Posted on 03/15/2006 8:11:39 PM PST by doesnt suffer fools gladly
Jessica Simpson snubs Bush Wed Mar 15, 2006 10:50 PM ET
By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Concerned about politicizing her favorite charity, singer-actress Jessica Simpson on Wednesday turned down a invitation to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush, a snub that left Republicans dismayed.
The apparent final word that Simpson would be a no-show at a major Republican fund-raiser with Bush and congressional leaders on Thursday night came after a day of conflicting reports from her camp and organizers of the event.
The blond star of the film "The Dukes of Hazzard" still plans to visit Washington on Thursday to lobby members of Congress on behalf of Operation Smile, a non-profit venture offering free plastic surgery for disadvantaged children overseas with facial deformities.
People close to Simpson said she declined a request to appear that same evening at the gala fund-raiser of the National Republican Congressional Committee -- even after she was offered some private face time with Bush -- because Operation Smile is a non-partisan group.
"It just feels wrong," one Simpson insider told Reuters on Wednesday, adding that the actress keeps her political views private. "She would love to meet the president and talk about Operation Smile ... but she can't do it at a fund-raiser for the Republican Party."
NRCC spokesman Carl Forti said he was surprised at Simpson's position.
"It's never been a problem for Bono," he said, referring to the U2 rock star who has met regularly with political leaders of all stripes to promote various causes, including Third World debt relief. "I find it hard to believe she would pass up an opportunity to lobby the president on behalf of Operation Smile."
Although Simpson's publicists insisted she never had planned to attend the fund-raiser, Forti said the actress initially accepted the NRCC invitation when it was extended on Tuesday night, only to change her mind the next evening.
Forti said the Republican group had even arranged for Simpson to dine at one of the head tables with U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader John Boehner, an Ohio Republican. The NRCC hopes the $2,500-per-plate dinner event will raise $7.5 million for Republican candidates in the congressional midterm elections in November.
Simpson, 25, a Texas native who started out singing in her church choir, became a star on the Christian music circuit as a teenager and crossed over to the pop mainstream with her major-label debut album "Sweet Kisses" in 1999.
She became an overnight MTV sensation in 2003 as co-star of a reality show chronicling her first year of wedlock with fellow pop vocalist Nick Lachey, but she filed for divorce in December after three stormy years of marriage. Simpson is currently featured wearing cowboy boots and hot pants in a TV pizza ad.
And, what the hell, I will add my two cents about the astonishing sex appeal of Jessica Simpson. I don't see it. She is pretty in her way, but that's it. The previous (original?) Daisy Duke, Catherine Bach, was more attractive.
fear of her peers
standing up to the hatred for Conservatism found in the infrastructure of Hollywood and the entertainment industry takes juevos
Yes indeed, the title sure had the effect it was meant to have for some who posted here. Good observation, TChad.
I could not agree more. If we don't want the George and Babs of the world to insert themselves into politics , we shouldn't want Jessica to either.
She is dumb as a rock, but she is "smart" enough to see that the puppetmasters who call the shots, and who deem what is relevant and "hot" would punish her for meeting with the President.
A nice Christian girl selling her soul to the devil in the REAL Sin City...what else is new?
The totals for this round: Evil-1, Good-0.
Perhaps, but to be fair some people might see it that way. If celebrity X went to a fundraiser for Howard Dean, Hillary Clinton, or John Kerry, we wouldn't interpret it so charitably. That's why, I can see giving her the benefit of the doubt, since so many of us say, "shut up and sing." The unfortunate part is that it might seem like a snub, since it seems like she is withfrawing her commitment to go.
I don't think that involving oneself in a charity for children is selling your soul to the devil. The cause is worthy, and politics should not play a part in it, IMHO.
This is as much a critique of Bush as it is Simpson. Why should we be courting a slut?
This piece of white trash? Why would we invite her to begin with? Since when is she a role model for conservative children? I'm angry that they feel snubbed.
ping
Well, wait a second, if you think it would be OK for her to go to a GOP Fundraiser and not influence how people perceive her charity, then for you to be honest you would have to give her the same same standard of treatment if she was a dim.
Well is it chicken or is it fish, Nick?
Details at 11:00.
It could have been worse, her sister could have agreed to show up and sing.
She's certainly not a Great Beauty, but I think she's very pretty (in a generic fashion) when she's got on the powder and paint and all the accoutrements of beauty . . . but when she doesn't, her face is just so so (as was evident on "Newlyweds", yes I watched it).
She looks great from the hips on up, but her legs there look like they came from a muscular midget.
She has that generic MTV look.. You know, the wide brown eyes, the same face as Ricky Martin, Britany Spears, Ashton Kutcher..Someone told me there is an actual policy at that abomination of a company that has this look as the standard for their "stars", that they have whittled it down to this being the "perfect" face to sell whatever sheit they are selling.
Wonder what she looks like without the makeup and air brushing.
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