Lionel Richie has affectionately described Michael Jackson as ‘the silliest guy I ever met’ in an interview recalling his happy memories of the late superstar.

The 62-year-old singer, currently in the UK Top 10 with his tenth studio album, 'Tuskegee,' revealed his fondness for Jackson’s mischievous side whilst speaking to The Guardian’s ‘This Much I Know’ column:

“He liked to trigger attacks of laughter at inappropriate times. I remember watching a dignitary giving a speech, and he looked over and started giggling… that just set me off.

“That to me was who he really was. What we saw later was a product of the failure of the rest of his life. The guy I knew was just funny and silly.”

The former Commodores frontman, who last week was announced as one of four judges on new ABC talent show, 'Duets,' also commented on Whitney Houston’s death and the media intrusion that surrounds celebrities' lives:

He said: “Whitney Houston's death is a tragedy. But these days we watch tragedy happen and think it's entertainment. Privacy no longer exists. Twitter, the paparazzi and phone cameras have seen to that. They give you everything you need to kill yourself.”