Is it possible for Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson to get back together, all over again? If you’re going by US Weekly, then of course it’s possible! While the world is still shivering from the epic douchery of Tony Romo to dump Jessica the night before her birthday, most people have been solely focused on the “what went wrong” aspect of the split. Did Tony just want a way out? Did John Mayer send some naughty texts to Jessica, and Tony saw them? Did Pervert Papa Joe Simpson meddle too much? All good questions.

But it was only the brave editors at US Weekly who realized, as if by magic, that now that Tony dumped Jessica, both Jessica and her ex-husband Nick Lachey are single. Oh. My. God. Cover! We’ll call it “Newlyweds: Redux”. No, no. Us Weekly instead calls their cover story “Second Chance”. If you read the smaller print, it seems that Jessica and Nick aren’t even speaking to each other again, they are only “Newlyweds are haunted by secret feelings”. Yes, I like Jessica, but this is making me a little barfy. Here’s the basic rundown, via Jezebel:

After five pages of speculation about how since Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are both single now they MIGHT get back together since they are “haunted by the ghost of their relationship past.”

Quotes refuting this theory appear at the end of the story: “He would never ever go back with her. He’s a different person now,” a source says. “All Nick wants now is a non-famous girl he can settle down and have kids with.”

Then the magazine writes: “Ironically, though Simpson now wants to settle down and have a family, a source close to her tells Us she isn’t pursuing her ex-hubby.” “They don’t talk and haven’t seen each other in years,” the insider says. “That’s the last thing on her mind.” Okay then!

[From US via Jezebel]

Yeah, I don’t see it happening. I could totally see Nick being a nice guy and calling Jessica to offer his sympathies, and maybe offering her some rebound sex. In general, though, I suspect Nick is totally over Jessica. I think he’s totally over the whole Simpson family – his dealing with Pervert Joe must have really soured the whole situation. I really believe that Jessica still has that “Newlywed” stuff in her head – she wants to identify herself as someone’s wife, and I do think she wants to be a mother. Tony wasn’t her guy, and she wasn’t mature enough to appreciate Nick when she had him. Sigh.

I am thisclose to playing matchmaker for Jessica. Who would be good for her? Pattz? God no. Mayer again? Uh, no. John Stamos? No, he’s for Aniston. Daniel Radcliffe? He likes cougars, but his atheism would be a problem. George Clooney? He would like her boobs and her ditziness, but I think he prefers brunettes. Oh my God, I’ve got it! Prince Harry! He and Jessica would be perfect together. Neither one of them is very bright, he likes blondes, she likes athletes, and you know the sex would be pretty awesome. Perfect match!

Header via CoverAwards.

In a move that will surprise no one, Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo have decided to break up. Back in April, there were a lot of rumors that their relationship was on the rocks, partially substantiated by Vanessa spending some very cuddly time with Matt Lanter from the new 90210. That one night also wasn’t the first time that there had been rumors of cheating and a breakup – ever since they began dating in 2006, there were consistent reports that they were no longer together. In April, Vanessa said that she and Nick were “very much still on,” but obviously that didn’t last long:

Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo have called it quits, reps for each confirm to PEOPLE.

“They have amicably split but remain good friends who still greatly care for one another,” Minnillo’s rep tells PEOPLE of the couple, who began dating in 2006.

The split comes after a rash of breakup rumors and reports, which were shot down. Earlier this month Minnillo told PEOPLE that she and Lachey were “very much still on.”

Though they have split, a source says Minnillo, 28, and Lachey, 35, are “still friends. It was the right thing for both of them to do.”

[from People]

There’s no telling what exactly it was that caused the breakup; it’s possible that her supposed cheating had nothing to do with it. But an interview in June, after the cheating incident, hinted at some trouble. Vanessa made several comments about marriage, including the size of her future hypothetical wedding ring (10 carats) as well as backing up her claims about the stability of their relationship by commenting that “Maybe this will be the one time I wind up the bride instead of the bridesmaid!” Sounds like someone was ready to walk down the aisle – and maybe Nick wasn’t.

When his show Newlyweds with Jessica Simpson was still on television, I watched it just to see Nick. I’ve never been a fan of his music or anything, but he’s a genuinely sweet, funny, patient guy, and entertaining in a very quiet way. So I don’t think that they broke up solely because he thinks she is the reason his career is nonexistent. In fact, I think the opposite is true – I always got the impression that he was like a deer in the headlights when it came to the cameras in his house, and being married to a star like Jessica. Vanessa, on the other hand, seems to love the spotlight. Maybe Nick just decided he needed someone a little more settled than Vanessa – or maybe Vanessa got tired of waiting for Nick. Either way, they clearly weren’t headed in the same direction.

