NBC has said no to the possibility of Ashlee Simpson having a slot on Saturday Night Live to promote her new album Bittersweet World. Insiders said that Joe Simpson, Ashlee’s father/manager, has tried to get her a spot on the show, but the producers declined. A 2004 lip-syncing episode might have been a factor in the consideration process. The star was totally embarrassed by the experience. I guess the producers of SNL were embarrassed too and did not wish to repeat that incident.

On October 23, 2004, Ashlee appeared as a guest on Saturday Night Live. She was scheduled to perform two songs. She performed her first song “Pieces of Me” without a problem. But when she started to perform her second one, “Autobiography”, the vocals for “Pieces of Me” were heard again. The vocals started even before she raised her microphone to her mouth. To cover for the obvious lip-sync, Simpson began to dance and shortly left the stage while her band, which was performing live, continued to play. She later said during the closing of the said show, “I’m so sorry. My band started playing the wrong song, and I didn’t know what to do, so I thought I’d do a hoe down.”

The music video show Total Request Live aired Simpson calling to explain the incident. She said she suffered from vocal complications due to acid reflux (which had previously been seen in The Ashlee Simpson Show). She also said that her personal doctor advised her not to sing but her father insisted and wanted a vocal guide track to help with the performance. “I made a complete fool of myself,” she said of the incident. The drummer pressed the wrong button which caused the wrong song to be played.

Ashlee has teamed up with Wet Seal, a women’s clothing retailer boasting of moderately priced t-shirts tops and accessories. Currently recording her third album, “Bittersweet World”, Ashlee plans to launch her designer shirts in conjunction with the release of the said album, sometime in April of this year. The company’s designs cater to the younger crowd, which Ashlee’s fans certainly are. She said in an interview, “”I was inspired by so many fun, wonderful things as I was recording Bittersweet World and it’s been great to carry through those inspirations into these new shirt designs. I hope my fans love this album and rock out in these shirts!”

Ashlee’s older sister Jessica already has her own fashion range released in 2005. Boyfriend Pete Wentz also has line coming out of Nordstrom. Naturally, Ashlee didn’t want to get left out by two of the most influential people in her life right now. Nice going Ashlee! You definitely won’t regret all the money you’re going to make because of this.