Jessica Simpson Visits ‘The Tonight Show’

Jessica Simpson visited ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ on Friday to promote her big-screen debut ‘Dukes Of Hazzard’. Simpson talked about the controversy from Ben ‘Cooter Jones’, the film’s premiere, the constant tabloid stories about her marriage to Nick Lachey, her Dessert Beauty edible lotions, and roughing up a guy on the ‘Dukes’ set with a breakaway pool cue that wouldn’t break. Read on for a rough transcript.

Jay: All right my first guest, one of the most popular young performers around, now starring in her first movie, “The Dukes of Hazzard.” It premieres next Friday, August 5th. Please welcome Jessica Simpson.

[ Band plays “These Boots Are Made for Walkin'” ]

[ Cheers and applause ]

Jay: Well, congratulations.

[ Cheers and applause ] “The Dukes of Hazzard.” Your first big movie role. Were you nervous?

Jessica: It’s so exciting. I had the premiere last night, and I could barely walk the red carpet. I felt like I was going to fall over. I was so nervous.

Jay: Really? But you’ve done it.

Jessica: I know, but it’s — like you’re walking as a a hopeful movie star.

Jay: Right, okay. And is that walk different than a —

Jessica: Yeah. It’s more of a Marilyn Monroe —

Jay: Oh, okay. How — can you show me? I’m curious to see the difference.

[ Cheers and applause ]

Jessica: You just got to wave.

Jay: See, as a you’re a rock star, you just kind of do this. As a movie star, it’s just a a slight — like this.

Jessica: Exactly.

Jay: Now, I know you spent a a long time in the south doing this movie.

Jessica: I did, baton rouge.

Jay: Okay. How long were you there?

Jessica: About three months.

Jay: Now how was that?

Jessica: It was good to be back in the south. I’m from Texas. So it was fun to get back in the accent and hug everybody you see.

Jay: Right.

Jessica: That southern thing.

Jay: ‘Cause Baton Rouge is really, really south.

Jessica: Yes, it is.

Jay: See, I do think of Texas as the south, but I think of Baton Rouge more south-south.

Jessica: It’s a little bit more dirty south.

Jay: Dirty south?

[ Laughter ] What does that mean?

Jessica: I don’t really know.

Jay: It’s in a good way.

[ Laughter ] You mean in a good way.

Jessica: In a good way.

Jay: Just kind of get down and dirty.

Jessica: Yeah, get down and dirty.

Jay: Now, you’re away from your family. Is this the longest you’ve every been away from everybody?

Jessica: Yes, it was. Nick was out there for a month, which was nice. ‘Cause I missed him a lot.

[ Cheers ]

Jay: Now, you worked with Burt Reynolds, of course, and Willie Nelson. How was that? These are two legends.

Jessica: Working with Burt was unbelievable for me. The first day on the set, he gave me a sapphire daisy ring and said, “Welcome to the movie business.” I just thought that was such a a sweet thing. Burt Reynolds. And then willie is an angel. You know, you just can’t help but —

Jay: Did you get on the bus? Did you feel the love in the bus?

[ Laughter ] Was it hazy?

Jessica: No. I mean, I definitely felt the love.

Jay: Yeah, okay.

[ Laughter ]

Jessica: In a good way.

Jay: Now, you made a music video with willie, as well.

Jessica: I did. I got — we got to dance around.

Jay: Now this is the one that sort of caused a little bit of controversy. Who is the guy — oh, Ben Jones. The original Cooter?

Jessica: Yes.

Jay: I’ve seen him on these cable shows kind of criticizing the movie. He couldn’t possibly have seen it.

Jessica: He hasn’t even seen it.

Jay: Exactly. But I think he thought it was racier than the original, was that e problem?

Jessica: Maybe it’s because I wasn’t wearing panty hose.

Jay: Oh, okay.

[ Laughter ]

Jessica: I guess the original daisy duke wore panty hose.

