Their house cost $2M.

http://www.forbes.com/2002/08/23/0823movers.html

ETA:

Nick most likely made his money from touring, publishing, merchandising, etc. etc. when his group had their run.

Well, even before the show started, she had two CDs. 98 Degrees had a number of CDs, including a Christmas CD. Record labels don't release Christmas CDs unless the singer/band has a decent following. Plus they went on tour and I'm sure sold gazillions of T-shirts and merchandise.

And since the show started airing, they re-released "Sweetest Sin" and I think it went to #1 or 2. Plus, she's got that wedding book which I remember someone was saying here that they worked at Borders and it was flying off the shelves. I think they would have done pretty well for themselves.

It strikes me as ironic that Britney is so much more popular, yet so much less talented. Britney is completely a manufactured studio creation (like Asslee), but I think Jessica has real talent.

Don't forget about the money they are making just off of Newlyweds. It probably wasn't that much in the first season, but I bet they are making a killing now because of how popular the show is.

Add that to the album sales which have been greatly increased (at least for Jess) due to the popularity of the show, the book sales, all those ad campaigns Jessica is doing, etc and I bet they are doing plenty well enough. Actually it sounds like Jessica is making all the money and Nick is just the kept man.

Nick sold 10 million CD's with 98º, Jessica has sold 4 million records all together. Jessica's tour is bombing, but on VH1 they said last year she made 4 million dollars, total. That seems like such a little amount of money because Britney racked in like 23 million, and I hear WAAAAY more about Jessica than I do about Britney.

I certainly wouldn't be crying about making "only" 4 million. They have a lavish lifestyle, but a lot of their trips and things are paid for by whoever is sponsoring the event. Nick and Drew went to Fiji, but I would think that perhaps the company that sponsored that Celebrity Challenge footed the entire bill.

I didn't see 98 Degrees in concert, but I did see them on a float in the Hollywood Christmas Parade in what must have been 98' or 99' (Bill, Millie & Sam from Freaks & Geeks were in the parade too, so whatever year that would have been). I have to get out my pictures from that night to see if Nick is in red overalls...if he is, then I guess I was there on the magical night that they met! Gosh, I feel so special now.

Not in my neck of the woods.



I totally disagree with this. His group was not a one hit wonder and had a good non-stop 3 or 4 year run in the US and abroad. He seems to have a level head about money. But I could be wrong.

MTV probably foots the bill on their gifts and excursions. And if they had any negotiating power in their contracts after the first run they probably had perks added in one way or another.

Jessica had to make most of her money from last year within a few months time. Considering she was not that popular until her show aired. This year should be a big pay day for her.

Music artists do not make money from record sales. And while her tour may be flopping depending on how much it cost to put on her tour she may still make money from it regardless of the poor ticket sales. It sounded like it was pretty no-frills. No dancers, light shows, elaborate setting or stages, etc. etc. She probably got decent money up front from the promoters. They thought she could fill 15,000 seats a night in some venues and they were wrong. But she still probably got a decent amount of coin regardless. I believe I read somewhere that she was getting $150k per show.

I like her irresistable album too...anywho...I don't personally like Calabasas but that was where Jessica and her parents first lived in California when she hit it big. I don't think the houses are worth the money for the area they are in. Nick and Jessica's house looks like mine just 6x the size. If I am going to drop 2 mil I am gonna make damn sure I get my moneys worth. One thing about Calabasas is that its private, thats what Nick likes about it. LisaMarie lives in their neighborhood. Personally I like where Drew lives alot better, and I think his house is nicer, it's older, looks lived in, good for a family.

oh and Instyle footed alot of the wedding bill.

Why did they pay for most of the wedding bill?

Isn't that the truth about real estate these days.


Maybe In Style pays when it is featured in their magazine.

I saw a special on celebrity weddings. I think it was on VH-1. The wedding planner went out of her way to say that Nick was adamant about knowing where every penny of his money went for the wedding.

Magazines will pay a hefty amount if celebrities give the magazine the "exclusive," photos. I think the poster meant that the money they got from InStyle for an insider's look helped pay the fees.

I agree Nique, buying a house these days your pretty much gauranteed to get fucked over in the deal.

Yeah Instyle paid because they had exclusive rights first to the wedding. They even picked out Cate's dress. ( Nick's mom)

Sorry, but what does IIRC and ETA stand for? and does WORD stand for something, or are people just...saying 'word' lol.

Nick is fucking hot. I want to go to Figi and take part in the Nick/Drew love montage.

On the money tip, I think they're doing well at the moment, but after they stop doing the show they'll probably be on Hollywood Squares.

