Jessica Simpson Sells Out a Dallas Theatre For Tell-All Book Tour

Dallas Native Proves Pop Princesses Can Come Home With Wyly Takeover

By Caitlin Clark // Feb 7, 2020

"Open Book" by Jessica Simpson (courtesy)

Of all the early aughts pop princesses, Jessica Simpson loomed pretty large in my life. She was everywhere, eating tuna she thought was chicken, shooting music videos with so many doves, and designing affordable pumps I would torture my feet with for years. RIP to her line of edible, dessert-themed beauty line.

She also had the occasional hit between Christmas albums (“A Public Affair” remains a bop), but I wasn’t there for the music. I was there for Jessica — all the things that she was and all the things that she appeared to be. She was one of those rare female icons that could serve as both a sex symbol for men and a trendsetting object of fascination for young women.

But the inconstant pop culture landscape is quick to forget, and Jessica eventually faded out of my subconscious. Fortunately, there is a practically foolproof way for former A-list celebrities to re-enter the mainstream, if only for few months: a tell-all book.

And though I’ve yet to read Jessica’s Open Book (can you believe that title was available?), her press tour so far is painting a picture of a popstar memoir genuinely worth reading.

There are juicy Nick Lachey, John Mayer and Tony Romo details (apparently no one is spared) but Open Book also includes revelatory accounts of abuse and addiction, along with the toll being sexualized at such a young age can take.

I’m happy to have Jessica back (you know, aside from the billion-dollar fashion empire). I’m happy that she’s healthier. And I’m thrilled that she chose her hometown of Dallas as a rare stop on her national book tour. “A Conversation with Jessica Simpson,” which is being held at the Wyly Theatre tonight (Friday, February 7), is already sold out, but you don’t necessarily have to attend the event to feel connected to the reality TV pioneer.