Things seem to be getting worse instead of better for Jessica Simpson. Over the last few weeks she’s been embroiled in a weight gain scandal. As in, she had the nerve not to be skeletal. While she seemed to be doing her best to stay positive in the beginning, it appears that the stress is taking a toll on her. According to Radar, Jess had a bit of a meltdown during her concert last night. She was opening up for Rascal Flatts in Grand Rapids, and was struggling, upset, and a bit unprofessional through most of her set.
Jessica Simpson, who’s been getting flak for gaining weight, really does appear to have the weight of the world on her shoulders. Simpson had a near meltdown Thursday as she opened for Rascal Flatts in Grand Rapids Michigan. The singer fought back tears, forgot the words to lyrics and mumbled her way through a bizarre 38-minute set of songs.
Almost from the opening song of “These Boots are Made for Walking,” Simpson fought with her ear monitors, constantly trying to keep them in place, suggesting she was having difficulty hearing herself. At one point, she had her seven-piece band stop, then start over, during the up-tempo “Pray Out Loud.” After that, she forgot the lyrics to her single “Come on Over,” causing her to apologize to the audience.
Things got so bad that, while introducing her closing song, “Do You Know,” the singer said there have been times when she felt like walking off the stage — “like tonight.” At the end of the song, she thanked her band for “having her back.” And it looked as if she was wiping away tears as she walked off the stage.
So what caused Jessica’s meltdown? It probably didn’t help that boyfriend Tony Romo missed his flight to Grand Rapids.
[From Radar]
Jessica’s record label said that she wasn’t feeling well and blew her voice out and that’s why she was upset during the show. A Grand Rapids radio station was having people who were in the audience call in and talk about the concert. One caller said she thought Simpson was drunk. Several noted that she kept drinking from a water bottle throughout the night. It could have been alcohol, but it could have just as easily been water – which would be explained by vocal troubles. But lots of the callers seemed to think Jessica was being judged too harshly.
Everyone can have an off night, but the flip side of that argument is that people pay a lot of money to go to concerts – and in tough economic times, that’s a big deal. I’d guess that a luxury like that is probably a rare occasion for most of the audience, so it makes sense people would be annoyed. Overall, it was unprofessional at worst, but understandable.
Here’s Jessica Simpson performing in Charleston, West Virginia on February 1st. Images thanks to Splash.
she probably just needs to take some time off. btw vanessa was on kimmel last evening, he asked if she was secretly loving weight gate, she acted like she didn’t hear him. he thought that was pretty funny.
I tend to doubt the people who paid for the concert tickets were there for Simpson. I’m sure Rascal Flatts picked up the slack.
I would be in a constant state of meltdown if I was Jessica Simpson. The woman is benign but she’s treated like she’s Jezebel.
Oh Jessica. When will you learn that its OK to be a fat ass or in your case to put on 15 pounds. For crying out loud your breakdown is ridiculous. You’re not really a porker so you have nothing to worry about. Besides a few more bad media bites and Jenny Craig will be looking for you to sign on as a new spokesperson. So cheer up fat girl!
Dana Da Designated Hata
agreed Dana, i think she looks good. Everyone has a bad moment, hers just happen in public. Honestly I don’t get why people take such a stand against her. She’s working her ass off for whatever she can. That’s what I do, too. How bout you?
Jessica Simpson’s opening for Rascal Flatts? Who the Heck came up with THAT duo?
She probably does need a break. But, when you have an obligation like that it can feel like you should power through to fulfill it. I think there is way too much pressure put on performers by everyone, including themselves.
I feel sorry for her. One thing I will say about Jessica is that through all of this (the divorce, failing music/movies, public scrutiny of her weight & relationships) she DOES keep trying and working. I mean, to go from being on TV to performing at county fairs, must be hard, but at least she’s trying to keep her chin up.
This just sounds like a lot of the other stories that have come out about her performances since she tried to go country…the rambling, having to start songs over, forgetting lyrics at the casinos, bingo halls, and the Today Show, even that Dolly Parton Kennedy Center event a year or two ago.
Though the Simpsons might try to spin it as having to do with the press she’s been getting about her weight, her performances have been erratic since before this crossover attempt. Maybe she’s just not cut out for performing live.
