For some reason, Joe Simpson consistently gives all of his late-breaking official statements to OK! Magazine. Granted, Papa Joe isn’t “People Mag worthy” but you’d think Us Weekly would throw him a bone and print his magical words. Anyway, Joe finally makes a statement on his daughter Ashlee’s split from Pete Wentz. To my knowledge, this is Joe’s first statement on the subject, and it’s all folded into a larger story about Pete and Ashlee’s split.

“Things were not right for a while,” Ashlee’s father, Joe Simpson says exclusively to OK!.

“Ashlee has lost weight in the last six months and was upset all the time. When she needed Pete, he was never around,” a friend reveals. “She basically gave up her career when she got pregnant with Bronx. She spent weeks alone; he went on with his life.”

A family friend adds: “Ashlee does have an amazing temper. She’s very spoiled and can be very dramatic. I’ve seen her screaming, slamming doors. She’s threatened to leave a million times.”

“We will never let our daughters be alone,” says Joe. “We are here to hug them and give them a shoulder to cry on.”

[From OK! Magazine, print edition]

There’s more – Ashlee has “trust issues” but some say she had reason to not trust Pete – that he was always coming home with girls’ numbers, and some think he was screwing around. But OK! Magazine also emphasizes how they’re both spending time working on their issues now, and that Pete comes over nearly every day to see Ashlee and Bronx.

Regarding the Joe Simpson stuff – sorry I built that up so much when it was just two little quotes! I wonder if he said much more and they just used the most basic stuff? BUT: “We will never let our daughters be alone.” Yes, that is one of the many problems, Joe.

Photos courtesy of WENN.

I can’t believe I’m still obsessed with this story, but I guess it’s because it genuinely took me by surprise. A few days ago, Ashlee Simpson filed for divorce from Pete Wentz, and the back-and-forth, he said/she said commenced. Ashlee’s side said he worked too much and was too erratic; Pete’s side said he didn’t want to divorce and that she’s a drunk anyway. Now, a new wrinkle: Radar reports that Pete was completely blindsided by Ashlee’s divorce filing, and that he’s super-depressed about the whole thing:

Pete Wentz has been left heartbroken and inconsolable since his wife Ashlee Simpson blindsided him by filing for divorce, RadarOnline.com has exclusively learned.

“Pete has been crying a lot to her about this,” a source close to the couple told RadarOnline.com. “He is crushed, and does not want it to be over.”

But Ashlee, 26, is reportedly done with marriage, and wants the divorced finalized.

“Ashlee is done, she loves him, but she’s ready to move on,” said the source. “When he traveled for work, she had a lot of time to think, and in the end she just felt happier without him. They married really young and have grown apart, she just wants to focus on her child and her career.”

As RadarOnline.com first reported Pete, 31, was blindsided by the break up and was even planning a special Valentine’s Day surprise for the his wife. But Ashlee couldn’t bear her musician hubby’s demanding tour schedule and decided to file for divorce.

Simpson filed the papers in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’. She requested joint legal custody and primary physical custody of their three-year-old-son Bronx Mowgli.

[From Radar]

See, this is why I thought they would work… at least I thought they would work a lot longer than this. Even though Pete parties with strippers, I always thought that he adored Ashlee and was committed to her in his strange way. And I end up coming down on his side, for some reason. I think my perspective on Ashlee is skewed – even though I think she was probably pretty much a single mother, what with Pete’s constant tour schedule, I still think it was kind of rude and mean to file for divorce with (allegedly) no warning. Of course, as many experts have pointed out, this whole “I didn’t see it coming” defense is a bit more complicated.

Also, I really want to know Joe Simpson’s part in all of this. Did he push for a divorce or did he have nothing to do with it? What does he think of these events? Does he have no opinion, because Ashlee is so obviously his second-favorite daughter? Ugh.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

As we discovered yesterday, Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz’s marriage is no more. She filed for divorce, and she’s asking for joint custody of their son Bronx, as well as spousal support. Ashlee got the first word on why they were splitting too – Camp Simpson leaked that it was all because of Pete’s “erratic behavior.” Then Camp Wentz released his side: they just grew apart and his love of music and touring was a factor, and there were no third parties involved. Also, TMZ reported that Pete tried to talk Ashlee out of filing for divorce, to no avail. Us Weekly has some theories too:

Wedded bliss didn’t last very long for Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Pete Wentz.

