Time to bash Nick on the *newly-splits*

[buttmunch]

Are things about to get wild and woolly in the PR war between splitsville newlyweds Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson?
Frustrated with Jessica's sagging public approval ratings - as of yesterday, 71% of People's readers and 76% of Star magazine's blamed her and not Nick for ruining the three-year marriage - her handlers are taking the offensive in bashing Nick in an attempt to resurrect her image.

Lowdown hears that Simpson's PR man, Rob Shuter at Dan Klores Communications (which also reps the Daily News), has been calling nearly every gossip reporter in town with tips about Nick - alleging everything from greediness to lechery.

Shuter most recently peddled the tall tale that Lachey hired A.J. DiScala, the estranged manager-hubby of "Sopranos" star Jamie-Lynn Sigler, to help win some of Jessica's assets in the divorce.

She officially filed for divorce on Friday.

Reports a Lowdown spy: "Rob's been shopping around stories that Nick was messing around, and has been trying to take any woman that was in the same room with Nick and passing that off as a torrid affair. Now he's pushing that A.J. manager story. It's all bull."

Yesterday, a certain somebody apparently planted an item in a lesser gossip column about Nick shamelessly selling his side of the story to OK! magazine for $300,000 - an item that coincidentally just so happened to tout another Klores client, the New York club Pacha.

"We have not done a deal for Nick Lachey's story," OK! editor Sarah Ivens told Lowdown. "We have no deal nor are we looking to do a deal for Nick's story."

Yesterday Shuter denied going on the offensive for Jessica. "Not true," he wrote in response to Lowdown's detailed E-mail, refusing to elaborate. A rep for Lachey declined comment.

nydailynews.com

[darksithbunny]

I like Nick. I wish he would come out of this smellin like a rose

[buttmunch]

I think he probably will.

[Tiara]

Compared to Jess he will.

[Rambie]

I used to love Jessica when Newlyweds first came out, now I can't stomach her, she completely sold out and I have no respect for her or her family, I don't care what they say about Nick. I think Joe Simpson is nothing but a pimp even worse he pimps out his own daughters.

[chupacabra]

team lachey!

[dexter7]

count me in as someone who used to like jessica a long time ago. now i don't like her one bit, and i hope her approval rating drops like shit into a toilet. team lachey!

[teforde23]

All this Nick bashing is backfiring. She should do an interview where she admits she cheated and begs the public for forgiveness ala Jimmy Swaggert ("I have sinned"). It must come to a big shock to Papa Simpson because he probably told Jess that she's the star and she doesn't need Nick. Aww well I'm waiting for the pics of her sniffing coke off of Cacees chest

[drama_queen]

Team Lachey Baby!

[sputnik]

i can't stand either of them, they're ugly and have no talent. but i hate hate hate jessica even more. he just looks like a dense meathead.

[Rambie]

Team Lachey!!

[stacie9229]

Considering Nick hasn't had much going on professionally lately, I think he is suddenly in the perfect position to turn things around.

Everyone was rooting for them in the beginning it seemed. Jessica played the wide eyed innocent, and you couldn't help but admire Nick's patience with her. Unfortunately, Jessica played the wrong card (THANKS, Dad!) and started to be the "sexy vixen" instead of the charming ditz everyone fell in love with that first season of Newlyweds.

BIG MISTAKE.

Because in the public's eye, it's JESS who changed, and Nick has pretty much stayed the same - so whatever really happened between them, it's always going to look like the split was Jessica's fault, because when SHE changed, it at least LOOKS like she left him in the dust.

We all know the world loves an underdog. Nick is perfectly positioned to milk that for all it's worth. He doesn't even have to DO anything, he's already got our sympathy. The "wrong party" in a sensational split like theirs has a way of moving up the food chain.

Look at Jennifer Aniston. If I have to see one more magazine cover or interview with "that poor girl".... First, nobody knew what to think, they were shocked. THEN, they went at Jen, saying it was because she "wouldn't have a baby", right? When it became obvious that her man was basically stolen by the "gorgeous, mysterious maneater" (completely opposite of Jennifer), the world opened their arms and just wanted to give her a hug, a la Oprah.

(Side note - ENOUGH now Jen, you've milked just about every last drop out of this, now you're becoming a little annoying. You're coming dangerously close to overexposure, which could tip the scales)

Anyway, between Jessica's "new image" and Joe Simpson as "the perfect villian" in the marriage (as if anyone ever liked him anyway) - Nick is a pretty sympathetic character here.

Jessica is getting on everyone's last nerve - she used to be a "singer" and wannabe actress, but nobody really wants to hear her sing (except to see those godawful faces she makes) and we know she can't act, so now she's getting Paris Hilton syndrome - famous for shopping, partying and having lunch at the Ivy. Oh, and being ORANGE. You know Jess is getting useless when ASHLEE starts becomes the "legitimate professional" in the family. Say what you will about Ashlee (and there is PLENTY!) but she actually tours, puts out #1 albums (2 of em!) AND "sometimes-sings" and "dances" on SNL, right? Technically, I think Ashlee is the only one who has a "real job" right now, right?

The best thing that could happen to Nick is for Joe and the rest of Jessica's goon squad to start bashing him, and maybe go after the marital assets HARD. The public will run right to Nick's defense. He'll probably get his own show out of it =)

As long as he stays "quietly victimized" and doesn't come out whining, I think Nick is gonna do A-OOOOOOkayyy in this deal.

[Manboob]

Wow! Well-put. You should work in PR, Stacie9229...

[Luna]

I liked Jessica when she first came on scene but she definitely became too full of herself. After watching a few old epiodes of The Newlyweds, I've decided they both suck!
Did anyone see Nick throw a hissy fit because he fell 1 time while trying to ski?

[Elisa]

People magazine claims they talk to each other every other day. Who knows what to believe? I think it's as simple as both of them seeing they were leading very different lives, deciding to end it and moving on. There's not really a story here. It happens every day.