I agree with a few people above. At least she sings her songs instead of lip synching like Britney Spears. Shes got talent for singing she just needs to find her niche and stick with it. Poor girl… and if shes fat im a freaking beached whale ><
I agree SeVen, if she’s “fat” then I’m a humongo jumbo lard azz. Funny, because I don’t even consider myself THAT fat. I may be 30lbs over but I’m not obese. Whatevs. *shrug*
I tend to doubt the people who paid for the concert tickets were there for Simpson. I’m sure Rascal Flatts picked up the slack.
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Yea, we have one coming near me and I was admittedly disappointed to hear that she’d be the opener. I was like “Couldn’t Rascal Flatts have gotten a REAL opener?”
I know, whatever. She’s not a country singer to me. But then again, when I go, I’m going for my gang! Not for her anyway, but it would’ve been cool if someone like Miranda Lambert opened for them or something. OR. OMG. Taylor Swift. LOL
<3 Rascal Flatts.
(I’ll refrain from mentioning her weight, it’s almost too easy at this point and the whole thing honestly, gives me a headache.)
My guess is that this has little to do with her weight and more to do with Tony missing his flight. The weight thing sounds like a smoke screen to me.
And I agree with Prissa. Hats off to Jessica for continuing to work. No shame in that.
Dont drag my girl Brit into this mess! The difference between Jessica and Britney is that Jessica is a singer, Britney is a PERFORMER. Its not like she just walks back and forth pretending to sing. She has full choreographed routines. And she actually DOES sing her ballads live.
Jess may have the better voice, but Britney is definitely more talented.
poor girl!! 🙁 i really hate the media- SO hypocritical!!! they say “ew she looks anorexic” or “ew she looks fat”. jessica looks HEALTHY right now. healthy is whats sexy and natural. PISSES me off.
Uh, I don’t know if I’d consider it “healthy” to gain a significant amount of weight in a very short amount of time….
i actually never liked jessica i am a hater ever since she mocked and called my girl carrie underwood a liar and unclassy on a country radio station back when that whole thing with carrie jessica feud…but dam even i feel bad for this girl. i think its more then what there sying you dont cry on stage because your losing your voice and shes been ridiculed in the media for so long i doubt its because of tabloids…maybe its boyfriend troubles who knows…but she is failing more and more her music and movie career are and have been over..i give her credit for hanging in there and going after a dream for 10 years and not giving up but sometimes you gotta realize that dream is just a dream. i dont like jessica because i think she is catty, jealous, rude type of girl and i came up with that from when ive heard her speak but i dont wish her bad or hurt in her personal life…i just cant stand her attitude oh well
What’s your point? Are you trying to make chubby girls hate themselves? Because if that’s your scheme of reinforcement, that sucks.
You don’t know why she gained weight, and if she REALLY wanted to let go of herself, she would’ve gained a hell of a lot more than 20 pounds. Get off your high horse.
Assuming that you’ve never gained weight, you don’t know how much of a pain in the ass it is to get off, especially with people harping on you about how you’re a self-negligent beached whale who’s self-unaware and miserable.
Rascal Flatts sucks, so it makes perfect sense that Jessica would be their opening act.
So…now we have to pretend chubby no-talents are superstars?
Wait…that means I CAN BE A STARRR!!
This isn’t her first minor meltdown while on stage. Anyone remember the Dolly Parton thing? This woman just needs to go home and rest.
Ever since she appeared on the radar with her reality show with Nick Lachey, this woman has always grated me the wrong way. Thank god her “Daisy Duke-ish” music video and TV commercials aren’t everywhere anymore… I’m just happy that for the past few performances, she hasn’t been starting off the set with oversharing, and with declarations of her undying and immense love for Romo, the “love of her life,” blah blah blah….
I’m a professional musician (classical) and “musicians” like Jessica Simpson and her ilk make me very frustrated. She isn’t a very good singer to begin with – she misuses her voice and is just flat out awful – but on top of all of this she is completely unprofessional. When people pay $80 or so to come hear you, they don’t care if you have your period, or if you’re having boyfriend issues, they just want to see you sing/play. They want to be entertained. It is your job to put those problems aside for 38 minutes (!) and do what they paid to see you do. When I was 19, my teacher told me that you don’t broadcast your mistakes to your audience. They may not know that you screwed up if you smile through it and fake it til ya make it. But you also have to work hard so you can deliver the goods to a certain level no matter what kind of pressure you’re under. There are so many crappy solo artists out there who have no talent outside the studio and their creative producers, and they can’t perform live because it’s a one take deal, and they just don’t have the chops.