Nick and Vanessa are shown on 6/7/09 and 4/22/09. Credit: WENN.com

Vanessa Minnillo gave an interview to Robin Leach (The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous guy) while she was in Las Vegas, and she talked non-stop about marriage, brides and engagement rings. People Magazine is making it seem like “Oh my God, Vanessa is pressuring Nick Lachey to get married” – which might really be the case, because that seems to be Vanessa’s consistent modus operandi. Nick and Vanessa have been together about three years, and they’ve been living together for two. See, Vanessa has put three whole years into this relationship – as opposed to another celebrity woman (hint: Jennifer Love Hewitt) who just yesterday was pressuring her boyfriend of three months to get engaged. I kind of feel bad for Vanessa – Nick doesn’t seem to be making her any kind of priority in his life:

Memo to Nick Lachey: Vanessa Minnillo has marriage on the mind – and hand.

Pointing to a 5-carat ring on her middle finger, Minnillo, 28, tells Las Vegas columnist Robin Leach, “It will be 10 carats when it moves to the fourth finger!”

Leach says she was laughing when she said it. But in the course of a brief interview posted on his Vegas Deluxe blog Minnillo mentions marriage three times.

Noting that Lachey, 35, couldn’t make it to Vegas with her because he was at a friend’s birthday party, she pouted, “So once again it looks as if I’m always the bridesmaid but never the bride.”

Not that there’s a problem, she quickly adds. “This romance is still going strong,” she says. “There will always be rumblings and rumors that we’ve broken up, but in fact, it’s very much still on – and it keeps on getting better.”

So much so that, “Maybe this will be the one time I wind up the bride instead of the bridesmaid!”

[From People]

Not to butt into their relationship, but I think it’s totally reasonable for Nick and Vanessa to both do some soul-searching about the state of their arrangement. Vanessa seems to know what she wants – a ring, a white dress, and a wedding. I’m not so sure if she’s given any thought to actually being married to Nick, but I give her credit for knowing what her priorities are. What are Nick’s priorities? Having a girlfriend who doesn’t demand anything of him, spending time with his dude friends, and keeping everything low-key. I really think Vanessa is avoiding giving Nick an ultimatum about marriage because she thinks (knows) he’ll dump her. Poor Vanessa.

Vanessa and Nick are shown on 5/13/09. Credit: WENN.com

Wait, Nick Lachey still has a career? When did that happen? Apparently he and longtime girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo are on the rocks. Now to be fair, she probably doesn’t understand his career issues, because she’s never had one. Unless you count being an MTV veejay (and supposedly an entitled diva) a career. Technically she considers herself an actress (she even plans on winning an Oscar), but frankly she has nothing going for her except being Nick’s girlfriend. And by some reports, that’s going down the tubes too.

A source close to the ex-boybander says the two “are on the rocks big time. They argue all the time, and Nick is done with her. He feels like she’s holding him back, careerwise.” Sure enough, Lachey’s career isn’t as hot as it used to be. His latest single, “Patience,” hasn’t even cracked the pop charts, though a friend close to the singer is quick to note “it’s doing well on the adult contemporary.” (When we checked, it was No. 39 on Billboard’s Hot Adult Top 40 list after five weeks of airplay, and it topped out on the Pop 100 Airplay list at No. 75 back in March.)

… what the singer really needs is a mainstream breakthrough — and Lachey’s pals say that in order to launch a comeback, he needs to dump Minnillo. It was recently reported the end was near after Minnillo stormed out of an L.A. restaurant with an angry face — with Lachey chasing after her in embarrassment, doggy bag in hand. A source close to the couple told us, “After the pictures came out, Nick told friends they weren’t fighting about their relationship, that it was just Vanessa going through a tough time personally.”

But, says another source, “We’re just not sure if we believe that anymore. The relationship has been over for a while, but he’s too nice a guy to end things completely.” That may explain why the singer keeps making an effort. In town for a recent Lachey promotional tour, he and Minnillo — who’ve been together since March 2006 — dined at The Charles restaurant. “They sat in a corner table, exchanging kisses,” said one spy. “But something still wasn’t quite right.”

[From Gatecrasher]

Of course both of their reps denied that anything was wrong, because life is nothing but rainbows shooting out of unicorns’ asses in celebrity rep land. They’ve been together for three years. Lots of couples date that long without getting married, and I’m not saying there’s anything wrong about that. But, it’s long been rumored that Vanessa was eager for Nick to pop the question, and given that, it’s been a long time. If she wanted to get engaged, I’m surprised she hasn’t dumped him after all this time. I think she’s smart enough to know Nick is the only fame she’s got right now.

