Nick Lachey’s new album “What’s Left of Me” is a clear and heartbreaking exploration of his very public breakup from fellow singer Jessica Simpson. Critics are saying the music is decent pop, if a bit melodramatic and depressing:

Here’s the video for “What’s Left of Me.” It’s pretty good.

The NY Daily News is reporting that Nick decided not to respond to former miss Kentucky Lizzie Arnold, who he was supposedly dating in January. She was said to have sent him several voice and text messages in a vain attempt to get in touch with him before the Kentucky Derby. He was busy with Petra Nemcova the next day, so why would he bother with a past hookup?

Stars attending the CDs release party at Mood in Las Vegas last night include Sophia Bush, Drew Lachey, Wilmer Valderrama, Ryan McPartlin, Paris Hilton, Nicky Hilton, Ryan McPartlin, Sophie Monk, Stacey Keibler, Lance Bass, Traci Swain, Casey Swain and Bonnie Somerville.

Nick Lachey was flirting with supermodel tsunami-survivor Petra Nemcova at the Kentucky Derby. He may not be over Jessica yet, but he seems to be enjoying the possibilities of moving on:

That’s pretty vague, but maybe they were hanging out and flirting. Nick is a great guy while Petra seems really kind, so they would make a very good couple. It’s way too early to tell though.

Nick continues to be kind in his public quotes about Jessica, and doesn’t dismiss a reconciliation. It sounds like he is moving on, though.

Nick is quoted as saying “his girlie” is his work.

Here’s Nick on Total Request Live and Petra at 3rd Annual “Event to Prevent” Gala yesterday put on by the Candies Foundation. She is also shown on 5/4 at the grand opening of “The Collection” at Chevy Chase.

Jessica Simpson showed up at the ALMA awards yesterday with an orange dress, orange skin, and a new orange hairstyle. If Ken Paves is responsible, she should break up with him next. She seems to be suffering from Jennifer Love Hewitt spring fever and we hope she’ll go back to her trademark blonde hair soon. What color is her new hairdo anyway? (Thanks to Oh No They Didn’t for pointing her new hair out.)

Jessica is said to be pissed off at her less talented sister, Ashlee, for copying her look and getting a nose job that makes her more closely resemble Jessica. Maybe she’s trying to go for a more unique appearance. No one would want to copy this hairstyle, that’s for sure.

We were all excited about the “secret” dinner meeting and supposed hotel trysts between Jessica and her estranged husband, Nick Lachey. That may all be a rumor, just like most of the news we report. Jessica’s representative denies that there was a secret dinner, but admits that the former newlyweds still talk on the phone.

Jessica is also said to have cut all ties with Lachey, calling him “toxic” after his tell-all interview in Rolling Stone. In Jessica’s book, that probably means she’s not going to call him for a couple of days.

Update: Jessica was wearing a wig that’s part of her upcoming line of hairpieces. Now that’s a good excuse:

Jessica Simpson is said to be enamored with James Blunt and wanted to make sure she gave him her contact info at the MTV Australian music awards:

[via]

Blunt may be a sensitive singer, but he’s a complete dumb ass and iit would be a disaster if these two got together. While Nick was able to balance out Jessica’s ditziness with common sense and a grounded personality, Blunt has no such redeeming qualities.

Here is Jessica with her incompetent hairdresser Ken Paves at Mr. Chow’s in Beverly Hills on May 2nd, and shopping with him on April 30th. [via]

And here’s Blunt at a press conference in Mexico City on May 2nd and at Coachella.

Paris was just linked with USC quarterback Matt Leinart after it was announced yesterday that she broke up with Stavros Niarchos. She’s not wasting any time because she showed up at a party at Pure nightclub at Ceasar’s Palace last night to celebrate Leinart’s draft into the NFL. She even sang at the event.

Also attending were Nick Lachey, Danny Masterson, Wilmer Valderrama, Kimberly Kardashian, and Caroline D’Amor. View the e-vite for the event. (Warning - lauches automatic music.)

Leinart has been drafted to the Arizona Cardinals. He won the Heisman Trophy so he must be hot shit.

Here’s some quick sports background on Leinart.

Matt Leinart was said to be dating Kirsten Cavallari at one time, but just like Nick Lachey, Cavallari said that they were only friends. Leinart has a blog that centers around his football career.

