Jessica Simpson wins a new car at VMAs

updated 12:15 p.m. ET Sept. 1, 2006

This week’s example of “The Rich Just Get Richer”: Jessica Simpson.

Simpson walked away with Chrysler Crossfire on Thursday, selecting the winning key that turned the ignition to the $50,000 luxury car at the Style Villa, one of the numerous luxury freebie suites set up for celebrities during the week of the Video Music Awards.

Besides free makeup, liquor, clothes, watches, private jet discounts and motorcycle leases, the suite featured Chrysler, which offered stars the opportunity to select a car key at random.

Simpson — arriving Thursday afternoon — selected the key that started the car.

That’s not all she got. Simpson and her hairstylist/BFF Ken Paves went through four floors of swag at the Bryant Park Hotel and selected some of her favorite things, including jewelry and clothes.

At the Nessa Lee Style suite, she and Paves made matching bracelets out of charms — Nessa Lee Style owner Vanessa Antonelli said Simpson chose the moon symbol for rest, an apple for health (Simpson lost her voice this week), a peace sign and two feathers.

At one point, Antonelli says Simpson asked her what the dolphin symbol meant. When Antonelli said it stood for intelligence, Simpson — famous for her airhead persona — retorted: “Who needs that?”

It’s unclear whether Simpson will keep the car: Recently the IRS has started cracking down on the huge awards show gift packages doled out to celebs, and the Emmy awards alerted presenters that they would have to pay taxes on its gift bag, worth about $42,000. Simpson’s representative did not return a call for comment.

Lachey and Simspon narrowly miss each other
Jessica Simpson and ex-hubby Nick Lachey avoided an awkward encounter when they visited the Style Villa gift suite.

Slide show    From 'Newlyweds' to 'Hazzard' See how Jessica Simpson has shot to stardom. more photos

Lachey and Simpson were there at the same time — but narrowly missed each other as they visited the private rooms filled with free goods.

“[They] came by literally two minutes in between each other,” said Rick Gomez at G-Star Raw Demin Jeans, where both Simpson and Lachey snagged gear.

Besides the ex-couple, other celebrities who came by the various suites around town were Snoop Dogg, Cassie, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Fall Out Boy, and Nelly, who steered celebs to his own Apple Bottoms clothing suite.

At the AOL-sponsored suite, Snoop Dogg accepted a $4,500 disc-shaped diamond-encrusted ring from jewelry designer Jacquelin Cohen, while Cassie snagged a blinged-out pendant shaped like a shark’s tooth worth $2,500. But not everything was up for grabs. A $50,000 necklace was available, but for loan or purchase only.

When asked if she’d ever give it away, Cohen shook her head and laughed: “I’d be out of business!”

Laughing about rumors
No way, says Ne-Yo, who’s having a good laugh about recent speculation that he is gay.

NBC VIDEO Inside look at MTV's award show Sept. 1: "Today" host Matt Lauer talks with the show's West Coast contributor, Maria Menounos, about what was happening on the red carpet — and backstage. Today Show Entertainment

A phony press release has circulated on the Internet saying that the platinum-selling R&B singer-and-songwriter would be coming out of the closet in the upcoming issue of Essence magazine.

When asked his reaction, he told The Associated Press, “I laughed harder than I’ve ever laughed in my life.”

He’s clueless, Ne-Yo said, about where this tale started, or who was behind it.

“I have no idea. That’s what’s so funny to me, that somebody really took so much time out of their own personal life to make up this story about me. Like, it’s crazy.”

It’s not the only controversy involving Ne-Yo and the Internet. X-rated pictures have also popped up featuring him in a compromising position with a woman.

And the explanation for that?

“Somebody broke into my Sidekick and stole some personal private pictures of mine,” he said.

Timberlake avoids the paparrazi
Justin Timberlake didn’t make any friends with the media at his pre-VMA bash with friends Timbaland and Nelly Furtado.

Timberlake arrived at his party with his girlfriend, actress Cameron Diaz, but refused to walk the red carpet, entering the venue through a side entrance, enraging paparazzi and reporters who had waited hours for his arrival.

Inside, stars like Kanye West, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Christina Milian joined the throng.

A crush of people was a common theme at the week’s top bashes. At a Diddy party Tuesday night, the host could barely get through the crowd at his own event, held at a downtown nightclub — security had to barrel through the crowd. And at the Stuff magazine party hosted by superproducer Jermaine Dupri and video director Dave Meyers, the dance floor was so packed a dance step couldn’t be made without getting an elbow to the back. Still, stars like Nelly, Ja Rule and Korn frontman Jonathan Davis made their way inside.

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