Jess Coughs It Up on "Today"

Click to return to TMZ.comYou can't fault her for not giving it the old college try: Jessica Simpson, battling a throat injury and barely able to talk without a noticable croak, performed on the "Today" show this morning, almost in the exact same spot in Rockefeller Center that she was walking the red carpet at the MTV Video Music Awards last night.

The songstress wasn't exactly in full voice, but she gamely worked her way through two songs from her new album, "A Public Affair" on the chilly stage. She then told Matt Lauer that she did not in fact have laryngitis, but had suffered a burst blood vessel on her vocal cord. Jessica then revealed a homemade remedy given to her by her voice coach, of which Lauer took a sniff and identified, with mock shock, as "pure liquor."

Of course, it wasn't liquor at all -- just some form of cough syrup. But Jessica played along: "I'm gettin' a little buzz in the morning."



Tags: Jessica Simpson, JessicaSimpson, Matt Lauer, MattLauer, Today Show, TodayShow

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31. For all of you that had made uneccesary bad comments about Jessica, please stop and ask yourselves...."What did Jessica do to me to make me say bad things about her?" Althought Jessica can be ditzy at times, but everyone has their ditzy moments...even the smartest people I know have had blonde moments....give Jessica a break. She has done nothing but to provide music, love and humor(even if she is not the greatest singer alive) to all her fans that obviously love her,otherwise, she will not be where she is at right now. I had a friend that met her at a Classy Department store during Kentucky Derby, and she acted nothing like a star....she was sweet and genuine towards her. SO IF YOU NEED TO DISS A STAR FOR YOUR SELF HAPPINESS>>>PLEASE DISS ON SOMEONE THAT DESERVES IT BECAUSE JESSICA SIMPSON DOES NOT DESERVE IT!!

Posted at 2:08PM on Sep 4th 2006 by Belle

32. Obviously TMZ has gotten lame b/c all my good research and comments about these phony and spoiled and seriously mentally deranged celebs don't seem to make the boards anymore. Too bad for the truth!

Posted at 12:04AM on Sep 5th 2006 by flatulent

33. i was so upset to hear that jessica simspson won a (free) convertable (to an already rich girl who has everything, especially a car or cars. i truly hope she gives it to charity or sell it and donate the money to the poor.

Posted at 7:58AM on Sep 5th 2006 by arlene

34. I think everyone should just get over all the stars. People make too much of them. It's like people are obessessed with their lives, but if they paid more attention to their own lives, maybe this world wouldnt be the way it is. As for Jessica, she is a beautiful, and talented lady. Just because her life is lived in the spotlight, people feel like they can judge her and call her names. The truth is you dont know her, and shouldn't act like you do. You should never call someone stupid that you haven't met, and you should never call someone ugly or nasty who is just as beautiful as they can be. Do you call her ugly or a wannabe because you are jealous? Grow up!!!

Posted at 8:58AM on Sep 5th 2006 by Gray

35. JESS IS THE HOTEST CELEB OUT THERE!
EVERYONE IS JUST JEALOUS OF HER! STOP HATIN ON THE GIRL


Posted at 9:48AM on Sep 5th 2006 by mE

36. I hear no talent, ugly, cant sing, dumb. How much talent does it take to make millions of dollars when you cant sing. Ugly is not a word i would use to describe her on her worst day. These boots were made for walking, have seen the video. If you have your definition of ugly is severely warped. You can say she is dumb all you want. She got all you talking about how dumb she was on the show which means you kept on watching to see how dumb she is. (Pretty dumb dont you think) At he end of day she is in better shape than you. Guess you better get a voice coach and show her how its done.

Oh yeah and about that car. Get a life. People are always down on people with money for not giving enough. Spend more time working and making your life better and stop expecting hand outs. Or play lottery.

not a jessica fan at all. Just cant stand crybabies, slackers, haters, and people with entirely too much free time on their hands.

Posted at 10:25AM on Sep 5th 2006 by joe

37. I think ...Jessica and her sister Ashlee have like zero skills they cant sing for sh*t.... i wish people would stop wasteing there money on nontalented females and put there money towards more important things like feeding the hungry,global warming and helping New Orleans get back on its feet,...honestly these two girls are over rated, and its sad to see.... stupid people out there contributeing to there ridiculious over paid salaries for doing absolutley nothing. Come on America lets smarten up if there was no us there would be no them!

Posted at 5:31PM on Sep 5th 2006 by April

38. jessica is a bad singer who fakes sing all the time watch how she holds that microphone, she hold it so close to her face so you cannot see her lips hardly moving!!! SHE STINKS, altho she knows how to work the camera, i will give her that, HER PREACHER DADDY IS A POOR EXAMPLE FOR A PREACHER!!! he pushes his daughters to sing and act like a bunch of sluts!!!! AND THEN TELLS THEM HOW TO GET MORE PA!! SO HE CAN MAKE MORE MONEY!!!

