Nick Lachey Defends Ex-Wife Jessica Simpson's Weight

TAMPA, Fla. — Nick Lachey is defending ex-wife Jessica Simpson, who has been criticized for an apparent weight gain.

Photos of a curvier Simpson performing last week in Florida have been plastered all over the Internet, leading to a slew of nasty comments about her weight.

Lachey, who was divorced from Simpson in 2006 after four years of marriage, defended her when asked about the criticism Friday night at a Super Bowl party he co-hosted with NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson.

"I think it's ridiculous that the media is making such a big deal about it," he said at his Super Skins Celebrity Golf Classic party. "It's ridiculous that it would be making headlines. But you can't believe everything that's written or reported in the media. I wish her nothing but happiness."

The New York Post ran an editorial cartoon mocking Simpson, and Saturday ran a photo of her performing Thursday night in Charlottesville, Va., wearing a black leather ensemble. The Post described the outfit as a "waist-length jacket over her skin-tight pants and wide belt."

Lachey joined a growing list of celebrities in defense of Simpson that includes super model Heidi Klum, curvy reality TV star Kim Kardashian and Simpson's sister, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz.

"I am completely disgusted by the headlines concerning my sister's weight," Ashlee wrote on her blog this week. "A week after the inauguration and with such a feeling of hope in the air for our country, I find it completely embarrassing and belittling to all women to read about a woman's weight or figure.

"All women come in different shapes, sizes, and forms and just because you're a celebrity, there shouldn't be a different standard."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[KPinSEA]

Build an entire career based on your appearance ....

Then complain when people won't stop talking about your appearance.

Hooray for Holly-weird!

[christianmama4change]

Jessica is a currently a size 8 weighing 135 pounds - that's small!!!! I bet half the female haters on this story weigh alot more and look even worse - so back off!

[ekrub]

Hmm...I weigh 135 and I am 4 inches taller than Jessica. I am neither thin nor fat, and I work out for an hour 3 times a week to maintain my size. I also watch what I eat -- no alcohol, limit fat, no fried anything, emphasis on portion control.

These are the kinds of measures most women my age (50) must take to stay at a manageable weight.

If Jessica is 5'2" tall and weighs 135, she IS overweight. Not obese, but certainly overweight.

In our national struggle with obesity, denial is the enemy.

[ifihadahammer]

Actually, you're wrong. According to BMI, she's NORMAL, not overweight. Then again, it's stupid to judge by numbers as every body is different.

[proudandtrue]

Leave the chunkee monkee alone!!!

[Resolution09]

Check out ZoneDiet.com and submit your dieting story by Tuesday, Feb. 10 to win the chance to go on a Caribbean Wellness Cruise in March 2009. They also have some great dieting tips and some interesting results from a recent diet and wellness survey.

[jimbeaux1961]

"Please, stop picking on my ex-wife for being fat! Please, her looks are the most important thing in the world to her health and economic well-being! So PLEASE PLEASE stop making jokes about her being a whale, or a blimp, or looking like Rush Limbaugh in drag! " Yeah, sounds sincere to me...

[connorin]

It was fun to see Obama ripping her weight with Matt Lauer

[jingles32]

Ripping her weight? He read the headline straight off of the magazine cover Matt Lauer held up. I'm sure the President could care less about Jessica Simpson's weight; and ummm, I'm pretty sure he doesn't read US magazine.

[connorin]

and yet he was upset they took him out of the picture..how modest of him..also telling us how he is cool

[christianmama4change]

he wasn't making fun of her - he was reading the headline next to his family's picture.

[BlueZoo]

She's fat! She's not obese - yet - but there must not be any mirrors in that mansion of hers! She paraded her body and her private parts for all the world to see and now that she's overweight says it's not anybody's business. You can't have it both ways, honey! Take a good look at your competition on the charts and then sign up with Nutrisystem or something similar. Fat is not 'in' no matter who tells you it is!