Jay: Oh, okay. Well, that would be a deal breaker for me. Yeah.

[ Laughter ] Have you heard him? Or just heard about it?

Jessica: I’ve heard about it. People always are asking us about it. But you know, we really tried to keep the spirit of the tv show, and I think that that definitely translates in the film.

Jay: Well, I remember when the tv show was on, it was considered quite scandalous, the little shorts that the original daisy had.

Jessica: She wore the red bikinis and the shorts. So did it.

Jay: Well, good for you. Keeping up tradition is very important. Exactly. Exactly.

[ Cheers and applause ] Now, I think what he had seen was the music video, the original Cooter guy. And he thought it was too sexy. Show a clip. Let’s see. We’ll be the judge.

Come on, boots m

come on ladies hey y’all

[ Cheers and applause ]

Jessica: I’m not eating a hamburger.

Jay: No, no, I didn’t even notice the hamburger was in there or not. I think it’s just fine. Thank you very much.

[ Laughter ] More with Jessica right after this. Be right back.

[ Cheers and applause ]

Jessica: Feeling no pain. In Ashley’s case, that’s not a good thing.

Jessica: I can’t feel my boo-boos.

[ Cheers and applause ]

Jay: Welcome back. Talking with Jessica Simpson. “The Dukes of Hazzard” is the picture.

[ Cheers and applause ] I saw Nick backstage. I know you guys were together last night, of course, at the premiere. We had our crew there. You guys look like you’re happy. You had fun at the premiere, right?

Jessica: Oh, my gosh. It was so surreal for me.

Jay: I guess what I’m asking about, the marriage seems to be going great. You guys, you’re hugging and kissing. But why do people — like, I see this, “the divorce showdown.” Da-da, da-da.

Jessica: Every week. I don’t know where it comes from. You know, you just got to look at it like, okay, well, at least people want to know about us.

Jay: Yeah, I guess so. Okay.

Jessica: It’s only positive way of thinking.

Jay: Do you get depressed? I mean — it seems so negative.

It hurts when you know, like, your family’s reading stuff and, you know, your fans. But hopefully, you know, the fans of “Newlyweds” know that Nick and I, we’re for real.

[ Cheers and applause ]

Jay: I think that’s great. ‘Cause my mother would say, “what’s this showgirl you’re seeing?” I go, “mom -” “well, it was in here.” “I’m not seeing -” “why would they print it?” “Ma, it’s me, hello.”

[ Laughter ]

Jessica: I know, I know.

Jay: Well, here’s the other one I want to ask you about. This one made me laugh.

Jessica: , God.

Jay: “Did she have plastic surgery?” ‘Cause you’re like now, aren’t you?

Jessica: It’s me when I got my chin done, my nose done, everything.

[ Laughter ]

Jay: It looks like —

Jessica: I don’t look any different.

Jay: But that’s the big story. But you do have beauty products, right?

Jessica: I do.

Jay: You have your own line. What is this here? This is — you know?

Jessica: That’s the belly button fragrance.

[ Laughter ]

[ Applause ] Some belly buttons stink.

Jay: Really? Is that -? Is B.B.O., Belly button odor, a a big problem in America now?

Jessica: I think it is.

Jay: And this is — and you place this in your belly button. Is that the idea?

Jessica: Yeah. And it’s kissable.

Jay: It’s kissable.

Jessica: That’s — that’s not really for my younger fans.

Jay: No. Okay.

[ Laughter ] And what flavor? Is that like root beer? What flavor is that? Do you know?

Jessica: Which one is it?

Jay: I don’t know. I can’t read it.

Jessica: I don’t know. There’s so many different flavors. Oh, creamy and juicy.

Jay: Creamy and juicy. Okay.

[ Laughter ] Now, of course, how many calories? For a lot of guys, that’s important. You don’t want to be licking a a belly button if it’s 200 calories. You know what I’m saying?

[ Laughter ]

Jessica: There’s none. Made with Splenda.

