Young celebrities Rumer Willis, Pete Wentz, Wilmer Valderamma, Kristin Cavallari, Christina Milian, Josie Maran, and Corbin Bleu are starring in new ads for Op clothing, in a line that will only be available at Walmart stores.

Does that look like Rumer Willis at all to you in the header? That’s one of the official photos, and unless someone told me I never would have guessed it was her. It could be the, uh, angle of the photo, but her face just doesn’t look the same.

Here’s part of the press release along with some behind the scenes photos from the OP Website.

The campaign has a classic Op feel with the celebrities hanging out at the beach, at a ghost-town ranch and hitting the “OPen Road” in a vintage VW bus. Bringing back Op’s signature heritage pieces from the 70s, but with a younger, hipper flair, the seven celebrities showcase the collection in a
variety of upbeat, light-hearted scenes. They form a human pyramid, ride bikes and skateboards and play in the surf. The on-set chemistry was infectious and all relished in their roles as California kids on a road trip, even riding in one trailer from set to set.

Rumer Willis stated, “When you think of LA and the classic surfer beach vibe, you think of Op. The Op collection does a great job representing that lifestyle.”

Pete Wentz stated, “Everyone can wear Op and its cool. Fashion should make you comfortable and that is what Op does.”

In addition to the campaign, the celebrities will host a launch party in California later this spring and make personal appearances on behalf of the brand.

[PRNewsWire via Gossip Rocks]

It’s not a bad idea to make a young celebrity soup and have them all represent a clothing line. I’m surprised Op is still around, though. I remember wearing those graphic t-shirts in eighth grade.

And as for Wilmer Valderrama, it’s nice to see that his career is about on par with Rumer Willis. He hasn’t done much since he told Howard Stern all the dirt on his female partners. He’s had a few crappy films, and is also the voice of preschooler favorite “Handy Manny” on the Disney Channel. He also has his own clothing line, Calavena, which he claims is designed to help men emphasize their chests and hide their asses. It is no longer carried at Kitson.

Ashlee Simpson sure is encouraging the press in the whole “is she or isn’t she” pregnancy runaround. Though she’s technically out and about promoting her new album, Bittersweet World, it seems more like she’s promoting her relationship/engagement/possible baby. Or maybe it’s the reverse. Surely all this publicity right as Ashlee’s releasing her first album in years can’t be entirely a coincidence. If it is – my goodness, what a fabulous time to get accidentally knocked up.

Ashlee stopped by for a visit with Ryan Seacrest on his radio show this morning, where she talked about her upcoming wedding, and gave a few vague, confusing quotes.

“I didn’t know I’d be getting married right now, but I’m so happy to be!” she said, calling from her mother’s Ritz-Carlton hotel room in NYC. “I’m a lucky girl.” How did Wentz – a Hot Hollywood Style honoree – pop the question? “That part I am keeping sacred,” she said, “but I will tell you that it was very thoughtful, and he did a great job. Of course, it was thoughtful,” she added, “He’s like that.”

Simpson — who flashed her new engagement ring (which Wentz designed) in NYC Wednesday — said she loved her rock. “It’s definitely a big diamond!” she said. “I go, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe its on my hand!’” When asked if she’d be marrying soon, Simpson replied, “I can’t tell my secrets,” but added, “my mom loves Pete, so does my dad!” Seacrest avoided asking flat-out if she were pregnant, but asked whether she’d be drinking booze during her stay this week in NYC (where she is promoting her new album Bittersweet World). Simpson replied, “Who knows? Maybe.”

[From Us Weekly]

I thought the whole “I didn’t know I’d be getting married right now” thing was kind of odd. The phrasing is kind of poor and leaves you guessing what she meant – though maybe that’s intentional. At first I took it to mean that Ashlee didn’t know she’d be getting married so young – but then I thought perhaps she was hinting that she didn’t plan on getting married at this point in her life. Which makes you wonder why she would. A part of me can’t help but wonder if Ashlee is indeed really pregnant, or if her manager/dad is just exploiting the rumors to help album sales.

Here’s Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz last night. Images thanks to Splash.

