Leftovers: Jessica Simpson

Aside from "Black Friday," the big news this week has been the announced divorce of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey.

Now, the truth is, nobody really knows who's at fault, here. Nobody really knows what went on. But I have a sneaky suspicion that Simpson is making a big mistake.

As you'll recall, Simpson wasn't exactly tearing up the pop charts ... she couldn't compete with Britney and Christina ... until her MTV reality show, The Newlyweds, came around, that is.

That's when most of us were first introduced to the ditzy, but lovable, Simpson and her doting new husband, Nick (formerly of the "boy band" 98 degrees). America swooned for the beautiful Jessica, even as confused the fact that tuna is the "chicken of the sea," and learned that buffalo wings weren't literally the wings of a buffalo ...

We watched the "behind the music" episodes and learned how Jessica was a wholesome girl who actually started off singing Christian music songs such as, True Love Waits. At this point, she had become, "America's Sweetheart" -- without ever having a real big hit.

As I watched The Newlyweds (hey, it's on TV, okay?), I became more and more convinced that Simpson was the lucky one in the relationship ... That Jessica was tolerable, not because she was a good conversationalist, but solely for her beauty and talent.

I imagined a 70-year old Nick Lachey having to put up with a ditzy and annoying elderly woman who was no longer the beauty he married. Lachet seemed like the type of guy who would still remember her for what she was -- and would be good to her (so long as she didn't interfere with his ESPN programming.)

... Then, Jessica's sister, Ashley Simpson got her own MTV reality show.

This gave us an even more behind-the-scenes look at Jessica and the Simpson Family (which is just a notch above the "O.J." Simpson Family-- and a notch under the Homer Simpson Family).

We witnessed the weird behavior of her father/manager (I can't put my finger on why he's weird -- you just know it when you see it). We were reminded of all those 80s TV stars who went crazy because their parents pushed them into show business, and then embezzled their money.

Then, 2005 rolled around. And Jessica started presenting a much more sexual image. (If you've seen the video from the Dukes of Hazard movie -- and I'm betting you have -- you know what I'm talking about. )

This conversion me wonder about the sincerity of her "Christian girl" image, in the first place. I mean, how do you go from singing "True Love Waits" to giving a lap dance to the General Lee?

Is it a coincidence that Jessica's divorce from Nick Lachey coincides with her new and naughty image? I doubt it.

It appears to me that it's really always been about making money and getting ahead. And the question really is: What furthers her career?

The irony is, in the long run, it would be a wiser career move for Jessica to keep her clean image. After all, Britney and Christina have already cornered the market on sluttiness. I mean, if you're creating a brand, you want to be different than the competition, right? But I guess Jessica figures, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

It'll be hard for her to have a second or a third act, now. There's a whole cottage industry out there of conservatives (remember, she supported Dubya) who buy movie tickets, concert tickets, clothes, etc., -- and they aren't as fickle as the rest of the population.

In ten years -- heck in two years -- there will be some hot new thing come along.

Through her choices, Jessica has opted to become just another pretty face in the crowd. I hope she gets back on track.