[connorin]

That is fat? She is heavier then she has been, but if that is your definition of fat, then all but some of Hollywood and fashion models must be OK and anorexics are the only thin ones

[larry278]

The glamor of star buzz is dying because of the recession. The drama of an aging Madonna getting a new boyfriend isn't an ultra-glam thing though Madonna still looks hot, hot, hot. She likes & has kids but she isn't what you can call a typical working mom dealing with lining up a baby sitter when she has a date.

[fightorleave2]

Yet, Jessica profited enormously from her "weight or figure." So, Ashlee is a wee bit hypocritical. Maybe she should do a jig and bounce....

[Andrew Shapter]

In the world of celebrity, everything is calculated. Six to nine months from now, she'll be signing a multi-million dollar endorsement deal with a weight loss giant. Her before and after pictures will grace the covers at the check out stand and her diet book will do rather well.

This is all very well planned. Don't be fooled.

[JLThom]

Oh so true...

[Eric8869]

If they said she was stupid - he wouldn't be defending her.

[RadLeftVetPatriot]

I've always thought that the only things Jess needed were a few pounds. I stand affirmed.

[vim876]

Here's the biggest (no pun intended) reason I think her weight has been so attacked: one outfit in particular, the one with the leopard belt and high-waisted jeans, made her look 20 pounds heavier than she is. That picture is the one that got posted on all the websites and put in all the magazines. The real problem isn't the weight she gained; it's that she hasn't yet totally adapted to her new curvier (and I think, sexier) figure. Thus, she occasionally dresses in unflattering ways. I've seen pictures of her in more curve-friendly ensembles at the same weight, and she looks fabulous and hot! If you think how someone dresses doesn't affect their attractiveness at a given weight, imagine a woman who is actually overweight (as opposed to the healthy Simpson). If an overweight woman wears one of those dresses that's straight up and down, it tends to be less than flattering, because it takes away her waist. If the same woman wears a dress with the waistline at the natural waist and a lightly gathered skirt, it often looks fabulous because it enhances and even exaggerates the difference between her waist and her hips. It's all about the presentation. Besides, we need more hot curvy chicks. On that note, didn't Jennifer Hudson look BEAUTIFUL at the Super Bowl?!!?

[harriettubman]

What person actually came out and degraded Jessica's weight? This ALL started with the MSM by empty headed reporters. Reporters have no right to set trends or determine someone's weight. That's why there was a backlash this time. People aren't going for the silly stuff.

[LisaLisa1234]

Well said. Thank you.

No wonder American women have such issues with weight. If she's overweight, heavens...

I totally agree it was just an unflattering outfit.

[Juan Velasquez]

Who let her out wearing that outfit? I think even American Idol has stylists help the contestants and most might not end up much further than the local Indian casino performing 80's hits.

As for it being a stunt for Jenny Craig or Nutrisystem, I doubt it. Now, could it be a stunt to make her seem less Hollywood to a new set of fans that aren't so sure she is one of them? Probably more likely than the first (they rarely get a star as big and bright as JS based on who they have had previously (Valerie Bertinelli, Kristy Alley, etc.)

Or maybe it's all just a big F-U to her manager (her dad). who has commented once or twice on her look (and I'm sure is aware that her image sure makes lots of money).

[bibimimi]

The outfit is awful, to have all that $ and such bad taste.

[TLV]

For most American women, it literally takes a diet that starves you of necessary nutrients to be super thin. Last summer I took two walks a day, walked almost non-stop all day at my job, ate very few "bad" foods, and lost only ten pounds.

[naibox]

Okay here is my issue: I think she looks fine for normal everyday people. I think she looks healthy. But the problem I have is that this is the same person that ran around wearing short shorts and bikinis for everyone to ooo and ahh at....and now that the comments are not positive she wants to claim its no ones business -- well don't objectify yourself in the first place and don't put yourself on display in such a way that people even care. You can't have it both ways. If you want people to not have opinions on your body -- keep it to yourself!

[ekrub]

You're right. Her stock and trade in the industry has been her looks/body. She can't have it both ways.

I think the elephant in the room (no pun intended) is the the plethora of accounts of her Grey Goose jones.