Creepy “daddy don’t touch me” Joe Simpson has backed off pimping out his older daughter now that his younger one, Ashlee, is pregnant and engaged. Hoping to exploit her current
situation and the tabloid magazines’ obsession with celebrity babies, the former minister-turned-manager is already trying to hammer out deals with mags to publish Ashlee and Pete’s wedding photos and pictures of the baby when it’s born. There isn’t even a due date yet, but you can bet Papa Joe is gonna cash in! Problem is, the magazines aren’t all that interested in Ashlee.

Simpson sisters’ dad-ager, Joe Simpson, is trying to cash in on the baby-crazed trend in celebrity magazines - but he’s having a difficult time.

A magazine source said, “Joe is contacting all the weeklies and asking them to pony up $1 million to put Ashlee on the cover.” The news broke this week that Jessica’s younger sibling is pregnant with her now-fiancée Pete Wentz’s child - a claim Wentz has backed off denying.

“The deal would include photos of Ashlee - taken by Joe, of course, so he can make more money - an interview and photos of the baby when she has it,” our source said.

Sadly, there is some interest - but not for anything close to $1 million.

One magazine editor said the pictures would fetch “$60,000 maybe - but definitely not a million. The timing is a little suspicious. Her album [’Bittersweet World’] is dropping next week, and there was little to no interest until now. Ashlee’s lucky she got pregnant, frankly.”

But even with the marriage announcement, “Joe has an unrealistic expectation of what Ashlee can command,” the editor said.

Ashlee’s shotgun wedding to Wentz is expected to take place before summer. Her rep declined to comment.

A source told OK! magazine, “They’re planning on something in the Santa Barbara area probably by the end of May . . . Jessica will be the maid of honor.”

Ashlee is said to be eyeing a Vera Wang dress and will likely wear a ring designed by Wentz.

This wouldn’t be the first time Joe has mucked things up for his daughters. During Jessica’s visit to Africa with the Operation Smile charity two years ago, he insisted on being the only one to take pictures of her, despite having a professional photographer along on the trip - thus making himself the only one to collect the cash when he sold the photos to People magazine.

Joe also undercut Jessica when she did a deal for the launch issue of OK! At the time, it was reported Jessica got a mere $250,000 for the spread - despite Sean Combs getting more than $1 million several weeks later.

[From Page Six]

Pardon me while I laugh. Ha ha ha! Papa Joe probably fancies himself in the same league as Lynne Spears or Dina Lohan, but the reality is, his daughters just don’t get the same attention, because pretty much everyone in the universe- including the tabloids- are over them both. Personally, I wouldn’t pay $1 to see Ashlee’s wedding or baby photos. On the other hand, I would pay top dollar to sit in the front row of Ashlee and Pete’s divorce court hearings. Papa Joe, if you’re smart, you’ll start selling tickets now.

Joe and Ashlee Simpson are shown at the American Music Awards on 11/21/06, thanks to PRPhotos.

Pete Wentz denies pregnancy rumors
A couple of days ago Ashlee Simpson’s brooding mate, rocker Pete Wentz, e-mailed MTV to deny the claims that his intended bride was pregnant. He likened the stories of a pregnancy to a “witch hunt,” saying that the press was all too eager to drum up pregnancy rumors whenever celebrities got engaged. When asked directly if he was denying pregnancy reports he responded “yeah.”

This was after he and Ashlee made a stupid parody video that featured Ashlee wearing a big fake belly and acting like a hick. The credits listed “and the unborn baby, as himself,” and Pete said “Street date, July 2008″ as if he was disclosing Ashlee’s due date.

Ashlee Simpson gets flustered, calls pregnancy question “inappropriate”
When directly asked if she was pregnant during an an interview yesterday, Ashlee said “Some things you want to keep personal.” She did even more verbal sidestepping when MTV news asked her about it, and again said it was a personal matter:

The newly-engaged singer also told MTV News, ” I just think it’s an inappropriate question to ask any woman. For me, that’s something that I didn’t ever want to respond to, because I think it’s an inappropriate question.”

Simpson, however, did not put the rumors to rest. “Some things, you want to keep personal, and I think that when people deny [pregnancy reports], it’s probably because it’s something they want to keep personal.”

[From People.com]

People claims Ashlee is pregnant and planning a shotgun wedding next month
The latest and most legitimate gossip magazine to claim that Ashlee is pregnant is People. They claim to have a source that states that not only is she pregnant, but that she and Pete are planning to marry next month “at a friend’s house in La Jolla, California.”

