Lionel Richie Jokes That Diana Ross Has Refused to Perform With Him for 37 Years

Lionel Richie's plea for Diana Ross to join him on stage seems to be "endless."

In a video shared on TikTok, the "All Night Long" singer poked fun at his decades-long plea to perform his and Ross' 1981 single "Endless Love" together live.

"There's a song I want to do. And for 37 years I have tried my best to get Ms. Diana Ross to show up on this stage right here," he told the audience while on stage at the Sing A Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire. "Thirty-seven years I have tried to call Ms. Ross on the phone, but it was clear to me, full disclosure, it was clear to me when I said 'She has told me 'No' for 37 years."

"What did you think she was gonna do? Show up tonight?" he told the crowd, who had erupted with laughter. "The woman ain't coming."

He then pointed out that Ross happily serenaded Beyoncé for her 42nd birthday at the "Cuff It" singer's global Renaissance Tour stop in Los Angeles.

"She's over there singing 'Happy Birthday' to Beyoncé," Richie continued. "Piss me off."

Meanwhile, Beyoncé ushered in her birthday with Ross surprising her on stage Sept. 4. The 32-time Grammy winner spent her special day performing at Los Angeles' SoFi stadium, which holds 70,000 people.

As seen in a sweet video shared by a fan page on X (the social media platform formerly known as Twitter), Diana Ross joins the "Crazy in Love" singer onstage. As Ross instructs the audience to hold up their cell phone flashlights in the air, Beyoncé is clearly in awe of Ross and wraps her arms around the "I'm Coming Out" singer.

Ross then tells the roaring audience to join her in singing "Happy Birthday" to Beyoncé, and they happily oblige, creating a sweet moment.