Although the couple’s Wednesday divorce announcement came as a shock to many, insiders saw trouble brewing way back in June 2009 — when Ashlee, 26, and Pete, 31, were married for a mere 13 months, and prone to explosive blowouts often punctuated by alcohol.

At issue? Balancing their professional and romantic lives with the pressures of parenting an infant son, Bronx, then 7 months. At the time, the duo fought “constantly,” and singer-actress Ashlee was “seriously considering leaving him,” one insider said.

Things boiled over at a June 1 party — where a visibly drunk Ashlee got into a nasty public spat with Michelle Trachtenberg, Pete’s ex girlfriend.

Simpson-Wentz was “reverting to drinking and going out, because she is sick and tired of her life,” another pal said. The alcohol was “an outlet for her unhappiness, and Pete is getting fed up.”

After hanging out in the same social circles for years, the couple got romantic in late 2006 — and raced to the altar in May 2008, when she was 3-months pregnant.

“Ashlee loves Bronx but jumped into marriage and having a baby too quickly,” one pal told Us. “They feel they got trapped in a situation they were too young for.”

In Wednesday’s statement released by their spokesperson, the couple said: “We remain friends and deeply committed and loving parents to our son Bronx, whose happiness and well-being remains our number one priority.”

[From Us Weekly]

E! News has an exhaustive timeline of their courtship, marriage and split here – and after I read through it, I understood a little bit more why this union had so many problems. They spent a lot of time apart, and while they were away from each other, they did a lot of solo partying. Also: Ashlee cannot hold her liquor! In most cases, I would say that the dude would be the one going buck wild post-split, but my theory is that we’re going to see a lot of photos of Ashlee out in clubs, partying her ass of in the months to come. Maybe even a rehab visit? I wouldn’t rule it out.

Photos courtesy of Fame.

I know I’m about to out myself as a total dumbass, but this one hurts. Ashlee Simpson has just filed for divorce from Pete Wentz – damn it! I liked them together, I really did. They made sense together. They were coming up on their third wedding anniversary in May, and their son Bronx is 2 years old. Here’s more from TMZ:

TMZ has learned … Ashlee Simpson just filed for divorce from hubby Pete Wentz.

In documents filed in L.A. County Superior Court, Simpson cites “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the divorce.

She’s asking for joint legal custody and primary physical custody of two-year-old Bronx.

Simpson, who is repped by disso queen Laura Wasser, is also asking for spousal and child support. Wentz is repped by Stacy Phillips.

Sources tell TMZ there is no prenup.

The couple married in May, 2008.

[From TMZ]

Through the years, there have been rumors of Pete’s infidelities, and there have also been rumors about Ashlee’s multiple issues, like her alleged drinking problem and her alleged eating disorder. And yet… I honestly thought they would last. Well, I thought they would last longer than this. Sad!

Also – no prenup again, Papa Joe? Dumbass.

UPDATE: Here’s the couple’s statement via People Magazine (through Ashlee’s rep): “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to file for divorce. We remain friends and deeply committed and loving parents to our son Bronx, whose happiness and well-being remains our number one priority. We ask that everyone honor our privacy as we navigate this next phase of our lives.”

UPDATE: And it’s already begun. TMZ has a story about why Ashlee left Pete. A source says, “It’s really all about Pete’s erratic behavior… She really wanted out.”

Photos courtesy of WENN.

We spend too much time on Jessica Simpson. We are like Papa Joe in that way – always obsessing over Jess’s life and clothes and boyfriends and gay BFF breakups. And Ashlee becomes The Forgotten Simpson, and her clothes are rarely analyzed, her weight loss discusses briefly then instantly forgotten, her marriage not scandalous in any way. So let’s talk about Ashlee for a moment – these are photos from launch of Decades Denim in LA last night. Ashlee recently cut her hair into this sweet little pixie cut – you’d think that she wouldn’t be able to pull it off, but she does.

As for the dress, and as for Ashlee’s figure – I think she looks really good. The dress is vintage Chanel, and I find it slightly boring, but it looks good on Ashlee, and she sometimes has pretty nice taste. It’s a classy dress, and I like that she’s somewhat covered up. As for Ashlee’s figure – after a few years of everyone calling her anorexic, it looks like she’s put some weight back on (just a few pounds), and I think she looks pretty healthy.