Great timing for Ashlee
All of this news comes at a time when Ashlee could definitely use the publicity for her third album, Bittersweet World, which is out next week. You can’t help but think it’s all less than a coincidence that it’s coming out now.

Ashlee is shown in the header image at JFK airport on 4/14/08. She is shown below visiting TRL yesterday, thanks to Splash News.

Pete Wentz told MTV that not only is his new fiance Ashlee Simpson not pregnant, but that the tabloid reports that she is pregnant are like a witch hunt. He says they are engaged, but that all the other stuff is false:

In an e-mail to MTV News, Wentz denied reports that surfaced Monday (April 14) on the Web sites of OK! magazine and Us Weekly that he and Simpson, 23, are expecting their first child.

“There is a witch hunt for people to be pregnant whenever they get engaged in Hollywood,” he wrote. “This is all news to me. I can’t wait for the story about how I’m really in a gay relationship and this is all just a cover. … I mean really, this is crazy. … I mean we’re engaged, that’s true, and happy about it.”

Asked again if he was denying reports that Simpson is pregnant, Wentz, 28, replied, “Yeah.”

[From MTV.com]

MTV’s report on Pete’s denial reminds us that both US Weekly and OK! Magazine used “unnamed sources” for their stories, with such scant evidence as Ashlee’s possible morning sickness out at lunch and insider reports that she’s “asking everyone, ‘Am I showing yet?’”

It’s all due to the parody video showing Ashlee pregnant that Pete posted on his website
Pete should be careful not to blame anyone but himself for the pregnancy rumors. He posted a stupid video on his website in late February that was meant to be humorous and featured Ashlee wearing a big fake belly and acting like a hick. Pete talked about how he wanted to do charity work, but said that it was too hard. He then deadpanned that “The biggest problem facing our generation is the illegal downloading of music. I know what I’ll do, I’ll make a baby, because you can’t download a baby.” He said “here’s our answer to how to make the world a better place” and the camera panned to Ashlee on the bed with a big belly saying “honey get me the Cheetos!” Then Pete said “Street date, July 2008″ and the credits listed “and the unborn baby, as himself.”

Maybe Ashlee and Pete are trying to say it’s selfish to have children when there are so many people wanting in the world, but it also comes off as if they’re telling everyone they’re having a baby. So how is it a witch hunt if this video, which seems to include a due date and also lists their unborn child in the credits, sparks pregnancy rumors?

Thanks to FriendsOrEnemies.com via LAist for the video.

Pete and Ashlee are shown on 2/23/08 at LAX nightclub, thanks to PRPhotos.

Us Weekly is claiming that they’ve “confirmed” that Ashlee Simpson is indeed pregnant with Pete Wentz’s child. I don’t even want to imagine how much eyeliner and odd bangs that kid would come out with. I’m not totally sure that I’m buying the Us confirmation. To me it’s only “confirmed” when Ashlee, Pete, or their rep says something. To be “confirmed” it need to be said by someone whose name can be printed. But Us is going along with the story – and I certainly wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out to be true.

Ashlee Simpson is pregnant, a source confirmed to Usmagazine.com. The singer, 23, is expecting her first child with fiancé Pete Wentz, 28.

Simpson and the Fall Out Boy frontman announced their engagement Wednesday.

“We are thrilled to confirm their engagement and congratulate this happy couple,” a spokesperson for the couple told Us. “Beyond that there is nothing to say.”
Simpson’s rep had no comment.

[From Us Weekly]

I’m not sure how that’s different or better than any of the rumors that were floating around when they first got engaged. I’m assuming their source must be really reliable if they’re willing to call it confirmed. Let’s say it is true: I’m not sure what kind of parents Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz would be. She’s sort of a “I can lip-sync and blame it on acid reflux” and “I can have major surgery and deny it” kind of dumb, and he’s pretty “It’s a good idea to take cell phone pictures of 9/10ths of my penis” kind of dumb. They just don’t seem like the two brightest bulbs in the box, which makes you worry a bit. So I’m going to save my official congrats, pending confirmation by someone who’s willing to go on the record with their name, and the results of the couple’s IQ test.

Here’s Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz leaving Beso, the restaurant owned by Eva Longoria in
Los Angeles on April 5th. Images thanks to WENN.

