AS far as publicity stunts go, using your divorce to promote a new single is up there with the worst of them.
That’s what JESSICA SIMPSON and ex-hubby NICK LACHEY are doing after “accidentally” scheduling UK releases for the same day.
Both have songs put out by the same record company, RCA, next Monday — Jessica’s as a download for a week before it hits the shops.
Both titles refer to the split. Nick’s is What’s Left Of Me and Jessica’s is A Public Affair.
Her official press release even starts: “The fabulous Jessica Simpson NICKs the spotlight on 29th January . . . ”
It’s hardly BLUR v OASIS but fans of each party are already doing battle on internet blog and MySpace sites.
One fan posted this on her website devoted to all things Simpson: “I have a plan to make Jessica beat Nick.
“I'm basically calling on all Jessica Simpson fans to get behind Jessica and support her in every way we can. It really is Team Jessica!
“Between us, we can support Jessica on all the message boards, MySpace, Bebo and Google to make sure we beat Nick Lachey in the charts.
“I might even get some T-shirts made up (I work in retail so it shouldn't be a problem).
“Let's beat Nick!”
[Via thesun.co.uk]