PopEater says that Ashlee is channeling Edie Sedgwick – I can see that. Especially with the earrings, which are my least favorite part of the ensemble. They overwhelm the whole look, which could have been completely cute. They’re too heavy, and they distract from the hair. The makeup is great though. Overall: Ashlee is now a better dresser than Jessica Simpson.

Photos courtesy of Bauer-Griffin and WENN.

I can’t even remember how long Ashlee Simpson was rocking longer, black hair. I didn’t hate her dyed black hair – it made her stand out from Jessica, and it seemed to compliment Pete Wentz in a husband-wife matchy-matchy way. But, as you can see in a photo that Pete Wentz took yesterday, Ashlee has just chopped off her hair and gone back to a bleached blonde color. Don’t kill me, but I don’t hate it. I think Ashlee has the face to pull off short hair, and the blonde makes her look younger somehow. It’s pretty cute, in my opinion.

Ashlee Simpson has gone back to her roots — literally!

After promising that he would “try and sneak a pic to post” of Simpson’s sassy new blonde pixie cut, Pete Wentz followed through when he uploaded a photo of Simpson and son Bronx, nearly 2, Tuesday afternoon.

“Yah fam headed out tonight stoked!” Wentz, 31, tweeted. “Cute hair mama!”

Simpson (who is a natural blonde) was most recently seen with long, ombre-style hair — though the 26-year-old has also rocked black, brown and red shades in the past.

Wentz’s thoughts on his wife’s new ‘do?

“New blonde pixie haircut is cute!” he tweeted.

[From Us Weekly]

Is anyone else pleasantly surprised that Ashlee and Pete are still together, and still seemingly strong? I generally don’t care for either of them, but together – with their very cute baby – they are kind of adorable, and I always like it when a husband has a vocal opinion about his wife’s hair. Very cute! And look how blonde Bronx is!

Twit Pic courtesy of Pete Wentz’s Twitter.

As many eagle-eyed readers noted in yesterday’s Kourtney Kardashian post (about In Touch’s cover story regarding Scott Disick “betraying” Kourtney), In Touch Weekly is running a small story about Ashlee Simpson’s nose. To be more specific, it’s about her nose “growing back”. Now, Ashlee had a very noticeable nose job back in 2006. She denied it for a little while, then finally admitted it. Personally, I think this was one of those occasions where one surgery made a drastic, positive improvement on someone’s looks, and I was only offended when Ashlee seemed to think she could deny it or not simply be honest.

Anyway, In Touch asks if her old nose is growing back. The whole story is based on some recent photos of Ashlee over the past month, and ITW got a “doctor” to weigh in. Jezebel had the basics:

Ashlee Simpson’s “old nose is back”. Doesn’t the 2010 picture look like someone tampered with it? Dr. Steven J. Pearlman was asked to weigh in on the difference between her nose now and her nose in 2006, and he — quite astutely — points out: “The photo of her now is from a straight-on angle, while the one of her in 2006 is a side profile. No nose will look the same from different angles.” O RLY?

[From In Touch Weekly via Jezebel]

Honestly, though, from certain angles it does look like Ashlee’s old nose is growing back. It’s not as big as it used to be, but it definitely looks bigger than it did immediately post-surgery.

Here’s Ashlee’s nose in chronological order:

In 2005, pre-surgery:

In 2006, immediately post-surgery:

And in 2010, as it “grows back”:

Ashlee Simpson on January 27, 2010, credit: A. Miller/WENN. Also, Ashlee on November 30, 2009, February 11, 2005 and September 25, 2006. Credit: WENN.

Monday night was Ashlee Simpson’s Broadway debut, and her immediate family came out to support her. Jessica got weepy, Pete Wentz got drunk and had to pee, Mama Tina was quiet, as usual, and Joe Simpson decided to give some douchey quotes to some waiting journalists. Thank God he didn’t decide to wax poetic on Jessica’s breasts again, although the passive-aggressive force is strong with this family. Papa Joe decided he would make a pre-emptive attack against all of those people who would call his daughters “failures”. He actually used that word – “failures”. Anyway, he says “The world always want to make it look like we’re failures but we’re really just a family that works hard.” Right:

Nobody puts Joe Simpson’s babies in a corner.

