Jessica Simpson owns up to ‘Public Affair’

NEW YORK - Jessica Simpson will on Aug. 29 release her first post-divorce album, "A Public Affair," which will be preceded by the single of the same name.

Simpson is listed as a co-writer on nine of the 12 songs on the Epic release.

The single was co-written by Simpson and Johnta Austin; the accompanying video was shot over the weekend by director Brett Ratner ("X-Men: The Last Stand") and includes appearances by Eva Longoria, Christina Applegate, Ryan Seacrest, Christina Milian, Andy Dick and Maria Menounos. It will premiere July 19 on MTV's "TRL."

Fans who pre-order the album from Simpson's Web site will be e-mailed the new single July 5 and receive previews of two other songs Aug. 1. This edition of "A Public Affair" will be bundled with an exclusive DVD.

"A Public Affair" is the follow-up to 2003's "In This Skin," which has sold more than 2.9 million copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.