Ashlee Simpson’s new album isn’t even out yet, and it looks set to be a flop. What’s a girl to do? Get engaged and sell those wedding pictures. If that doesn’t push up sales, then the next step is to push out a baby.

Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson are officially engaged:

“We know there has been a lot of speculation recently about Pete and I and we wanted our fans to be the first to know, because you guys are the best. Yes, we are thrilled to share that we are happily engaged. Thank you for all of your support and well wishes - it means the world to us. We consider this to be a very private matter, but we wanted you to hear it straight from us.”
- Ashlee and Pete

Friends or Enemies

Emo girls the world over have even more reason to be sad.

Congratulations to the couple, who have not set a wedding date. The couple started dating in late 2006, and speculation has been rife that they would tie the not since about four days after they started dating.

Just remember Pete – when you marry a girl like Ashlee, her whole family comes in the package. That includes Jessica Simpson, Mama Tina Simpson and Papa Joe Simpson. Are you ready for this? Although I consider that another Newlyweds reality show is unlikely.

The couple did not comment on the pregnancy rumors that surfaced in February after Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson made a silly video blog that showed Ashlee with a fake pregnant belly.

Ashlee and Pete are shown on 2/23/08 before one of Ashlee’s shows at LAX nightclub at Luxor, thanks to PRPhotos.

Fall Out Boy bassist and Ashlee Simpson accessory Pete Wentz recently revealed his struggles with depression, anxiety and even a suicide attempt. Wentz spoke out about his problems to bring awareness to a growing suicide rate among teens and young adults in the U.S.

Fall Out Boy bassist (and Ashlee Simpson beau) Pete Wentz has revealed that he once was so “completely lost and out of control” he tried to take his own life.

Wentz, 28, says he had seen several doctors who gave him prescription drugs but things worsened around the time his band had finished recording their major label record a few years ago.

“I got in my car. I remember I was listening to Jeff Buckley doing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” and sat there and took a bunch of [anxiety drug] Ativan in a Best Buy parking lot,” Wentz says in a video for MTV’s college channel MTVU.

“And I called up my manager because I was, at that point, completely out of my head with Ativan. And I was talking to him and I was slurring my words, so he called my mom and my mom called me and she came and got me and we went to the hospital.”

Wentz — who is promoting Jed Foundation’s Half Of Us campaign (aimed at cutting student suicide rates) — says he decided to tell his story to help encourage young people seek out professional help.

“It’s not really about keeping your head above water, it’s about feeling all right and feeling safe in your own skin,” Wentz says. “It’s not about keeping your head above water and barely keep going.”

[From Us Weekly]

Not to make light of Pete’s problems, but could that suicide attempt be any more unoriginal? Killing yourself to Jeff Buckley? That’s like seducing a girl to “Let’s Get it On” - it’s been done to the point of silliness. On the other hand, teen girls (and boys) seem to love this kid, so good for him for bringing this issue to light.

Update by Celebitchy: Thanks to commentor Elisha for noting that Pete Wentz gave a different account of the music playing during his suicide attempt in a January, 2006 interview with Rolling Stone. There’s no doubt he’s referring to the same instance with Ativan in a Best Buy parking lot, but in that interview he wasn’t so sure about the music that was playing on his stereo and has since revised the story for maximum impact:

In 2005, you OD’d on Ativan and nearly died while sitting in a car in a Best Buy parking lot. Were you listening to music?

Not a good experience at all. At the time I was really into Frou Frou, but I was in my sister’s Escort, so I was probably listening to Q101 in Chicago. So it was whatever new-metal band that was big then. Probably Trapt. It was a bum-out.

[From Rollingstone.com, thanks to Elisha]

Maybe he honestly thinks “Hallelujah” was playing at the time and it’s something that kind of wormed its way into his conscious memory, and helps him make sense of a very painful event. We are not pointing this out to take a jab at Pete, and suicide is a tragic and desperate measure. He deserves credit for speaking out about it and bringing awareness to this important issue. [Thanks to Syko for mentioning that.]

Pete Wentz is shown at the DCMA Collective store opening on 3/14/08 and at LAX Nightclub on 2/23/08, thanks to PRPhotos.