At Monday’s performance of Chicago in Manhattan — where daughter Ashlee Simpson-Wentz made her Broadway debut in the role of Roxy — the Hollywood dad admitted to feeling besieged.

“We as a family are under a lot pressure,” Simpson said, adding that people want “to make us look bad and wants us to fail.”

This past year, the proud patriarch saw Jessica, 29, struggle with her weight, mourn the death-by-coyote of her beloved dog Daisy and get dumped by boyfriend Tony Romo.

(Next year she returns to reality TV with The Price of Beauty, the VH1 series set to debut in March.)

While Ashlee, 25, and husband Pete Wentz doted on baby Bronx, who just turned one, she was also recently fired from the CW’s Melrose Place.

“It was never a loss,” her father says of the Melrose burn. “The world says whatever it says. [The world], again, always want to make it look like we’re failures but we’re really just a family that works hard.”

The happy dad — who cried during Ashlee’s Chicago performance — praised both of his daughters’ ability to roll with the punches. “My children look at ups and downs and rise up above it all and remain strong…We’re just normal people, and we always try to be who we say we are.”

[From Us Weekly]

Here’s the thing: I’ll buy that some people call Jessica and/or Ashlee “failures”. I’ve seen it happen, and let’s face it, they have “failed” at certain things in their lives. We all do. They’re both resilient girls, so I get that the whole “working hard” thing is defensive for a reason. But it just seems like an odd message for Papa Joe to bring to an audience – especially given that he was at Ashlee’s big Broadway debut. And all he can think about is defending his girls from imaginary (or not so imaginary) attacks… and by doing so, he gives those criticisms legitimacy. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: Papa Joe does more damage to his daughters’ careers than they do themselves. He needs to learn how to put a sock in it, at least around reporters.

Joe Simpson at Ashlee’s Broadway premiere in New York, November 30, 2009. Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and Jessica Simpson at Ashlee’s birthday celebration at Wet Republic at the MGM Grand Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on October 2, 2009.

Last night was Ashlee Simpson’s big Broadway debut in Chicago. You couldn’t pay me to sit through it, but Ashlee seems to be getting average to solid reviews, and she seems to have bounced back from being publicly and rudely dumped off of Melrose Place. People were also noting how thin Ashlee looked on stage, and in life. Especially compared to sister Jessica, who showed up for her sister’s big debut. Jessica wore a cute little sequined mini-dress that showed off her epic curves – so, yeah, comparisons were made, but I won’t get into that. I think they both look fine. Twitch… okay, okay, Ashlee should eat a sandwich. That’s all I’ve got.

Ashlee Simpson will be doing Chicago for a 10-week run that ends February 7, 2010. Jessica praised her sister on Twitter, writing “Roxie was all Heart! Watching her up on that grandiose stage made me the proudest sister in the world. I love ya honey, I love ya!”

Monday night’s performance of Chicago at the Ambassador Theatre in NYC might have marked Ashlee Simpson’s Broadway debut, but it wasn’t the former Melrose Place star who was overwhelmed by anxiety — it was her big sister Jessica!

Before the curtain rose last night, Jessica admitted to her mom Tina — who sat between Jess and her dad, Joe — that she was a bag of nerves.

“She kept turning to her mom and saying she had butterflies,” one onlooker at the theater tells OK!. “It was very cute. She must have said it five times after she took her seat.”

And it looks like those butterflies might have been genetic, as Tina was overheard admitting to a friend sitting nearby that, “We’re both going to cry… We brought Kleenex.”

With only moments to go before the show, Jess even sent a frantic text to a friend saying, “She’s about to go on!!!!!! Pray!!!!!!”

Jess also sent a text over to Ashlee’s husband Pete Wentz, who was only a few seats away, presumably to offer last-minute moral support to the Fall Out Boy bassist.

According to the witness, when Ashlee took the stage as the wily Roxie Hart — a role she’d already portrayed onstage in London — Jessica gripped her mom’s arm.

At the intermission, Tina quickly left her seat, saying, “She asked me to go backstage — I always do.”

Meanwhile Jessica was beaming over Ashley’s big moment playing a part made famous on the silver screen by Renee Zellweger. “I love that she’s her own Roxie — she’s done it her own way.”

