Jessica Simpson is shopping a reality show about her life: sweet or dumb idea?

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Here are photos of Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson all loved up at the premiere of Mockingjay last week. She looks so tiny! As you know, Simpson shot to fame in one of the first celebrity slice of life reality shows, Newlyweds, with her then-husband, Nick Lachey. Newlyweds ran from 2003 – 2005, and the couple filed for divorce a few months after the last episode aired. Whenever I think of Nick and Jessica’s divorce, I remember a 2006 Rolling Stone interview that Nick did where he basically poured his heart out. He said that he tried to win Jessica back, that he would marry her again, and that he would not be seeking alimony. He also made it clear that the show did cause problems in their relationship, although he was careful not to blame MTV for all their issues. He said “Jessica and I began playing these parts even when we were by ourselves. It became a really blurred line. There was a question about what truly was our reality. When you are on a reality show, your life ceases to be reality. It becomes TV.” (If you’re a longtime reader you may remember that I included those lines in a 2010 story about Nick pitching another reality show.)

Nick later moved on to Vanessa Minnillo, and he’s happily married with a two year-old son and another child on the way. Jessica is with Eric Johnson and they have two children, daughter Maxwell, two and a half, and son Ace, 17 months. It’s been a long time since Jessica has been on a reality show and according to Star she’s ready to do it again:

Jessica Simpson and Eric Johnson… are currently shopping offers for a reality TV show about their lives. “Network executives are willing to write them a blank check,” explains a source. “Jessica loves the attention.” While the couple don’t need the money (Jessica runs a fashion and beauty empire that’s worth a staggering billion dollars), it would be TV gold to watch her eat tuna again.

[From Star Magazine, print edition, December 8, 2014]

Remember that infamous tuna scene that Star references? “Is it chicken what I have or is this fish? I know that it’s tuna but it says chicken by the sea.” She got so much publicity for that.

Anyway I don’t necessarily think that Jessica and Eric will fall prey to the reality show curse. Their relationship seems solid and they seem really into each other. Jessica shouldn’t enter into this lightly, though, after her last marriage crashed and burned. Kaiser told me that maybe Jessica just wants Eric to get a job. I think Tori Spelling had the same idea.

Here are some recent photos from Simpson’s Instagram. Her kids are so cute!

I love him

Een foto die is geplaatst door Jessica Simpson (@jessicasimpson) op

Future teammates @kathrynsykora @cheth44 #babyjack #aceknutejohnson

A photo posted by Jessica Simpson (@jessicasimpson) on

Someone got into Mommy's lipgloss #POSER

Фото опубликовано Jessica Simpson (@jessicasimpson)

Thankful for these two WILD TURKEYS! #lakeaustin #maxidrew #aceknute

A photo posted by Jessica Simpson (@jessicasimpson) on

Photo credit: WENN.com, FameFlynet and via Instagram

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47 Responses to “Jessica Simpson is shopping a reality show about her life: sweet or dumb idea?”

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  1. don't kill me i'm french says:

    Zzz

    Because the world needs more real “BS” tv shows

  2. HH says:

    If she’ll still be playing the dumb blonde shtick, then no. Absolutely not. It was annoying the first time around.

    • Pandy says:

      I don’t think she’s playing … she just is dumb.

    • FLORC says:

      HH
      Her last reality sow about traveling the world and finding different forms of beauty (forgot the name) was her trying to act intelligent. It was rough and did not make it far.

      She needs to keep away from reality tv. She doesn;t need the money. If she wants her hubby to have a job he needs to want that too. If all he can do is act out his daily life there are deeper issues they need to tackle for a stronger marriage.

      I think Jess is dumb. Street dumb and academically dumb. She’s got great style and surrounded by great business people. That is why she’s as good as she is right now.

      • HH says:

        @FLORC – I never thought she was the “sharpest tool in the shed” so to speak, but when her reality TV show was on and made big ratings for her “dumb moments” she definitely started to play it up and exaggerate her stupidity. To capitalize on low intelligence irks me to no end.

  3. phillymimi says:

    Nick has made it perfectly clear he will never film his personal life again. I don’t think this is a good idea. This could turn into a Dean and Tori type saga where Eric get a taste of fame. I’m sure Vanessa would love to do a show since she has no job.

