With a new album to promote – and a long-standing relationship with the new host – Jessica Simpson will appear on the first episode of The View with Rosie O’Donnel on September 5.
“Rosie herself reached out to Jessica,” a source close to Simpson told People magazine.
The pair have been friends – JUST friends, despite O’Donnell’s sexual orientation, Jessica’s single status and the insinuation by Oprah that all female pals must defend their relationships – since The Rosie O’Donnell Show, which aired from 1996-2002.
“When Jessica was just starting out, none of the big shows were interested in her, but Rosie took a chance on her and Jessica never forgot it,” says the source.
It wasn’t just a break that O’Donnell provided, but encouragement. Rumor has it that Rosie went backstage after a show and told Jessica, ‘You’re gonna be a star.’
The View appearance will just follow the release of Simpson’s new album, A Public Affair, which hits stores only a week before, on Aug. 29.
For those who live under a rock or lost a bet and can only read Lindsay Lohan news, O’Donnell will be assuming Meredith Vieira’s former chair on the ABC daytime gabfest, while Vieira becomes the new cohost of NBC’s Today show, taking over for Katie Couric.
Got all that?