Back on topic – yes, she has gained weight, but she looks like she’s back to the weight she was before she lost weight for her horrendous turn as Daisy Duke. And that was an unfortunate choice of pants.
when talking about my weight with other women i always say, yes, i still have a few more baby pounds to lose. ooh, how old is your baby? 4, i say. 🙂
Flour: Amen, my friend. Amen.
I remember a thread a while back (another on stage meltdown… rambling about her period and other weird personal shit) where I defended her because I really, genuinely don’t believe she wants to be, or has the nerve to be, in the public eye. She is wildly nervous on stage and at this point in her career, she should be over that (or at least able to control it). No judgment here because when you are the family cash cow, it gets really hard to let your parents down and this girl seems to be doing it for her father. Ashlee is a mommy now, so she has an ‘excuse’…. I really feel for her because she has a wonderful voice but I’ve never really felt that she is following her own dream. She seems to bounce around from one bad project to another and the constant reinvention just seems like a desperate attempt to find a place of acceptance. I would not wish for that kind of pressure… no Siree Bob.
If her meltdown was because of boyfriend issue/being sick/having a period (yuckk, who tells that in public?), it’s very unprofessional of her. I second pookynut about putting up a face and deliver your best to the audience if you are a performer. As much as I dont like Beyonce at least she acts like a pro when she fell off the stage!
If living the life in the public eye is so difficult then why doesn’t she go out and get a real career for a change?
She doesn’t write her own songs does she? She’s an adequate singer, her songs are either covers or largely unremarkable.
This is a charade that’s been going on for the better part of 10 years now hasn’t it?
Time for a career change Jessica, you’re not going to survive long in that industry if you’re coasting on your looks.
reminds me of when she fell apart on telly singing that song to dolly parton. i think that’s part of her weight problem, she’s got quite a few issues if she can’t pull it together on stage anymore.
Just to clarify, I don’t know if she said anything about her period. That’s just a favorite excuse of mine, because mine really sucks. But people don’t need to know that’s why I’m not feeling there 100 percent.
She said something about her period in a gig last year that was highly publicized. She has talked about ‘bodily functions’ on stage I believe too….
I’d believe she’s on the verge of a breakdown. She used to be a sex-symbol and a superstar; I couldn’t turn on the TV or walk down the halls of my high school without seeing her image plastered everywhere.
And know she’s known for dating a mediocre quarterback and playing State Fair (opening!) gigs. Her two little sisters got more attention for their baby these past couple of months than Jess has in the past year and a half!
At first I thought her weight-gain was “happy” or “cohabitation” weight. (You know, when you meet your mate and your hypothalamus conspires to reset your body’s set-point because you’re in love.) But now I’m starting to think otherwise. . . It wouldn’t surprise me if her sudden gain was symptomatic of depression.
And while I appreciate the fact that she insists on working despite how crappy she feels, maybe it is time to take a reprieve. Though based on how fleeting and superficial her career has been from the beginning – if she disappears now, we may never hear from her again.
Jessica is a cow with so little talent it is unbelievable that her 15 minutes of fame has lasted this long.
We can only hope to see the last of this type of ‘celeb’.
What is it with society? Why do you have to look like a stick—-no butt, no chest, just flat!!!! Turn sideways and you disappear. Jessica Simpson may not be perfect but she is not a lard-ass or a fat chick…Get real people.
jessica is beautiful. however she is an average singer an awful actress her jessica collection sells really well though maybe she should stick to that…and stop embarassing herself.
The fact is an audience has every right to expect a professional performance, and all these excuses as to why she can’t provide one are ridiculous.
If she can’t cut it, stay off the stage.
Simple.
How many of us would last at our jobs if we screwed up constantly when we had some big thing going on (meeting, sales pitch, deadline, whatever).
I have never disliked or hated Simpson (mostly just found her pitiable), but I’m losing patience with this whiner who can’t get her act together.
Aww leave the poor girl alone… I get the feeling she is not thick-skinned enough to be famous. She seems too sensitive and sweet. I think you have to be a particular type of person to be able to actually deal with everything that comes with fame, and perhaps half the stars out there today aren’t. Pushed into it too young!
I think it would be REALLY hard to make the transition from FAME to NO FAME. I mean, seriously, can you imagine being jessica simpson or britney spears and trying to work in a regular job? D-listers could do it, but not A-listers! You just couldn’t. There would be so much gossip about you… your boss and co-workers would know so much about you before you even started working there, everybody has their mind made up about you b4 you have even met them….