There seems to very little drama in Fall Out Boy frontman Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson’s relationship apart from a rocky start, so we may as well report this minor story. Pete is said to have moved out of Ashlee’s LA mansion - not because they’re having trouble or anything, but because he was too much of a slob for her and she didn’t want him messing up her house any more. Ashlee is said to be a “neat freak” while Pete just leaves his stuff around, especially in the bathroom.

Pete Wentz and Ashlee Simpson have been joined at the hip since hooking up last March. But the lovers are no longer sharing an address. Star has learned that the 28-year-old Fall Out Boy bassist moved out of Ashlee’s $4.7 million mansion in LA’s Benedict Canyon because he was too much of a slob!

“Ashlee loves Pete, but she just can’t seem to live with him,” explains a pal of the pop star. “Her house is a mess when he’s there, and that drives her insane.”

While Pete seems born to be sloppy, 23-year-old Ashlee is a neat freak and one of her pet peevs is Pete turning her bathroom into a mascara-caked disaster zone - while putting on his makeup! “Pete is in touch with his feminine side but he’s just a slob,” reveals Ashlee’s friend.

[From Star Magazine, print edition, January 14, 2008]

There was a story right before Christmas that Ashlee’s over-protective father, Joe, didn’t like Pete because of his admission that he likes to kiss guys and said he didn’t want Pete showing up at the holidays. Pete has denied that this is true, and says he gets along well with Joe.

It sounds believable that Pete might be getting out on his own for a while because Ashlee’s annoyed that he’s not cleaning up after himself. My husband is very helpful around the house, he’ll clean up and do the laundry and he’s like that joke book “Porn for Women,” (link SFW and funny). But he does leave his stuff around and that drives me crazy. I’m not the neatest person either, and I do this too but conveniently only notice when it’s his stuff. It’s just something you learn to live with and pick up when you love someone and you’re married.

If you’re single and rich, though, you can hire a maid, take a break and live separately for a while. I can’t see Ashlee and Pete breaking up over this. They might not be engaged as was rumored, but they seem really into each other.

Ashlee and Pete are shown on South Beach with Ashlee wearing her publicity-seeking non engagement ring on 1/1/08. Thanks to PRPhotos.

Last time I counted, I had ten fingers I could put stuff on. I’m under the general impression that this rule of thumb (haha) holds true for most people. Last time I inspected Ashlee Simpson’s hands (which was about two weeks ago when she came over for TV dinners and girl talk) she had all her fingers. So you’d think that if she really wanted to wear a sparkly ring, she could pick one of the nine digits that doesn’t cause the flutter of a million gossip columnists’ hearts. But why do that when you can cause a big ‘ol scene by shoving some knockoff bauble from Claire’s on the ring finger on your left hand? Poor Ashlee Simpson’s rep has been working overtime since she wore what appeared to be an engagement ring on her left hand on New Year’s Eve. But it’s all just a happy coincidence/mistake/ classic case of a Simpson girl forgetting the difference between left and right.

Ashlee Simpson and Fall Out Boy rocker Pete Wentz are not getting hitched, their reps tell Usmagazine.com.

Talk of their engagement started after the singer rocked a ring on her left finger while celebrating the new year at Miami’s Shore Club with Wentz.

But her rep tells Us, “Ashlee is not engaged” – a denial confirmed by Wentz’s rep.

This isn’t the first time engagement rumors have surrounded the long-time couple. In July, Simpson’s rep denied reports they were on the way to the altar.”

[From Us Weekly]

I’m sure the timing of the accidental ring placement was totally coincidental. Entertainemntwise mentioned that, “Ashlee herself helped the speculation along when she used her ring finger to flip the paps as she took a stroll along Miami beach with the Fall Out Boy rocker.” I’m sure that was purely accidental. Just like the ring placement. It most certainly had nothing to do with the fact that Ashlee seems to think she’s not getting enough attention of late. Agent Bedhead noted that Ashlee was supposedly pretty pissed that no one paid attention to her new video last week, due to the fiasco caused by Jamie Lynn Spears pregnancy. Well if you don’t want to get knocked up, a fake engagement is probably the next-best thing. Stay tuned next week when Ashlee will no doubt debut a little bit of bloating, after which her people will anonymously call Us Weekly with fake pregnancy rumors.

Picture note by Celebitchy: Ashlee Simpson and Pete Wentz are shown in South Beach, Miami on 1/1/08, thanks to PRPhotos.