Lionel Richie: "Nicole is More Famous Than Me"  7/24/07

Soul veteran Lionel Richie insists his daughter Nicole is now more famous than him - but he doesn't mind as he's now "cool by association".

The Hello star found fame in the 1970s with band the Commodores, but has seen his 25-year-old offspring eclipse him in the media after shooting to stardom in TV series The Simple Life with on-off pal Paris Hilton.

However, Lionel maintains he isn't bothered, as being related to Nicole has introduced him to a new generation of fans and made him cool again.

He says, "I'll be in an airport and I'll hear a bloodcurdling scream.

There'll be a group of Italian kids on holiday, going to Disneyland or something, and I'm thinking, the kids recognize me, thank you very much.

"And they rush over to me, and ask, 'Are you Nicole Richie's dad?' and I say, 'Yep. OK, I'll take that.' I'm just the dad. It seems to have made me a bit cool."