The Ashlee Simpson Show

I love the Ashlee Simpson show. For you people who say she can't sing and her show sucks, you're wrong. Her singing is unique and she acts like herself on her show. She doesn't change, even when the cameras are on her. If you don't have something nice to say about her, then keep your stupid comments to yourself. It's annoying how people just diss her all the time and say her sister is better. They don't even compare, they are like opposites in the singing business. I prefer Ashlee to Jessica, cause that's just my style. And when people call her Milli Vanilli, that's ridiculous. Milli Vanilli completely lip synced, and it wasn't even their voices, so she can't compare to them. if you've seen her show, you've seen her sing live. I can't wait to see the new season of the show.

This show and its artist seem to get a lot of negative press and in response to a recent review which claimed that Ashlee is shallow I'd like to ask, what harm is she causing?? Admittedly, reality TV is taking over somewhat and shows like this one, Newlyweds and The Osbournes are certainly not breathtaking masterpieces, but they do have their place in the TV world. Ashlee Simpson may be shallow but she is also first class entertainment for a specific audience. Youngsters have had posters of their idols on their walls for years and years, the difference now is that they can lose themselves in the life of that idol for half an hour a week. Where is the harm in that? Ashlee Simpson is a young girl, making her way in the 'pop' world and growing up as she goes. Who cares if she makes mistakes? Who didn't make a fool of themselves when they were teenagers? I think it is time we looked at these reality shows as they are meant to be looked at. The Ashlee Simpson Show is a mixture of PR and entertainment for her fans...and the best thing about it is that she doesn't pretend that it is anything else. If you don't like it then don't watch it! If on the other hand, you fancy half an hour of pure escapism then this is perfect. You don't have to be a genius to work out the intended audience for this show, so if it is not your thing then switch over...for the rest of us, sit back and enjoy!

This show is about the journey Ashlee Simpson has to go through in her life, with now starting her first album, acting, and everything in between. It premiered on MTV on Wednesday, and I have to say it wasn't half bad. The better part about it is a reality- based show, and so everything is supposedly happening naturally. I liked it because she seems to be taking her album and acting very seriously, and not just getting a free ride because of her famous sister, like some people would think. Not to mention that most of her music doesn't just seem to be ordinary pop fluff, she's writing pretty all of her songs, and there coming from the heart. Take a look at the show, and you can decide for yourself.

I can see a lot of people writing reviews of this program saying how rubbish it is, how they hate it and the like. I would have to say something positive about it then, since there are many more worse programs out there are there is nothing to dislike about this. Granted, its a while since I last watched it, but at the time I remember thinking it would be a really rubbish show, just more crap reality TV being churned out, but after a while I did in fact enjoy watching it. I guess its just a comforting program, watching Ashlee every week, and granted you can get that with every reality TV/sitcom out there, but there's nothing that makes this one any worse. If you have the time, its worth a try.

Network: MTV; Genre: reality, documentary; Content Rating: TV-G; Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);

Season Reviewed: Season 2 (of 2)

Wow. I mean, wow. "The Ashlee Simpson Show" is something to behold. A star vehicle at it's most self-indulgent. A network pimping out a product at its most transparent. You watch it with your jaw dropped, strangely unable to change the channel in disbelief, because it is like watching a snake digest a rat and you are paralyzed. "Ashlee" is a reality, documentary following the day-to-day life Ashlee Simpson as she practices with her band, goes on tour, does promotional interviews and hangs out with her family and dead-beat boyfriend (and he is a dead-beat) - all the things that a young pop/punk princess with famous family ties, the ear of a cable network and the resulting record deal would do.

Given that I'm not an 11 year old girl, I - like most people - had no idea who Ashlee Simpson even was prior to this show. Simpson had been coasting safely under the radar among a thousand other like-sounding pop/punk princesses until her publicly embarrassing performances on "Saturday Night Live" and then again at the 2004 Sugar Bowl. As we pick up with the series, the 2nd season becomes one of damage control trying to squeal the bad press from both these events. It becomes an apologist's forum (and arguably authentic at that) for the Simpson family, MTV and Ashlee's fans as they scramble to prove that their self-made star has any shred of legitimacy. "The Ashlee Simpson Show" probably didn't last more than 2 seasons, not because people didn't watch, but because MTV was getting exhausting with trying to chase around covering for her every mis-step.

Most TV networks are out for power and control, and if we're lucky ratings and money. MTV, I am much more suspicious of because they appear to want an active roll in shaping behavior - of viewers, consumers, their youthful audience. The network formerly known as Music Television has reinvented itself to be a manufacturing assembly line for pseudo-celebrities. If someone goes on TV and someone else says they are a celebrity - bam - it becomes true. In fact, TV at large has a dark side that goes in this direction. I would make the same point if I where giving the time of day to NBC's "I Want to Be a Hilton". Certain networks are whoring themselves out to elevate certain families to celebrity status in the eye of the public. The thing is, nobody cares who Cathy Hilton is, just like they don't care what Paris Hilton does, just like they don't really care if Ashlee Simpson lip-syncs or not.

Oh, Simpson has fans. As she tells us time and again, she does (and ignores) everything "for her fans". Little girls actually think these people are cool enough to watch their show and buy their products. So Simpson blows off her criticism by basking in her "win" at the Billboard Music Awards and MTV has helped to breed a consuming public that embraces mediocrity and doesn't know they are settling.

There is a larger issue here. This manufacturing of high profile families into celebrities is an odd phenomenon with 2 interesting elements. First, I know it is a common argument to say that these people exist now because nobody is talented anymore, but I don't believe this is the case. From a network standpoint, talent is demanding. People like Ashlee Simpson are easier to control. Secondly, the networks are getting away with this stuff because the public does openly embrace some celebrities families. Why? Because the frantic and isolated pace of life has reached a point in this country where we know more about The Simpsons and The Hiltons then we do our own neighbors - and Hollywood knows this. We decide to see or not see movies or TV shows based on our opinions of the stars personal live - which is ridiculous. People don't watch "The Apprentice" because they don't like Donald Trump. We care more about the latest celebrity breakup then a recently divorced family across the street. Our friends are on TV.

As the producing force behind both this and "Newlyweds", Joe Simpson also deserves a heavy helping of the blame. In that regard, it is probably for the best. Where it not for MTV, Simpson would probably be pimping his daughters on a street corner. The production of this show is hackneyed beyond common sense with an abundant use of slow motion close-ups on Ashlee that only a father - or your local unregistered sex offender - could love.

You can't just build a show around who somebody is. Reality shows are based on the false belief that real people are inherently interesting anyway, but "Ashlee" is also based on the false belief that Ashlee Simpson is interesting because she's Ashlee Simpson. "The Osbournes" worked not because Ozzy Osbourne is Ozzy Osbourne, but because he is interesting and there is something inherently funny about him. Ashlee Simpson has so unbelievably little to say. Her mind is shallow, young and lacks any wit or insight about anything - which at her age is exactly what you'd expect. The flaw here was with MTV (officially dead in the creative department) and Joe Simpson, who gave her the podium and thought anyone would want to here what she has to say. You don't watch this type of show, you gag on it.

0 stars / 4