Lionel Richie: 'Dad To Dad, I've Been Billy Ray'

Lionel Richie is offering unsolicited advice to Billy Ray Cyrus in light of the recent questionable behavior of Billy Ray’s Disney princess, Miley. 

“When you have a teenage daughter growing up in Hollywood, in the business, I mean, what I went through with Nicole, God bless Billy Ray. Honestly, there is no control.”

Richie, whose daughter Nicole became Paris Hilton’s BFF and reality show co-star, watched helplessly as she appeared publicly in less-than-skimpy clothing, battled drug addiction and suffered from eating disorders. 

Richie said, “(Miley) is just going through a period in her life and we’re actually going to grit our teeth and hold our breath. I did the same thing. It’s one of those things where you have to say, ‘Please God let it be over soon.’ That’s where she is in her space and this is her expression and that’s what it’s all about.”

Billy Ray, for his part, seems to be uninterested in any advice or sympathy for that matter. In fact, he seems to be embracing and celebrating his daughter’s recent soft-porn behavior. After all, it’s really all about the music: 

“I’m a song man. A musician singer songwriter who loves all styles of music. But again…I come from the old school where it starts with an artist and a song …colliding if you will … in a moment where the song, the singer, the producer, the band and the listener become one. It wouldn’t have mattered if Miley would have worn jeans and a flannel shirt …a Tux …or a nun’s habit. The song’s a smash …and her performance vocally on the tune reflects her roots and sheer God given talent.”