And while Lachey has always struck me as a reasonably smart guy (at least by celebrity standards), I don’t think Vanessa is the reason for his flagging CD sales. He’s just over. His young hot boyband time came and went – and he was never one of the biggest acts, even when he was on top of his game. Gatecrasher also noted that he’s producing shows for MTV, and that sounds like a smart plan for the long-term. If either of them is considering staying or leaving because of their career, it’s time to call it off.

Here’s Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo at the New Years Eve celebration at Fontainebleau’s LIV nightclub in Miami Beach. Images thanks to WENN.com .

Jessica Simpson is still yapping on about her relationship with Tony Romo. I think the woman is physically incapable of talking about anything other than whoever she’s dating. In a way I understand it, but it makes an already shallow seeming person come off as even more vapid.

Jessica says in the past she’s always fallen for men that she wanted to save – implying that ex-husband Nick Lachey was one of them. She says with Tony Romo, he saved her.

In December’s Cosmopolitan, Jessica Simpson says Tony Romo is different from past men she’s romanced — including ex-husband Nick Lachey.

“I’d always fall for guys I wanted to save,” she says. “For the first time, I fell in love with someone who saved me.”

She says she wouldn’t rule out wedding the Dallas Cowboys quarterback, whom she began dating last year. “I think any person who I’m gonna date for longer than six months, I definitely am investing in something long-term,” she says. “If I get married again, then it will be the last time.

“Nick will always be a part of my life,” says Simpson, who divorced Lachey nearly three years ago. “But next time, I’m marrying the right one.”

[From US Weekly]

Obviously I don’t know the personal details of his life, but Nick Lachey seemed to have his act together, especially when compared to Jessica. It didn’t seem like there was a whole lot of saving needed. But then again she clearly knew him pretty intimately and seems to feel she needed to help him in some way. A lot of women feel that way about men – it’s why some are always attracted to “fixers.” Not that Nick is/was a fixer.

I think Jessica tends to lose herself in her relationships a bit. That’s probably why she wants to be with guys that she can save – so they need her more. She just doesn’t talk about anything other than men. I don’t expect anything of depth or consequence to come out of her mouth, but I’d like to hear about something other than “Tony/John/Nick” all the time. I can understand why she’d want to avoid talking about her acting career (ahem, “Major Movie Star”), but she can talk about her music, her family… hell even her dog would be an improvement at this point. Find new words Jessica. Please.

Here’s Jessica at Macy’s 150th Birthday Gala Celebration at Gotham Hall in New York City last Tuesday. Images thanks to WENN.

Vanessa Minnillo and Nick Lachey haven’t been on vacation for a while, or if they have they decided not to invite photographers after that pesky hot tub incident, so we haven’t heard much about them. Both have jobs now, which could also explain why they’re not holed up drinking margaritas at some tropical resort. Nick, 34, is hosting the teen reality competition show “High School Musical: Get in The Picture,” which airs on Mondays on ABC. The ratings have been poor and it’s likely the show isn’t going to stick around after this season. Vanessa, 27, has a role in the film Disaster Movie, which is out on Friday. She’s talking about her relationship with Nick in relation to her cheerleader character’s boyfriend, and says that Nick is open emotionally and was the first to say “I love you.”

In Disaster Movie, hitting theaters Friday, Minnillo’s cheerleader character just can’t get her boyfriend to say “I love you.”

“He just can’t drop the L-word,” Minnillo, 27, tells PEOPLE of her character’s commitment-challenged boyfriend. “And what a girl wants more than anything in the world is for their boyfriend to say ‘I love you.’ ”

But, says Minnillo, her real-life beau Nick Lachey, 34, doesn’t have any similar hang-ups: “The L-word is not thrown around by men as easily as it is by women – but I didn’t say it first! He’s very loving. We’re very open and vocal.”

[From People.com]

I remember Nick on that Newlyweds show, and he arranged an incredibly romantic anniversary night for his then-wife Jessica Simpson. They had a private dinner at a NY city restaurant, then retired to a hotel suite decorated with candles and rose petals. It ultimately didn’t last for them, but it seemed like Nick did his best. You would expect him to be the type to say “I love you” first, and he seems like the rare type of guy who is thoughtful and loyal without being sappy about it. Minnillo is lucky to have landed him.

I asked my husband if he remembered who was the first one of us to say the L word when we first got together and he couldn’t remember! I think it was him, but I’m not sure. It really doesn’t matter considering the outcome. Do you remember who was the first to say “I love you” in your relationship? Maybe it depends on how momentous it was at the time, if you both waited a long time for it, and how long you’ve been together.

Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo are shown outside Crown Bar on 7/16/08. Credit: Revolutionpix/Fame Pictures

Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo have been dating for what seems like a celebrity eternity – about two years. Minnillo has long been reported to be nearly desperate to marry Lachey, especially since the pair moved in together last year. Accounts that she’s putting pressure on Lachey are heating up – but Nick is said not to be interested, at least for the time being. There are also a lot of stories floating around about Minnillo’s immature behavior, comparing her to a high school drama queen. Lachey has generally been portrayed as a pretty mature, sensible guy, and they seem mismatched in a lot of ways.

Nick Lachey and girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo are on the verge of splitting. The couple has been trapped in a break up-to-make up cycle, and now Nick is fed up with Vanessa constantly pressuring him to marry and give her children. And he came unglued with the former MTV host accused him of still being in love with ex-wife Jessica Simpson, pals reveal.

Their problems were on public display March 25 at the trendy restaurant Katsuya when they “sat in stone silence for more than 30 minutes after having what appeared to be an argument,” according to an eyewitness. “As they left that night, Vanessa was in tears sitting next to Nick who was gripping the steering wheel of the car.”

Three nights earlier, at a birthday bash for basketball star Baron Davis at the Stone Rose Lounge. Vanessa “had a good bit to drink, and she turned into a bitchy high school drama queen,” said an eyewitness. “She was rude to some people and then flirted with a bunch of athletes, partying like a single girl. She was hanging all over other guys. Vanessa was rude to fans who wanted her autograph. She spent half the evening sneering at other female guests. From what I saw, it’s not wonder Nick is sick of her.”

[From the National Enquirer, April 14th 2008 print edition]

The Enquirer goes on to talk about how desperate Minnillo is to “get a ring on her finger” and “have Nick’s babies.” I get really tired of the way they portray women as thinking about nothing but marriage and babies… but to be fair, that seems to be most of what you hear about in Minnillo’s case. Whatever career she had as an MTV VJ has totally died out, and her acting career hasn’t exactly taken off. The only thing she’s notable for anymore is dating Nick. Given all that, it makes sense that she’s pressuring him into marriage – what else has she got to focus on? According to the Enquirer, Nick is not giving in. He’s not in love with ex-wife Jessica Simpson anymore, but he’s still stung by their divorce, and remarriage is the last thing on his mind right now. Something tells me one of them will be giving the other an ultimatum pretty soon.

Here’s Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo at Vanessa’s Birthday Celebration at Lax Nightclub in Las Vegas on November 17th. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Fox News reported that Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo were in the Bahamas at one of the Carlyle Hotels to have a secret wedding this weekend. “Fair and balanced” Fox seemed to think that they had everyone else scooped.

He may have been a “Newlywed” once before, but it seems Nick Lachey is ready to march down the aisle again … this weekend. Pop singer Lachey and his MTV star girlfriend Vanessa Minnillo will be married in a secret ceremony at one of the Carlyle Hotels in the Bahamas this weekend, a source told FOXNews.com’s Pop Tarts columnist Hollie McKay.

Minnillo’s entourage arrived at the dazzling digs Friday afternoon, the source said. Reps for the comely couple could not be reached.

[From Fox News]

The story made waves this weekend, with excited bloggers buzzing. I always find it funny how often the line “Reps for _____ did not immediately return our calls” appears in articles. When you really pay attention, it seems half of the articles you read carry this little caveat, essentially saying, “Reps for ___ didn’t call us back within ten minutes, so we went ahead and printed the story.” After reaching most of the major gossip blogs, Lachey and Minnillo’s reps did manage to get a hold of Fox News, and told them their story was bunk. Interestingly, they still haven’t taken it off their site.

Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo are not getting hitched this weekend, his rep tells Usmagazine.com exclusively. FOXNews.com’s Pop Tarts columnist Hollie McKay had quoted a source saying that Lachey, 34, and Minnillo, 27, were expected to tie the knot in a secret ceremony at one of the Carlyle Hotels in the Bahamas this weekend.

But a rep for Lachey tells Us the singer is in his hometown of Cincinnati working on his new NBC show Clash of the Choirs, as well as another show he is producing for MTV.

[From Us Weekly]

Minnillo was also supposedly spotted several times in Los Angeles over the weekend. I am kind of surprised these two haven’t gotten married yet. They seem really into each other, and Vanessa is supposedly bugging Nick about it constantly. She seems the type that could definitely annoy a guy into marriage. He didn’t rush into marriage with Jessica Simpson – they dated for four years before they walked down the aisle. Regardless, it makes sense that Nick would be cautious. Some places insist on a blood test before they’ll issue a marriage license. I think in Nick’s case – given his history – he should insist on an I.Q. test. If that checks out, go forth and marry.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Nick Lachey and Vanessa Minnillo are shown at Vanessa’s Birthday Celebration at Lax Nightclub in Las Vegas on 11/17/07, thanks to PRPhotos.

