In what is quickly becoming one of the most intense debates in Hollywood, celebs are stating their support in THE important issue of the day. No, it is not the Titanic-esque crash of our economy or even the waffling cease-fire in the Middle East. In fact, it is the apparent weight gain of pop star-turned-country crooner Jessica Simpson. After appearing in the Kiss Country Chili Cookout in a pair of the world's most unflattering jeans (Note to Jessica: Fire your stylist ASAP!), the media was in a frenzy over Jessica's newfound pudge. As quickly as you can say "Daisy Dukes" Ms. Simpson was being slammed on all sides as "letting herself go" and being accused of eating too much over the holidays. While Jessica has made some very public mistakes over the years (does "Chicken of the Sea" ring any bells?), she has kept herself consistently in the public light-no small feat for a 90s pop star. Ms. Simpson has constantly been reinventing herself: first as a virginal pop queen, then as an extremely ditzy blonde, after that to a blatant sex symbol in shorts and finally as a country singer. Perhaps this new weight gain is just another step in the Jessica Simpson reinvention wheel. But then again, if our partner looked like Tony Romo, we sure would not be spending all of our time at the gym either.

Just as it seemed Jessica would be forced to bear the brunt of the Hollywood fire by herself, stars started coming to her defense. The lineup includes ex-husband Nick Lachey, Kim Kardashian (why is she famous?), Heidi Klum, Paula Abdul and brother-in-law Pete Wentz. Her sister Ashlee Simpson-Wentz slammed the media in her blog: "I am completely disgusted by the headlines concerning my sister's weight. A week after the inauguration . I find it completely embarrassing and belittling to all women to read about a woman's weight or figure as a headline on Fox News." Who knew Ashlee Simpson-Wentz was smart?

While it would be easy to start a rant here on our culture's obsession with thinness, the unrealistic expectations that we are supposed to uphold and the blatant discrimination that women face when it comes to their appearance, the truth of the matter is that all of this publicity has put Jessica Simpson back in the mouths and minds of the public. And when your career depends on people not forgetting you, that can never be a bad thing, right?