HEY IF SHE COULDNT TALK AT ALL ( or at least even a little bit) they how did she sing so GOOD??????? well, you all know what i mean !! no cracks in her voice!!!! while singing!!!! GO HOME AND TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT CHRICKEN OF THE SEA IS JESSICA !!! YOU STINK SINGING!!!

Posted at 4:45PM on Sep 5th 2006 by tracey

39. Well to be honest I think Jessica is not the best singer,But I think more then anything she tries to be too much like everyone else. I like people that make there own style and show who they really are. I think she hides behind the fakeness that she has become. She used to be her real self but now she is so plastic and needs to go back to where she started. As for her and her family being christian,well let's just say that christian's don't get drunk in public are show TRUE COLORS like they have. I am christian and all i can say is WOW!

Posted at 5:01PM on Sep 5th 2006 by Theresa

40. There are alot of harsh people posting comments on this site that don't a clue of how hard it is to get out there and entertain billions of people...especially while going through a divorce. It seems to me that she is keeping her head on straight and is doing a great job of it from what we as the public see and hear. As far as the divorce ...well...its a shame...I dont know either one of them personally and alot of people dont so all of you out spoken jerks should keep your inconsiderate comments to yourselves. You people dont really know what their lives are like so put a sock in it!!!

Posted at 8:47PM on Sep 6th 2006 by Tif

41. I think that its very sad that all of these jealous people have posted such mean and hurtful things about jessica simpson. 1st of all the girl has an amazing voice, she can sing ballads, opera, hip-hop flavored pop, and country, she is very well rounded. She is a wonderful role model and always has been. She can be a little ditzy at times, but we all can be, and I love that she isnt afraid to show it, she is not afraid to be herself. She was on the honor role in high school, which means that the girl is NOT dumb. Oh, and yeah right is she fat, the girl has an amazing figure, and compared to most girls in the real world, she could prabably stand to gain a few. She is a humanitarian and does wonderful things for charitys. Lets not be so judgmental people! The girl just went through a very hurtful time in her life, most of us at least get to deal with that sort of thing in private. And the most amazing thing about her is that she has taken the high road when it comes to her divorce! She has not dragged Nick's name through the mud, unlike him.

Posted at 12:44AM on Sep 6th 2006 by Billy Reed

42. Jess keep your head up your the best can't wait to buy your album!! Much love and respect!! Your number 1fan

Posted at 12:34AM on Sep 6th 2006 by Corrina

43. OK I HAVE READ MOST OF UR COMMENTS AND THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO SAY... I THINK MOST OF U NEED TO GET A LIFE LOL .. I MEAN PUT UR SELF IN HER SHOES FOR TWO F$@#IN SECONDS. YES SHE MARRIED TOO YOUNG AND I THINK IT WOULD HAVE WORKED BUT THE MEDIA AND YOU GUYS ARE TOO CRITICAL . THESE STARS ARENT PERFECT AND LIFE ISNT PERFECT... I THINK JESSICA WASNT READY FOR NICK AND THEY JUST HAD SEPERATE LIVES TOWARDS THE END OF THERE RELATIONSHIP. BUT THAT DOESNT MEAN THAT SHE STILL DOESNT CARE FOR HIM. AND NO JESSICA ISNT THE BEST SINGER OUT THERE BUT SHE DID HAVE GOOD TRAINING AND AT LEAST SHE DOESNT LIP SING " EVEN IF SHE IS LOSING HER VOICE!!!!"
FROM THE ONE AND ONLY~ JUST KEEPIN IT REAL~ DALLAS,TX

Posted at 1:31AM on Sep 6th 2006 by ASHLEY

44. At the begining I was a huge Jessica Simpson fan especially when she did the first song that I had heard with her future husband Nick Lacey called "I wanna Love You for Ever" which was a beautiful ballad but over the years I started loosing my love in her voice as well as who she portrayed herself to be. I mean I have to agree with some of the comments people posted about her as it does seem that her and Ashlee are having troubles with thier voices a little to much. As for her marriage to Nick hmm didn't see it working from the begining when she portrayed herself as a dumb blonde for reconition. I think Nick should see this more as a relief rather then him loosing something that might of been of any value. As for her new album I think it might not sell to much either only moving her further away from the stage. I would suggest her going into acting but after seeing her acting skills in "Dukes of HaZZARD" that might not be a good move either. Hmm I guess she might as well do as the cowboys and girls do in the west and mosie on out of town before she is tossed out.

Posted at 3:01AM on Sep 6th 2006 by Jai

45. just face it the girl cant sing at all even the sister. She looks so fake. She is washed up. Paris is better and brittney to.

Posted at 10:24AM on Sep 6th 2006 by michelle

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