    • bluemarie says:

      That’s exactly what i was thinking, they’ll turn into Tori 2.0…Jess is starting to look just like Tori with the dramatic weight loss and the cheek implants showing protruding fom her slimmed down face, fake blonde hair, lip injections….yuck!

    • Josephine says:

      Vanessa is raising kids, so yeah, she has a job.

  4. Kiddo says:

    Dumb, yes. Doesn’t her husband look like her father, or what?

  5. Mia4S says:

    Why not? I thought it’s what all the talentless motherhood-pimps do?

  6. lisa2 says:

    Her family is adorable.

    but no.. never works out well.

  7. Murphy says:

    I don’t know if I would say that Nick and Vanessa are completely solid.

    Also, if Eric can remember his “place” while doing this show then sure it could work. But if his star starts to grow it will cause problems. Thats what always happens.

  8. Tiffany says:

    Those two created some beautiful children.

  9. Loopy says:

    I really liked Nick and Jess,i think the fame went to her head,she thought she could do better the divorce seemed so hasty and a cry for attention on her part. With Nick and Vanessa it seems kinda forced, zero chemistry.

  10. bella says:

    isn’t a billion dollar empire enough?
    if she wants eric to get a job, why doesn’t he go into business mgt?
    wasn’t he enrolled in wharton?
    reality tv isn’t a job.
    not sure if this is even true.
    she looks so lovely without makeup, doesn’t she?
    she shouldn’t wear any.

    • phillymimi says:

      She doesn’t run a billion dollar empire. She has a contract with a company that makes the clothes. Fame is a hell of a drug. Its hard to give it up.

      • bella says:

        i get that…fame is intoxicating i imagine.
        just pointing out all she has and how assinine it is to do reality tv again when she has so much wealth already and he could go into a respectable profession.
        i find reality tv insulting, unimaginative and unoriginal.

  11. Josephine says:

    I vote no on the show, but considering the absolute trash that people watch, I can’t say that they wouldn’t get viewers. Seems like a step backward for her.

    But here’s my question – did she tinker with her face, or is it just the weight loss? She looks so different, so much more harsh.

  12. Louise177 says:

    I doubt this is true. I don’t think she would do a show on her personal life. Jessica has had a couple of reality tv shows before – one on beauty around the world and a fashion show with Nicole Ritchie. So I think she would do a show that focuses on her businesses. I think “Newlyweds” left a mark and she wouldn’t risk her marriage again.

  13. jenn12 says:

    Maybe she misses the attention she got for singing? She doesn’t do much of anything anymore except be a figurehead for a company, and her husband does absolutely nothing.

  14. Wow says:

    UGH NOT AGAIIIIIIN

  15. Hautie says:

    I could understand Jessica doing another peek into her home life, with the husband and kids. If it was a limited show run. As if, it was to be a 3-4 episode thing. Then nothing more.

    And it was being done to jump launch another project, that did not dwell on her home life.

    But to let the camera’s back in her home for weeks on end for a “family style”
    reality show… it will not end well for her marriage.

    What is there to see anyway? Her still living in California? Still shopping? And did she finally get to hire a maid to pick up after her? If Jessica is going to do another show. She is going to have to move back to Texas and go all “Redneck/Duck Dynasty” to have something to sell on her home life.

    Granted, I have always seen her as pretty harmless in general. But there is not a lot to see. Nick and Drew turned out to be the funny stuff, with the old Newlywed show. Well that and her creepy Father who enjoy the camera a little too much himself.

    Unfortunately, selling out your children’s childhood… is not going to end well either. Let those kids grow up in peace. She really needs to rethink letting those camera’s back in home.

  16. LAK says:

    Again?!?!

  17. word says:

    Bad idea. Firstly, she has ENOUGH money. Secondly, it will ruin her family. Didn’t she learn from the first one she did with Nick? Don’t force your kids in front of the cameras…let them decide if and when they want to.