Finally, I may be in the minority, but I think Asslee's songs are far better. Plus, she takes at least a small part in writing them, which makes her more talented than Jessica. Lately, Jessica covers songs to cash in, but she butchers them. (P.S. I'm uninformed. Maybe Jessica does write her own songs, but her possible original songs suck balls for the most part)

IIRC - if I recall correctly; ETA - edited to add; WORD - "word" with emphasis.

They are probably doing just fine with the money they have now and that Manface will earn with her tacky-ass Dessert line. However. Once that gravy train chugs its last in a few years, and Jessucka [and her mother] continues to spend the way she does, and Ma/Pa Simp and all the hangers-on continue to accompany Nick and Manface on 'vacations' and the like, they will go broke quickly. Nick seems to have an eye towards the future and appears to be trying to maintain good spending habits.

I can't really fault him for purchasing the sarong--a good portion of the Fiji trip was probably paid for by the Invitational group and when in Rome, look cute like the rest of the island boys.

I don't agree with this either, but I'm beginning to think that Executive producer/Creepy Father Joe Simpson is editing the show to give this impression. Most episodes make it look like Nick spends most of his days just sitting around the mansion while Jessica is slaving away at her career. I doubt that this is true, but it's an image that pa would enjoy promoting.

Watching Nick and Drew always makes me feel happy and sad. I wish that Albanybrother had that kind of relationship.

Nick had a "normal" upbringing it seems, so I would think he would appreciate the fact that they have money now. I hope he keeps his money separate so he'll have plenty when they divorce (and he finds me and sweeps me off my feet, yeah that's it!)

Asslee sux. I do believe that Jessica helps in writing at least some of her songs. The only reason why her latest two releases were covers is because they needed an excuse to re-release her CD, with two additional songs, and it's kind of weird to re-release them with original material - that's kind of like saying you admit you chose poor songs of yours in the first place. I like Jessica's music a whole lot better than I do Asslee's.

What's wrong with buying a sarong? Are they expensive?

I've been to Calabasas to visit friends and I agree that it's a pleasant, private community with beautiful views. Nick probably wanted to get the most house for his money in a nice place with access to LA but not right in the heart of the city with all its noise, heavy traffic, and pollution.

For all that people are saying Jessica is reduced to crummy little tours and selling fragrances, at least her tour setups don't cost millions (as Britney's do) and keep in mind that Suzanne Sommers has made megamillions selling her line of stuff on QVC.

Whatever we have to say about PervDad, I think you have to admit that he has some pretty solid marketing skills to have gotten two daughters into the music biz and TV shows. That's one thing that maybe Nick recognizes, PervDad Simpson knows how to make a dollar. For all Jessica's spending, she is earning a lot of money and she's also getting a lot of writeoffs and comps.

Nothing wrong with buying a sarong. I haven't been to Fiji, but I have been to Tahiti, where a sarong is called a pareu. Both men and women where them. They're not really that expensive. But it looked like he was buying it from the hotel store, where I'm sure it was marked up. It also strikes me as one of those impulsive purchases, because he probably will never wear it again once he leaves Fiji. Maybe he gave it to Jessica. When we were in French Polynesia, they had a pareu tying demonstration, and the things those women can do with a piece of cloth were amazing - some of them looked like real dresses!

After seeing the finale of Ashlee's show, I'm thinking that she & Nick would have made a better couple than he & Jessica. At least Ashlee bought him a Xmas present! Still waiting to see that "boxer trainer"....

I got the impression he bought it because he thought everyone else would be wearing one. He probably thought it would be rude to show up to a traditional and sacred ceremony in another country with baggy khaki shorts and a backwards hat. I thought it was respectful of him. Nick also doesn't seem the type to buy anything out of impulse.


I hate that man with the fury of a thousand suns, but I'd have to agree with his skills. I also believe people get to the top in show biz based on their reps just as much as talent. Sad but true. And what's more sad is I think Papa and Mama Simp have morphed into more of Jessica's business associates than her parents. Reason #9797834 why your parents shouldn't run your career.

Yeah, did that ever materialize? I thought at the time how completely crappy that he had put a lot of thought into her gifts (custom closet, two diamond bracelets for her to choose from [how much do you want to bet she kept both], cleverly packaged in the jewelry cleaner,) and she just yanked something completely random out of her ass at the last minute, evidenced by the fact that there was no cerificate, no gloves wrapped up, nothing. Criminy. Poor guy. Run, Nick, run!

OK, I've read the last 15 days/15 pages, and I still can't find the answer to this question, but please forgive me if I missed it.

What do Nick and Jessica's friends that have the baby do that they have such a beautiful, expensive house in NKy./SOhio?

It was never mentioned.



I agree with this. Those sarongs were probably purchased courtesy of MTV.

Regarding the house...althought it IS a nice house and the girl and the guy do seem to carry themselves as if they are no strangers to "muh-nay"...a house of that size in that area (Kentucky) is not that out of reach compared to say, L.A.

