Jessica Simpson was full of holiday cheer today.
And a full entourage, as well. I'm told there were at least a half a dozen people in her posse when she arrived to shoot her Macy's commercial this morning in Brooklyn, N.Y...
"She also had her dog in a Louis Vuitton carrier," a source reports. "And her mom may have even been there, too."
Simpson (left, leaving her Manhattan hotel for the shoot) was expected to finish her bit in less than a day.
The source reports that the campaign—directed for the second year in a row by big-time Hollywood helmer Barry Levinson—includes two different scenarios. One features a woman trying to get ready for a date, and another centers around the famous "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus" newspaper editorial from 1897.
Simpson will be promoting her shoe line in the ads. As I told you yesterday, Martha Stewart, Kenneth Cole, Tommy Hilfiger and What Not to Wear host Clinton Kelly are part of the campaign.
Actress-singer Jessica Simpson believes in her work, and as of now, she is on a mission to entertain soldiers who await their deployment in Iraq. But it has been reported that the 27 year star has been leading a life of full comfort and luxury during her visit to Middle East. To her defense, Simpson has denied all the reports stating that she is just doing her work and nothing else.
Cindi Berger, the star's representative also confirms to the website, People.com saying, "She flew commercially; she is staying in the barracks. She's been with the troops all day. She's had her meals with them... She has significantly scaled back her entourage".
Do not say that Jessica Simpson had been dumped, when she has not, ya hear?
Jess's lawyers have written an angry letter to the editors of OK!, calling for a retraction to their story claiming that Jessica and boyfriend, Tony Romo, have split. The mag said that Jess was given the old heave-ho by the Dallas Cowboys quarterback because she was high-maintenance.
Ha! If Tony Romo didn't know that going in then he's been sacked one too many times.
Jess's legal team called the article a "smear campaign." Her lawyers insist: "Mr. Romo and Ms. Simpson have not broken off their romantic relationship."
Okay, okay, Jess, we get it. You're dating a football star. Jeez
USA Today has named Britney Spears the celebrity of the year. They counted all the times celebrities were mentioned in 11 different magazines, websites and other places. Spears got more mentions than any other celebrity: 22,112. That's nearly 11,000 more mentions than Angelina Jolie. Jolie's husband, Brad Pitt came in third, 4,000 mentions behind his wife. Lindsay Lohan ranks fourth, followed by Jennifer Aniston. Rounding out the top ten are Katie Holmes, Paris Hilton, Nicole Ritchie, Anna Nicole Smith and Jessica Simpson.
Jessica Simpson has decamped to Nashville to begin work on her debut country album, due sometime in 2008 via Columbia Nashville.
Simpson declined to name songwriting collaborators, but tells Billboard.com she will most definitely be involved in the creative process. "Writing is a release for me," she says. "It's a way for me to tell my story. That's not to say I wouldn't record a song that I didn't write. It's just that it has been a while since I have opened the book."
But why country, and why now? "I am a country girl," she says. "I grew up in Texas, and country music was what I listened to. I always wanted to make a country album, but I wanted to wait until the time was right." "I think there is a strength in female country artists," Simpson adds, citing Martina McBride, Shania Twain, Faith Hill and Reba McEntire as some of her inspirations.
Asked what has surprised her most since starting the follow-up to 2006's "A Public Affair," Simpson says, "Nashville is a very warm city. The people are friendly and kind. There is a sense of community, which thrives on music. There is no animosity ... only respect for one another's talent."
It's unclear if Simpson will hit the road in support of the country project, but she says, "Since the record is in the beginning stages, there hasn't been much talk about a tour just yet."
