Jessica Simpson keeps on talking… and talking and talking. When we last heard from Jessica, her statements included such gems as calling one of her exes a “butthead” and remaining remarkably classy about all of the “controversy” about her weight gain.

Her newest statements came at yet another concert. At least this time she wasn’t performing at a chili cook-off, so at least we can be grateful for that. Jess told her fans that she hoped that they would follow her “career” rather than “follow what people say about me”. She also talked about her heroes in the country music business, like Dolly Parton and her boyfriend’s hero in the football business, John Elway.

Jessica Simpson got candid with her fans at a show in Denver on Saturday.

Clad in Daisy Dukes and white platform pumps, the singer, 28, opened the show at the Pepsi Center with a cover of the Nancy Sinatra classic “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’.”

“Can I get a yee-haw?” she asked the crowd. As her show went on, she got more confessional.

“I don’t know how many of you have followed my career. I hope you don’t just follow what people say about me,” she said, presumably referring to the hype over her weight gain.

Simpson — whose last two films went straight to DVD — then added, “Hopefully, you actually follow whatever career I have.”

She also told the crowd she has Colorado roots. “I lived here when I was in kindergarten. I lived in Littleton,” said Simpson, who grew up in Texas. “I have always admired John Elway,” a retired Colorado quarterback.

She said she and her father Joe once waited two hours to get Elway’s autograph when she was a little girl. “We still have it,” she said. “For Tony [Romo, her beau], John Elway has always inspired him.” She then launched into a rendition of “You’re My Sunday,” which she said she wrote for Romo.

Before belting out “Pray Out Loud,” she talked about growing up with her father, a former minister. “As a family, we’ve always stayed together, prayed together,” Simpson said. “They taught me a lot of values. I’m sane because of them!”

She also praised Dolly Parton for being “such an inspiration. Dolly gave me the confidence to be who I want to be. I can be whatever I want to be.” Simpson said the title track to her first country album, Do You Know, was written by Parton.

Before leaving the stage, she dedicated “Remember That” to those who “have ever been in an abusive relationship.” She didn’t identify the ex that hurt her but called him “a butthead.”

Simpson told audience members who have been abused to “find strength, value yourself and take heart.”

From US Magazine via Gossip Rocks

Jaybird’s right, we should admire Jessica’s spirit and her inability to let negative press get her down. She’s a relatively harmless person – you can tell, even calling an ex a “butthead” was pretty harsh for her standards. I’m still wondering who it was that Jessica was referring to. Nick Lachey? John Mayer? Or perhaps one of the guys she was rumored to be hooking up with back in the day, like Adam Levine of Maroon 5, or Johnny Knoxville. Who knows.

The only thing I find the least bit objectionable is the whole thing with Jessica’s father teaching her “values”. I’m not buying that, even if Joe Simpson used to be a man of God. Men of God don’t talk about their daughter’s breasts in the press. No way, no how.

Jessica Simpson is shown performing on 2/12/09, credit: WENN, and out with Tony on 2/13/09, credit: VILA/ANDERSON/bauergriffinonline.com