Vanessa Minnillo is hardcore. She’s got a reputation as being a bit of a diva – supposedly that’s why she was axed by MTV and “Entertainment Tonight” – and apparently she’s bringing that same diva mentality to her relationship with Nick Lachey. She’s told him that he’s got to marry her by next year or she’s out the door. I think Vanessa Minnillo has an inflated sense of self. When she worked for “Entertainment Tonight” she was supposedly a total bitch when she had to actually work, and thought she’d become enough of a celebrity that she shouldn’t have to interview people… which was her job. Ahh, to be paid to stand there and look pretty. Pretty much what I do here at Celebitchy.

“Vanessa Minnillo has hit Nick Lachey with a wedding ultimatum – marry me by next year without a prenup or I’m gone! ‘Vanessa loves Nick, but she’s prepared to walk if he’s not willing to marry her,’ an insider told The ENQUIRER. ‘And she’s not going to get involved in a prenuptial agreement. She feels marriage is forever, and she doesn’t want to begin a lifelong commitment by signing an agreement that’s just an out for a divorce.’ Ex-boy band member Nick, 33, and the 26-year-old beauty are spending time between homes in Los Angeles and New York – and are nearly ready to seal the deal, say sources.

“As the Enquirer recently revealed, Vanessa has picked out an engagement ring – a platinum band with a large emerald-cut diamond in the center and two smaller emerald-cut stone on each side. She first spotted the sparkler at the Kentucky Derby in May. ‘But all bets are off in Nick forces a prenup on her,’ said the insider.”

[From The National Enquirer, print edition, October 8, 2007]

My favorite part is just how worried Nick is about his money. Supposedly the “Enquirer’s” source said, “‘Nick wants the prenup, mostly because he saw what happened with his first marriage to Jessica.” Um, isn’t that exactly how he got all his money that he’s worried about? When he was with Jessica, their net worth was around $50, but he was only responsible for $5 million – so 10%. Yet he ended up with about half of their net worth, which means he gained about $20 million just for being married to Simpson. I’m not arguing whether he did or didn’t deserve it, but I just think it’s really ironic that he’s so worried about losing it in the exact same way he won it.

Picture Note by Jaybird: Here’s Vanessa Minnillo at the launch for her “limited edition” of Flirt cosmetics. “Limited edition” meaning it won’t sell well so they’re planning on canceling the line from the get-go. Images thanks to PR Photos.

Nick Lachey has moved on in style after his high-profile divorce from ditsy singer Jessica Simpson. There are reports that he is engaged to his girlfriend, MTV’s Total Request Live hostess Vanessa Minnillo, and that the cute couple plans to tie the knot this April.

Speculation is that they’ll marry in Mexico, where they shared a romantic vacation together last June. There’s a quote from someone who’s supposedly close them who claims that Nick wants a low profile wedding, because he and Jessica had a huge ceremony and reception and that didn’t work out so well:

“They’re moving forward with plans for an April wedding,” a close friend told The Enquirer.

The engagement comes slightly more than a year after Nick, 33, and Jessica Simpson announced their split. Now Nick and Vanessa are mulling destinations for their wedding and honemoon, disclosed a friend.

“Since they both love Baja, Mexico, it will probably happen south of the border, where the first fell in love.”

[From The National Enquirer print edition, January 29, 2007]

The article says that Nick is urging 26 year-old Vanessa to design the kind of engagement ring she wants and says they’ve seen a jeweler who is working on it.

That’s good news for Nick and is sure to be depressing for Jessica. Nick’s ex doesn’t seem to be in a new relationship apart from a dalliance with John Mayer, who only seems to throw her a bone when he feels like it. There were rumors that Jessica was drunk dialing Nick last year and that she was prank-calling Kirsten Cavalleri back when Nick was dating her.

There’s a story that Jessica is taking secret cooking lessons and will attempt to make John Mayer a romantic dinner before he goes on tour around Valentine’s day. From what I remember of Newlyweds, she could use some help in the kitchen. This news seems to be based on an earlier report that Jessica received the cooking lessons as a gift from someone who worked for her, so if it’s true that she showed up for them, it’s not like it was her idea.

Still, maybe Jessica has some time left before her ex ties the knot again, and doesn’t have to be so eager to latch on to a new guy. Lachey said just a short while ago that he and Minnillo “are not dealing with marriage yet.”