There has been endless speculation over the cause of Ashlee Simpson’s departure on the new Melrose Place and while publicly those involved with the show have been saying that it was planned for Ashlee to leave early all along, many are assuming that there’s more to the story. An insider on the set told Star Magazine that there is, in fact, more to Ashlee’s departure than is being said and it apparently has to do with the arrival of another diva: OG Melrose Place star Heather Locklear.

The two are said to have butted heads on set many times. Ashlee was caught whispering things about Heather’s age to others and Heather was fed up with Ashlee’s lack of talent and wannabe diva attitude. The producers, knowing that Heather was bound to bring some new eyes to the show and boost ratings, made the executive decision to cut Ashlee and her co-star Colin Egglesfield in order to keep Heather around.

While I can see Ashlee’s diva schtick being both obnoxious and unwarranted, I do have to say that I think Heather has to have a pretty high opinion of herself if she thinks she can get employed anywhere other than the Melrose Place set. Let’s face it: After her last few years in the headlines, she’s not exactly A-list and I can’t think of the last time that she did anything reasonable. Plus, this quote from the set insider, “Heather was jealous of Ashlee immediately. She knew Ashlee was one of the bigger names on set, and she wanted her gone so she could make it her show. Heather is very political and calculating…”, not only makes Heather sound like a bully, but it seems kind of pathetic.

Either way, I can’t imagine that this show is going to be around long enough for it to make a huge impact on either actresses career.

Last night Pete Wentz got drunk at some Nokia event and made a bet with Cobra Starship dude, Gabriel Saporta. What the bet was is probably going to remain secret, but what we do know is this: Pete Wentz lost and had to tattoo this Gabe dude’s face on his body. Hmmm. I’m sure Ashlee is thrilled that her husband went to a cell phone party and came home with another man’s face tattooed on leg. That must really be the (literally) crazy glue that keeps their whacky union sealed.

Ashlee Simpson — oh, excuse me … Ashlee Simpson-Wentz — has been kicked off of Melrose Place.  Executive producer Todd Slavkin says that Simpson’s departure as well as that of co-star Colin Egglesfield was always the original plan. “We felt that once the murder mystery [involving their characters] was resolved, the tone of the show was going to shift … and [Simpson-Wentz's] character would move on.”

Now that ASW has been told to back up her boxes and go, she has released a statement:  “Having the chance to play Violet on Melrose Place has been a thrill. Although I always knew her story would come to a final, insanely unpredictable end, playing a creepy, unstable character was something I always wanted to do, so I jumped at the chance. Thanks to the CW and the entire cast and crew of Melrose Place for allowing me this opportunity.”

I’m sure no one thought this show was going to be on air long enough for Ashlee to get fired … uh, I mean released from her contract as was the original plan.

Ashlee Simpson took little Bronx Wentz on a barefooted Starbucks run yesterday in Los Angeles. I haven’t seen too much of Bronx since the photos released right after he was born, so I was quite surprised to see how big he is already at not even a year old! Apparently Ashlee struggled to fit him in to his carseat before the two pulled away from the coffee joint. This certainly sheds light on Pete Wentz’s recent tweets that he “bred the incredible hulk baby”.

Can a woman be a douche or just use one?  Douche (douchelle?  douchette?) Ashlee Simpson (did she get a reverse rhinoplasty?) shares the cover of October’s Redbook — probably good timing since Melrose Place won’t be on the air in another six weeks — and she talks about how motherhood has made her even more of a bitch than she already was changed her.  ”I’ve grown up so much.  The great thing about being pregnant is that you have nine months and it really does prepare you. Your body is changing, and it’s such an amazing time to feel that connection.”  Really, Ashlee?  Because I’m almost a decade into this mothering deal and I still don’t have it all figured out and don’t reckon I will have it figured out until I’m sitting in a box on my family’s mantle.  Ashlee, though?  She figured it out in less time than it takes to age a decent cheese.

She also talked about how envious her older sister Jessica is of what she has.  “She’s always saying, ‘Oh, I want a baby!’”  When the interviewer asked Ashlee if she was jealous of the freedom that Jess has as a single woman, Ash replied, “I really don’t.”

Poor Jess!  I wish she could find her own eyeliner-wearing Prince Emo Charming to have beautiful, fat babies with!

Please watch the clip above, from the original Melrose Place, when Kimberly puts a bomb in the complex and everyone blows up.

When they were filming this, I’m sure they knew they had thoroughly jumped the shark, but little did they know that, over a decade later, this scene would be a fitting parallel for the show’s remake.

The Ashlee Simpson-starrer’s series premiere scored horrible ratings. In fact, the WORST. The show came in last place in network ratings, despite a ton of hype. (Although I’d been hearing from insiders for months that the CW was crazy to ever even air it — everyone knew it was crap.) It’ll be off the air after another one or two episodes air, if that. Wendie totally called it. In fairness, I predicted this back in April, but at the time I thought they’d get at least a half-season. I’d like to edit that to say I think they’ll get at least their first paycheck. Maybe.

The Simpson sisters grabbed a bite at Katsuya on Saturday night with their mutual hairstylist Ken Paves. You don’t see the two of them together too often, but when you do, the differences in their personalities are really striking. Jessica looks like her usual sunny, happy,  self, but is in danger of having a serious wardrobe malfunction while Ashlee looks…. depressed. Just like she does in almost every picture I’ve seen of her for the past year.

Jessica is the one who has been divorced and just got dumped. So why is happily married mom Ashlee the one who always looks like someone just pissed in her emo eyeliner?