Jessica’s World FALLS APART
Jessica Simpson’s bizarre behavior raises red flags for her friends and family
The interview was a disaster. Jessica Simpson’s appearance on The Ellen Degeneres Show on May 22 — in which she stared awkwardly at the ceiling, lost her train of thought, made off-topic remarks and had a difficult time speaking in coherent sentences — left many fans concerned as the train wreck unfolded. “Watching the Jessica Simpson interview was cringeworthy,” tweeted one fan, while another remarked, “She is lit.” Yet another asked, “Is Jessica Simpson…okay?”
She’s struggling. Jessica, 36, is suffering from anxiety that’s affecting her personality and her marriage. “Jessica has a prescription for anti-anxiety medication,” a friend tells In Touch exclusively. “The combination of the meds and drinking scotch and vodka has [sometimes] made her loopy and disoriented. It’s very sad to see her in such a state.”
Jessica’s got a lot on her plate. She’s continuing to expand her billion-dollar clothing, shoe and home goods brand. Her dad, Joe, just battled prostate cancer. And on top of all that, she’s also recorded nearly 40 songs for a new album — her first since 2010’s Happy Christmas — and the pressure is on after delivering multiple critical and commercial duds. “Jessica is on edge about the new album she’s spent almost two years working on,” says her friend. “She’s overwhelmed and anxious and is praying people will like her edgier, tougher new sound.”
She’s brought the stress home with her. “Sadly, Jessica’s problems have affected her relationship with Eric [Johnson],” the friend says of her former NFL star husband, 37, and father to their kids, daughter Maxwell, 5, and son Ace, 3. “While they may indeed love each other, the marriage has become a troubled one. There are nights they don’t sleep in the same room and days where they barely talk to each other. If it wasn’t for the kids, they might have been separated or divorced by now. They’re in a very tough spot.”
Jessica’s behavior has led to physical changes, too. After making jaws drop a few years ago when she lost 50 pounds on Weight Watchers, “she’s binge-eating,” says the friend. “She’s put on almost 15 pounds. It all changed recently and she fell back into eating some of her favorite foods — macaroni and cheese, Pop-tarts, cookies-and-cream ice cream and Cap’n Crunch cereal.”
It’s all taking a toll. “Jessica’s reviving her music career, her fashion empire continues to thrive, she has a husband who loves her and two of the cutest children in Hollywood,” says the friend. “But she’s blowing it due to her self-doubt and drug and alcohol issues.” ◼