Why Jessica Simpson banned her exercise video

Courtney Hazlett The Scoop

Jessica Simpson might be “hurting millions of fat people in America” by banning the release of a workout tape produced by fitness video company Speedfit, owner Alex Astilean told the press. But it’s Simpson who stands to hurt the most if the tape ever gets out.

“Jessica was a mess during that shoot. She had no focus, she put out something that was entirely unusable,” said a source close to Simpson. “They asked her to come back and reshoot, but she refused, and that’s why she’s facing a lawsuit now.”

One magazine that worked with Simpson in the past said this is a familiar problem. “The (magazine) shoot was an absolute disaster. She showed up and looked like she’d been drinking,” said the magazine editor. “We were there for hours and we had maybe three usable photos from the shoot. We asked for another shoot, and she refused.”

“The worst thing in the world would be for that tape to get out,” said the source close to Simpson. “Ironically, it would sell better than her videos, but the last thing she needs for her career is to have the makings of a ‘Saturday Night Live’ skit out there for public consumption.”

When asked for a comment, a rep for Simpson simply replied, “This is a legal matter and in the hands of attorneys.”

Lindsay’s nude pics a surprise?       
While it was obvious to Lindsay Lohan that she was being photographed without any clothes on for her recent New York magazine shoot, the fact that they would actually run in the mag came as a surprise.

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“We didn’t know that they would run nudes,” Lohan’s rep, Leslie Sloane Zelnik, said of the spread that emulates a Marilyn Monroe photo shoot that took place six weeks before her death due to an overdose.

Don’t expect any sort of uproar, however. “She loves the photos,” said Zelnik.

No gag order in Britney case
A request by Britney Spears’ attorneys for a news blackout was rejected in Los Angeles family court Feb. 19. Commissioner Scott Gordon said that although the brouhaha that surrounds Spears on a daily basis is “a dangerous situation,” he maintained that it wasn’t up to him to protect Spears from the paparazzi.

“The concern is the conduct of the photographers,” Gordon said.

One person close to Spears was disappointed with the decision, but understood. “It would be nice if Britney could get some peace, but there was a long time that she courted them (the paparazzi). You can’t make the attention start and stop at will,” said the source.

Diddy still searching for umbrella holder
If it seems like Diddy has been searching for a new assistant for the better part of a year, it’s because a) he has been, and b) apparently, the entire process is being spun into a reality show.

Anyone willing to run Diddy’s errands, shield him from the sun and pack his many pieces of Louis Vuitton luggage has until Feb. 21 to toss their name into VH1’s reality hat. Amazing that last fall’s recruiting drive via YouTube didn’t work out …

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