Lionel Richie: I'm a 'Survivor ' of Nicole's Childhood

By Nicholas White

06/09/2008 at 01:45 PM EDT

Making light of daughter Nicole Richie's troubled youth, Lionel Richie called himself a "survivor" on Sunday.

"Forget about 40 years in show business. Just surviving 27 years of Nicole Richie [is enough]," Lionel Richie joked at the sixth annual TV Land Awards in Santa Monica, where he accepted the Icon Award for his music career. "I stand here as a survivor."

The elder Richie performed a medley of his hits including "Hello" and "All Night Long." New mom Nicole and her partner Joel Madden did not attend the ceremony. Samuel L. Jackson presented Richie with the award.

Since serving an 84-minue jail sentence for a DUI conviction last year, Nicole has settled into her role as mom. She gave birth to daughter Harlow in January.

Lionel says he has become known as "g-pa" around their house.

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