Jessica Simpson has reportedly offered Nick Lachey a laughable $1.5 million to settle their divorce amicably. She is said to have made $30 million last year alone, and Nick is legally entitled to half of her earnings during their marriage of over three years. It sounds like Jessica’s father is pressuring her to try to get Nick to settle cheaply:

Sources say Nick will not ask for spousal support, but that he’s not stupid enough to settle for such a low amount. Two weeks ago he was said to be seeking a relatively low $8 million settlement in an effort to get his hands on some quick cash and avoid losing his property. The National Enquirer reported that Nick lowered his settlement request to $5 million hoping that would be a reasonable sum for Jessica.

It seems like Nick is being reasonable and Jessica is being pressured by her family as usual to low-ball the settlement. TMZ quotes Jessica:

Her daddy must not agree.

Meanwhile Jessica may have lost her best friend, hairdresser Ken Paves, to her scheming sister. She lost her other best friend, her assistant Cacee Cobb, less than a month ago. She has been seen out shopping unkempt and alone, and bought up a bunch of “Team Jessica” shirts at an LA Boutique. She is also said to be seeing a therapist to help cope wtih the depression from her divorce and to come to terms with her identity.

Nick, however, has a hot new girlfriend and a successful new album.

Here’s Jessica wearing Ugg-ly boots on a hot day in Hollywood. [via]

You’ve probably already heard that Nick Lachey took Kimberly Kardashian, the daughter of OJ SImpson lawyer Robert Kardashian, 25, out to see the DaVinci Code on May 24th. It seemed to be a serious date, and Lachey is said to be enamored with Kardashian.

The source says that “Kim couldn’t care less about the Hollywood scene,” but here she is partying it up with Paris Hilton and her best buddy Caroline D’Amore at Matt Leinart’s NFL Draft Party at Pure on May 2nd. Nick Lachey was there too, and that may have been where the two met.

Nick and Kimberly were said to be holding hands and getting cuddly on their date:

That’s cute and maybe things will work out for Lachey. He doesn’t like being single, and it doesn’t seem like he will be for long.

Here’s Kardashian partying with Paris and Caroline.

Update: Images removed upon request

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Nick Lachey is said to want a quick divorce from Jessica Simpson, and is asking for an $8 million settlement that will help him get out of debt and keep his property:

Star Magazine speculates that Nick may want out of the marriage quickly so that he’ll be free to date Jessica’s ex-assistant Cacee Cobb.

There doesn’t seem to be much truth in reports that Nick and Cacee are an item, though. They were seen talking for a 1/2 hour at a club, but they’re old friends. People quotes a source that denies that they’re an item, and we’re inclined to agree.

Nick recently said the he can’t imagine not getting married again, but that just seems to be the type of guy he is, and he probably doesn’t have anyone in mind. He was said to have flirted with plenty of women at his CD release party.

It seems like Nick’s push to divorce Jessica is all about money.

Here is Jessica in NY on May 12th, [via]

Cacee Cobb, Jessica Simpson’s closest friend and personal assistant for over two years, has moved on to other things. She celebrated her last day on the job May 7th:

A woman impersonating Cacee was arrested last summer after scoring nearly $12,000 in free stuff by capitalizing on Cacee’s association with Jessica Simpson:

Jessica seems to have replaced Cacee as a best friend with hairstylist Ken Paves. They’re photographed everywhere together.

Here’s a nearly ten-minute clip from Newlyweds featuring Cacee after she moved in briefly with Nick and Jessica. The best part is Jessica saying that male ballerinas are called “Ballerino,” the “masculine form” of the word.

People are saying that Cacee has hooked up with Nick Lachey, since she spent nearly a half hour talking to him at a club last week. They know each other well, and it doesn’t seem like it means much.

Here is Jessica outside a NYC recording studio yesterday. [via] and [via]

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]