Jessica Simpson Calls in Sick or Did She Shoot Hooky?
Jessica Simpson fans got a dose of reality Tuesday after the pop tart reported to the sick bay and canceled her scheduled concert at the last minute.
Simpson was preparing to hit the stage for an almost sold-out show in Providence, Rhode Island, when she was stricken with a kidney infection and taken to a local hospital where she was treated and released, according to Columbia Records spokeswoman Renee Pfefer.
Simpson had hoped to recover in time for Wednesday’s show in Manchester, New Hampshire, but was forced to scrap that concert as well.
The “With You” singer expressed her regrets for skipping out on her fans in a statement released by her label.
“I’m having the best time doing this tour, and I’m so disappointed I have to miss tonight’s show,” Simpson said. “I appreciate everyone’s get-well wishes and, as soon as my doctor says it’s okay, I’ll be back onstage doing what I love. I hope to see my fans soon.”
Concert promoters said they hoped to reschedule the Rhode Island and New Hampshire appearances and that tickets for the original concerts would be honored.
Simpson is now hoping to be healthy enough to perform her Friday-night concert in Detroit.
The Rhode Island and New Hampshire shows would have been the 13th and 14th concert dates on the Jessica Simpson Reality Tour in support of her platinum-selling album In This Skin. It’s Simpson’s first touring effort since her meteoric rise in popularity as the star of MTV’s Newlyweds with popster hubby Nick Lachey.
The third season of the reality series chronicling the not-so-newlyweds’ lives kicked off last week with more of the same brand of ditzy humor fans have come to expect from Simpson.
In addition to her summer tour and Newlyweds antics, the Goldilocked chanteuse seems to be on track for total market saturation.
She has reportedly been selected to fill the short shorts of Daisy Duke in the upcoming Dukes of Hazzard movie–beating out a slew of competitors vying for the role, including Britney Spears, who was once considered to be the front-runner for the part.
Though her ABC sitcom pilot was not picked up by the network, she and Lachey have been asked back for several more installments of The Nick & Jessica Variety Hour, with the next one set to air around Christmas.
Then there are her numerous endorsement deals–most recently, Simpson and little sis Ashlee inked a deal to push Hershey’s new Ice Breakers Liquid Ice mints.
If all that’s not enough, Simpson also has her own line of edible fragrances and cosmetics, dubbed Dessert, which launched in Sephora stores in April.
The busy blonde will be on tour in the States through Aug. 1.
Sarah Hall – E!Online