And when Pete came over to gush about Ashley, he revealed his own tactics for beating the nerves.

“I’m a little drunk,” he confessed, leaning in very close to Jessica. When she asked him if he was still nervous, Pete replied, “No. I just need to pee.”

Although it was her little sis’ evening, Jess did take a moment to reflect on other matters — those toned dancers!

“Doesn’t this show make you want to work out?,” Jessica asked a friend. “Watching those girls, I’m like, ‘I need to get in shape.’”

Meanwhile, she said that Ashlee looks “so skinny” on the stage.

When the final curtain came down and the Simpson family had finally finished their standing ovation, Jessica could no longer contain her emotions.

“I’m always so proud of my sister,” a weeping Jess confessed to OK!. “I think she frickin’ nailed it!”

Tina Simpson put her hand on Jessica’s arm and said: “She always cries!”

Now where are those Kleenex?!

[From OK! Magazine]

Aw, Jessica is so cute. But you notice that Jessica kind of made Ashlee’s night about her, right? Jessica and Ashlee’s relationship is so complicated – but I guess that’s what makes them sisters. It was cool of Jessica to show up to support her sister, especially after the lashing Ashlee took in the press after being fired from Melrose Place. Now, let’s hope that Jessica can convince her sister to stop wearing that God-awful black wig. That thing is hideous.

Ashlee Simpson-Wentz at the curtain call for her Broadway debut in the musical ‘Chicago’ at the Ambassador Theatre in New York on November 30. Pete Wentz, Jessica & Ashlee Simpson on the red carpet for the ‘Chicago’ after party. Credit: WENN.

Jessica Simpson is trying to take Perez Hilton to task. Perez posted about Ashlee “Asslee” Simpson and her son Bronx’s first birthday, which everyone was tweeting about. Perez stated at the end of the post “ Poor lil’ thing doesn’t stand a chance!!!” I think Perez was probably referencing Bronx’s unfortunate name, and maybe his unfortunate parentage. In any case, it wasn’t even the cruelest, dumbest or most ridiculous thing Perez has ever written. And yes, I hate that I’m defending Perez. It’s just that I could see myself saying something like “That poor Bronx” or “that kid has it rough”. Of course, we don’t refer to Ashlee as “Asslee”, but whatever. It doesn’t sound like Jessica Simpson was very mad about that one. Jess took to Twitter to verbally shank Perez, writing “Don’t ever attack my family again.Sad to know u hate so deeply.Sad 4 U”. Don’t ever attack your family… or what? Ken Paves will beat us with a flat iron?

Jessica Simpson is coming to her family’s defense once again.

The 29-year-old singer — who called Melrose Place “crap” after her younger sister Ashlee was canned — is now going after celeb blogger Perez Hilton, who poked fun at her nephew Bronx.

On Friday — Bronx’s first birthday — Perez wrote: “It’s been one year since Asslee pushed Bronx Mowgli through her vayjayjay and it’s all the family is talking about!”

He then ended his post by calling Bronx a “poor lil’ thing” who “doesn’t stand a chance!!!”

Simpson wasn’t amused. She Twittered later that day: “Does perez hilton..whatever his name really is..have no heart at all?Don’t ever attack my family again.Sad to know u hate so deeply.Sad 4 U”

Her spirits seemed to improve a short time later. “I challenge everyone to save up for a flt [ed note: flight] to somewhere you have always wanted to go. Get inspired beyond boundries [sic],” she wrote. “Find something waiting!”

[From Us Weekly]

Jessica is defending her family, so good for her. It seems like both Jessica and Ashlee are doing a lot of “defending” of one another lately. Is it just me, or is there a vein of passive-aggressive sister stuff in their “defense” of one another? Ashlee defended Jessica against people who criticize Jess’s weight – but by doing so, brought up the fact that Jessica isn’t as thin as Ashlee. With Jessica, I think she’s less likely to be passive-aggressive because she’s not smart enough, but I still feel like people wouldn’t have even noticed this somewhat boring comment of Perez’s if Jess hadn’t pointed it out. Ah… Papa Joe, look at what you have wrought.

Jessica Simpson entering Cecconi’s restaurant in West Hollywood, California on November 20, 2009. Credit: Fame. Perez Hilton at the AMAs, November 22. Credit: WENN.