[ Laughter ]

[ Applause ]

Jay: What’s this one here? This is slip hot topping.

Jessica: I don’t understand that one.

[ Laughter ]

Jay: And they’re all edible? Is that the idea?

Jessica: I think that that’s some kind of moisturizer. Yeah, you, can you know, lick it.

Jay: Is this the stuff they put in jelly doughnuts?

Jessica: Yeah, absolutely, without the calories.

Jay: Not bad, actually.

[ Laughter ]

Jessica: This one’s really good.

Jay: Tell me about — this one is — what is that?

Jessica: That’s creamy. That’s your body shake.

Jay: Delicious, kissable body shake.

Jessica: Yep.

Jay: And what does this do? That’s just like a lotion?

Jessica: Yeah, it’s another lotion. It’s yummy. See how pretty? Mmm. Mmm.

[ Laughter ]

[ Cheers and applause ] But I wouldn’t advise you to —

Jay: No, you don’t want to do it. For a single, lonely guy, you put this on a cracker, you watch the video.

[ Laughter ]

[ Applause ] Guy’s home by himself, what the heck.

Jessica: That’s a good idea. There’s perfumes and all different kind of stuff.

Jay: And they’re all edible, which makes me laugh. I don’t know why they do.

Jessica: Yeah, I know.

Jay: Let’s get back to the “dukes” movie, now. You had some fight scenes in this. Did you get hurt?

Jessica: I didn’t get hurt, but I didn’t want to use a stunt double. So I learned how to do it all of it. I used a breakaway pole stick and got to kick the poop out of somebody.

Jay: Kick the poop out of somebody.

[ Laughter ] Hey, whoa. That’s kind of rough talk. That’s a — “Hey, I’m going to kick the poop out of you!” What is this about a Nascar guy? You hit the wrong guy?

Jessica: Yeah, well it wasn’t the wrong guy. I didn’t — I thought he was a a stunt guy. And I literally — the — the thing wouldn’t break. It’s a breakaway and it wouldn’t break. And I was like, “oh, gosh. This is the last shot. I have to break it.” So I was like — I ended up losing my mind. I don’t know, like I started attacking him and he had welts all over his back.

Jay: You just kept — maybe you had the wrong cue, possibly.

Jessica: Possibly.

[ Laughter ]

Jay: You know, like, after the tenth time you hit the guy, if it doesn’t brake, you probably grabbed the wrong cue.

Jessica: It finally broke.

Jay: Oh, it finally broke and guy, of course, was dead by that time.

[ Laughter ]

Jessica: I kept hitting him until it

Jay: Now, what scene is this we’re going to see from the picture?

Jessica: I don’t know. I’ve never done this before. I’m so eited.

Jay: Oh, okay. Oh, all girls say that.

[ Laughter ] Here, let’s take a look. Here’s a scene from “the Dukes of Hazzard” with Jessica as Daisy Duke.

You go out when you get ready baby

Jessica: Mother Mary.

Jessica: Look away, man. Trust me. Look away.

Jessica: Don’t worry about it. I won’t hurt her.

Jessica: Hey, nobody in this bar concerned about you hurtin’ her.

Jessica: All right, all right. Mm-hmm.

Jessica: Y’all ready to order? You better be reading my name tag, friend.

Jessica: I am, I am. I noticed your initials were double-D.

[ Laughter ]

Jessica: I’ll give you one more chance. You want to order or do you want to sit around and make stupid jokes all day?

Jessica: Ah, you ain’t gotta get fussy, ma’am. We’re just havin’ a good time. I’ll tell you what — I’ll order. We don’t want no problems, all right? Let’s see. Do those legs come over easy?

Jessica: Oh, my.

Jessica: How about some specials, sir?

[ Cheers and applause ]

Jay: There you go. “The Dukes of Hazzard” opens a a week from today. Jessica, always a pleasure.

Jessica: Thank you.