Jessica Simpson: What Boos?

Jessica Simpson photo courtesy of Sony BMG Nashville.

Aug. 11, 2008 — When Jessica Simpson gave her first full concert performance as a country artist in July, she got slapped by a review from a writer for The Kenosha News who said her appearance received "a mixture of boos and cheers."

It became — as does just about anything Jessica does — part of a huge viral uproar in which numerous media picked up the story in a way that often made it appear the show was a dud. If the response was negative in any sector of the crowd that day, it was not apparent to Jessica.

"I never heard a boo," she told The San Jose Mercury News, "and if there were people that booed me, then they just won't be buying the record, and that is what it is. But I was happy to be up there and make people smile with the music."

Jessica has plenty to smile about these days as she continues to rebuild her public image following a 2006 performance in front of the president and Dolly Parton, in which she forgot the words to "9 To 5" and left the stage in tears. Jessica’s first country single, "Come On Over," hit the Top 20 on the genre’s national charts, and her first country album, Do You Know, comes out on Sept. 9 with Dolly singing on the title cut.

In addition, she feels her personal life is coming back together after a divorce from Nick Lachey. She’s been seeing Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, and one song on the new album — "You’re My Sunday" — was inspired by him.

"You think about a Sunday, it's just a day to relax and lay around and feel comfortable, and Tony is all that for me," she said. "He really slowed my life down when he came into my life. He encouraged me to just breathe and relax and live."