Note to PR handlers everywhere: don’t report that your client is in love unless there’s a semblance of truth to the sentiment.
Rob Shuter appears to have learned this lesson the hard way. The long-time publicist for Jessica Simpson has been fired.
While no definitive reason has been given, it’s safe to assume that the magazine/romance debacle that Shuter started between Jessica and that sex-crazed musician, John Mayer, didn’t exactly help.
Both People and Us Weekly magazines ran cover stories suggesting the two were dating, with the former even quoting Jessica saying “I’m in love!” One problem: the two were NOT, in fact, an item. Mayer wasn’t pleased.
As the first guest of Rosie O’Donnell on The View this week, Simpson did simply state that her and the singer were just friends. But the damage had already been done, as Mayer’s blog seemed to relay the artist’s anger at the situation:
“Really enjoying this song,” he wrote, above a poster for Public Enemy’s hit “Don’t Believe the Hype.”
One thing you can believe, however, is that Nicole Richie is really, really thin.