  18. Katrina says:

    Jessica Simpson does not run a fashion line. The Vince Camuto Group runs her fashion line and Jessica gives final approval with her mom. This quote from a Women’s Wear Daily article explains it all:

    “I’ll get mad if I see something with my name on it and I don’t like it. I’ll say, ‘Mom, did you
    approve that? I don’t like that. I never saw that, please tell me if you approved that,” Jessica said.

    What an incredible deal she has going.

    • MelissaManifesto says:

      Thank you for clarifying that fact. It’s not that I think celebrities are too dumb to run a billion-dollar business but I hate that Jessica Simpson gets so much credit for her fashion empire when she has little to do with the actual operations, risk management, accounting, and all the other in and outs of running a successful company.

  19. Sugar says:

    “Someone got into Mommy’s lipgloss”? Yeah, no. Mommy put that on her. It’s too neat. Kids just smear it everywhere.

    • embee says:

      That’s the way I’ve said it and my mom when she found me and my sister in her makeup. Take pictures and show ” someone who got into mommys makeup.” But we all looked perfect at 3. Meant to be funny

  20. mollie says:

    I think she’s likeable, sweet, her kids are beautiful and she’s built a huge empire.
    Props.
    I wish she wouldn’t do a show.

  21. embee says:

    I’d say not to. Seems to have a great life, don’t ruin what she has. Look at the other so called reality families and then she’ll know definitely not to. Most beautiful kids. Keep them sane. The tuna/chicken thing needs to be forgotten. Most likely a joke. So long ago

  22. Abby says:

    I’m conflicted. I think her family life seems pretty great right now and her kids are adorable. But reality shows can do terrible things to the stars. Has there ever been a reality show that was harmless to the family? But on the other hand I would watch another reality show with her in a heartbeat. I own all the seasons of the newlyweds on DVD. ::ducks head in shame::

  23. LeAnn Stinks says:

    Dumb idea considering “Newlyweds” had a hand in the dissolution of her marriage to Nick Lachey.

    • FLORC says:

      It’s been hinted or admitted to Jessica’s parents played a heavy hand in that too. Would her parents play a huge role in this show? Her dad is still kind of eccentric.
      And if Jess is doing this to give her husband an income their marriage is in serious trouble. He needs to have his own path in career. Not to have her find him things to do.

  24. CH says:

    I loved The Newlyweds! I never took it seriously and compared to what reality TV is today it was sweet and innocent. I wouldn’t do it again if I was her…

  25. Mary Jane says:

    Girl DOES look amazing!

  26. lile says:

    I love Jessica. I would watch it. Her hubby is really cute and her children are GORGEOUS. Hopefully she learned what not to do the first time around. I would hate to see our affect her marriage.

    • bkisses says:

      Oh believe me anytime they have a couple on a reality show it ends up in divorce.. with her just being married, I would stay away from reality tv.

  27. Lydia says:

    If she does the show then she must be bored. I think she secretly enjoyed all of the paparazzi and magazine attention that she got when she was on Newlyweds and then when she was pregnant. Now she’s just a SAHM with a husband who does nothing.

    • embee says:

      It doesn’t have to be the husband that’s always the breadwinner. The family is doing fine with her company. Stay at home dads is work just like stay at home moms talk about. I’m a woman and think it’s fine

  28. A Fan says:

    When you are low-budget, simple, and shallow, your ideas are low-budget, simple, and shallow.

    [*Just ask the Kardashians*]

  29. Anon says:

    Just so ya all know Jessica has no intention of ever doing a show based on her family or her and Eric.EVER. That should put many at rest. Jessica is also extremly happy in her realtionship and family.Star and National Enquirer have been trying to stir it up for weeks and if you look at there history will see a blatant agenda towards them. There is some really good stuff on Jessica and her family and continually gets missed here or ignored which is very sad. Many people miss out in who Jessica really is other then gossio fodder..

    Do you all realize Nick just released this new album Nov 11 which also is the date Nov 11 Jess became engaged to Eric 4 years ago. Interesting choice.Nick is no saint but plays PR very well.

  30. bkisses says:

    She had a reality show with her first husband and it led to their divorce.. now she wants to do this again.. she is insane.. the girl has no brains .. I remember when she thought chicken of the sea tuna was real chicken.. omg.. how stupid.