A Public Affair Drops, A Vocal Rest Needed for Jessica Simpson

There's bad timing, such as being alive during the same era when people give Brooke Hogan a recording contract.

Then there's bad timing, such as when you're new CD hits stores - but you lose your voice during the big week of publicity.

So go the vocal chords of Jessica Simpson. Ashlee's sister has been ordered to rest her pipes, just as her latest album, "A Public Affair," is released in stores.

"It is true that she has indeed lost her voice," Simpson's publicist, Rob Shuter, said.. "She's been ordered to rest ... She can talk, she can croak out a few sentences. She sounds a little off, but, you know, she can't sing."

As a result, Simpson canceled an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman this week. Good thing, too. Letterman is probably still recovering from the Peter Sarsgaard/vagina story.

Jessica hopes to make it for a performance on the Today show Friday, as well as the always exciting appearance on MTV's Total Request Live, hosted by Vanessa Minnillo, Nick Lachey's replacement for her.

"She's trying," Shuter said. "Everybody is hoping and keeping their fingers crossed."

Lindsay Lohan is going so far as to keep her legs crossed in an effort to -- no, no, that's never true.