilaria Baldwin (26 years), and Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart (22 years).