He seems to have a good head on his shoulders and we doubt he and Paris will last.

Here are pictures from the party.

Update: Images removed upon request.

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey may be ready for a reconciliation. Mike Walker of the National Enquirer reports that they have been meeting up secretly at out-of-the-way hotels in the San Fernando Valley:

Walker bets that they’lll reconcile, and it looks that way to us, too! In his Rolling Stone interview, Lachey admitted that he’s still very much in love with Simpson. Simpson has also been spotted wearing her wedding ring around her neck to remind her of happier times. Let’s hope that Simpson has realized what she’s been missing and that she’ll grow up enough to weather the storms that come up in every long term relationship.

Meanwhile Lachey has blasted reports that Lindsay Lohan intends to get in his pants, saying he doesn’t consider her worthy, and doesn’t know anyone else who does, either!

Here’s Jessica stopping for food and going tanning in LA yesterday. [via]

Nick came off so thoughtful and was quite flattering to Jessica in his interview with Rolling Stone. The fact that he refused to dish any dirt on Jessica and her crazy family led Rolling Stone to double-cross Nick and sell the story without his permission to Us Weekly.

Nick and Jessica had a little meeting at Jessica’s house to discuss his Rolling Stone interview:

Jessica has been seen wearing her wedding ring around her neck to remind her of happier times, and Nick said in his Rolling Stone interview that he still loves his estranged wife. We think they split up because Jessica was too immature to handle the relationship. Are they going to get back together?They both seem to love each other, so maybe they’ll give it another chance.

Here are two pictures from Jessica’s upcoming film, “Employee of the Month,” and some candids of her shopping for antiques in Hollywood. [via]

In a new interview in Rolling Stone Nick Lachey comes off as a real stand-up guy.

He says that he had trouble in his marriage with Jessica Simpson due to the way that they were typecast in their reality show “Newlyweds.” Lachey suggests that their roles as the ditzy blonde and the good guy influenced the way they interacted off screen.

He also reveals that Jessica’s decision to divorce was completely unexpeted and caught him off guard:

Nick cries when he talks about his marriage, saying he would have done anything to make it work:

He also says that he doesn’t understand Joe Simpson, Jessica and Ashley’s controlling father and manager, but does not blame him for his divorce, simply stating that Jessica “is a grown woman.” He says that Joe never liked him and was “an influence” in his marriage, but that he did not cause their split.

Lachey refuses to address the rumors that Simpson cheated on him while they were married. He says that Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, whom Jessica dated up until a short while ago, approached him in a club to say that nothing happened between him and Jessica while they were married. Lachey says he believes him.

Despite reports to the contrary, he has refused to file for spousal support and says that he will not be suing Jessica for alimony!

And even more touching, he says he visited Jessica at her parents house and tried to win her back:

Lachey still has awkward conversations with Simpson on the phone every few days.

Lachey seems thoughful, gracious and introspective in the interview, refusing to blame Simpson for the divorce and never admitting her infidelity. Given his side of the story, it sounds to us like Simpson was too immature to deal with the normal problems in a long term relationship.

He is filming a new reality series for MTV that will focus on the making of his new album. After the responsible way he’s dealing with his divorce in the press, his career is sure to benefit.

Here are pictures from a 2005 photoshoot in happier times. [via]

Jessica Simpson needs to work on getting her own identity. First she admits that she apes Angelina Jolie in everything she does - and poorly, we might add - and now she’s copying her estranged husband, Nick Lachey, by chronicling her breakup pain in her new album:

It makes sense that she would want to sing about her pain, but it’s more likely that she heard what Nick’s new album was all about and thought it sounded like a good idea.

Here’s Jessica Simpson on April 30th at a grocery store in Sana Fe, NM, where’s she was filming “Employee of the Month.” She seems to be back in NY at this point.

Pictures [via]

People reports that Nick Lachey has gone out on a date with MTV VJ Vanessa Minnillo:

That’s good news for Lachey and we hope it turns into something serious. Star is reporting that Nick and Jessica got back together, but we doubt it. We think it’s more like Jessica is bugging the shit out of Nick and he’s taking it because he’s a nice guy.

Well, Kristen Cavallari has burned up her 15 minutes. She can’t even get into Mood, her favorite nightclub in LA, now that they’re checking IDs after a recent bust. She probably wishes she had given Lachey more of a chance.