LIONEL BARRED FROM LUKE & CARRIE'S COZY CLIQUE

COUNTRY'S Luke Bryan has been crowing about his tight off-camera friendship with fellow American Idol judge Carrie Underwood, but sources tell GLOBE it's put Lionel Richie's back up and making him feel like chopped liver!

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Lionel Richie reportedly believes that Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan don't show him enough respect

Sources say that the Stuck on You singer had been Luke’s bestie on the show, but now that Bryan prefers Carrie’s company, the two are leaving the 76-year-old crooner out of their catty clique.

“What really burns Lionel is the way Luke goes on about Carrie and how he’s been to her farm and gets along with her husband,” says an insider.