Jamie Lynn rains on Ashlee Simpson’s parade

Courtney Hazlett The Scoop

Wednesday, Dec. 19 was supposed to be a big day for Ashlee Simpson. After spending the last year working on a new album, “Outta My Head,” Ashlee’s debut video was set to release to big fanfare.

Unfortunately, the spotlight just wasn’t meant to be for Simpson, thanks to the news that Jamie Lynn Spears is with child.

“Ashlee can’t believe this happened. She’s so disappointed,” said a source.

The fact that Spears’ news eclipsed Simpson’s is a bit poetic, a family friend pointed out. “Her sister, Jessica, grew up in the shadow of Britney; it took years for Jess separate herself from her. How ironic that Ashlee’s big day ends up spent in the shadow of Britney’s little sister,” said the family friend. Ashlee’s rep adds: “[It’s] absolutely not true [that she's dissapointed]. She is very happy with the video and the great feedback it has been getting. She only wishes Jamie Lynn well.”

This isn’t the first bump in the road for Ashlee Simpson’s album. The Simpson camp had hoped to release the album in November, but had to push the date back to early 2008. Though Team Simpson is confident the final product will be impressive, a source close to Simpson claims that the delay is due to some last-minute changes, some as drastic as writing and recording new songs.

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“This is her last chance, really. Her second album did terribly. She has to have an incredible third album.” 

“I Am Me” sold 884,000 copies, compared to her first album, “Autobiography,” which sold 2.9 million, according Billboard.

“Joe Simpson doesn’t do anything by chance. This date (for the video release) was picked clearly; he expected it to be the talk of the town,” said the source. “Jamie Lynn didn’t just steal the spotlight; she sucked the oxygen out of the week. This week it’s all about her.”

Playboy calls J.Lo Hewitt
One more person is coming to the defense of Jennifer Love Hewitt and those photos of her alleged flab: Hugh Hefner. He reportedly offered Love Hewitt a deal to pose for a pictorial in the mag in exchange for a hefty sum of money. According to In Touch, Love Hewitt’s rep said she was flattered by the offer, but turned it down.

Katie’s $100,000 shopping spree?

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Katie Holmes is a champion shopper, but reports that she racked up a $100,000 bill might be pretty exaggerated. In Touch reported that Holmes visited Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills on Dec. 15, had lunch with friends, then went on a massive spending spree. Among the items she reportedly scooped up: a $30,000 rose-gold Cartier wristwatch, a Prada ski coat for $1,395, four pairs of Barker Black handmade English shoes at $825 each, and she reportedly spent $5,000 on dresses and other clothes for daughter Suri.

Believable, yes. True? Her rep said no, she didn’t spend that much or buy the items listed. But she was at Neiman Marcus.

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