Maybe the former frat brother is now Nick's tax attorney.

One thing I have thought about is that the friendship, while sincere, is probably easier for both couples because Nick's friend also seems to be earning a good wage and living an upper-middle class lifestyle. (Maybe he came from a wealthy family to begin with.) The buddy probably isn't envious of Nick, and Nick doesn't feel uncomfortable spending money or traveling to expensive locations with his buddy.

I think it would be hillarious to have them visit a friend of Nick's who wasn't living the high life and had 4 kids in a 3 br house. I could just imagine Jessica saying something like "oh, is this the guest house? Where does your family live?" or somethign to that nature.

OT. That actually happened to my family. We had a 3 br home (now it's a 4 because we remodeled) in the SF area. My family is 4 in number and one year we had a visit from my mom's cousin, hubby and 2 kids. The family lived in Iowa and was used to large homes (is that common in Iowa? Not sure).

When it was time to go to sleep, my uncle asked us if there was an upstairs, where our "living quarters" were. We sheepishly smiled and said our living quarters were the living room couch. He wasn't rude about it, but you can tell that he though we were pretty poor. He wasn't aware of the insane housing prices in SF. /OT

Hmmm... is PapaPerv is marketing genius or a demonic showbiz dad? I don't know. I am not saying Jessica is without talent, but honestly, she doesn't seem any better than the folks that make the intial cut on American Idol (you know, the ones Simon says will be best singing on a cruise ship). Somehow, it makes me really sad...

Smelled most of the line while shopping at Ulta the other day. Thought it all pretty much smelled like ass. Overpriced ass. And call me crazy, but I don't want someone slobbering all over me in order to taste these products. Dried spit smells, you know. A certain amount of slobber is acceptable in the throes of passion, but the thought of my man and I using these in The Gaultbedroom doesn't appeal to me at all. Besides, I taste sweet enough as is ;-)

Sadly, yes. My friend just built a 2800 square foot house in the suburbs of Omaha, Nebraska for $160k. That's why people never leave the midwest. :o)


That's exactly what she sounds like. I could never put my finger on it. Thanks!

I saw Jessica last night on Letterman. She performed "Angels" but didn't speak to Dave. I have to say that I think "Angels" was a very odd choice for a cover song. Does anyone know why she chose to remake this Robbie Williams schlock? It wasn't even that great when it was originally released. There's got to be some kind of backstory to why she picked it.

And how exactly do remakes work? Will Jess have to pay royalties to Robbie (or his producer or whoever wrote the song) for every re-released CD she sells? Or is there some kind of agreed fee?

It's his being underfoot and over-involved the Jess AND Nick's lives that makes him evil!Perv!Daddy. Assuming he's not robbing Jess and Nick blind and nickel-and-diming them in management fees, he certainly does seem to know how to shake the money-tree. It's just is it for Jess and Nick, or for himself and Tina?




I'll bet an signed wall poster or two of Nicky shirtless would be enough keep Robbie happy.

Tony is an investment banker.

Ashlee cowrote or atleast got credit for doing, on more songs than Jessica ever has. I could be wrong but I think its only between 4 and 5 songs Jessica has ever written or cowritten if that many. So I am inclined to give Ass a tad more credit. But who knows.

Don't let this fuck up your day, but when Nick bought that house...Jessica's parents still owned a house right down the street...Rolling Stone now says her parents live in studio city, but I am not sure on when that happened...

Dont forget you have to factor in the cost of living in different places. Its not as expensive to live in the mid-west as it is in LA or NY. And the salaries are comparable to the areas you live in. A 50,000 job in NY is like a 30,000 job in FL(I know only Florida vs NY ratios), and houses are dirt cheap and nice down there. When MrD and I were honeymooning down there we were mezmerized by a real estate channel and we couldnt get over how cheap and NICE the houses were and we seriously looked into moving down there, but then we researched and realized we could afford a house down there on our NY salaries, if we had FL salaries it would be much different.

An investment banker in KY may make 60,000, if one in NY makes 90,000. So even though he probably does quite well, for his area, he may only be average or below average in other places in the country. Its pretty much all relative to where you live.

Actually, since he was older, I bet he's making way more than 60K - somewhere in the six figures, easily.

I miss the "I Wanna Love You Forever" Jessica. I was listening to it on a mix CD I burned (not ashamed for burning thanks to iTunes, ashamed that I gave money to Jessica) and she could SING before. Like, REALLY well. I got the chills when she sang that song. Now she's trying to be all breathy and sexy and she's doing all those face contortions, but back in the day she didn't do any of that shit and she had a platinum SINGLE. I Wanna Love You Forever was one of the few singles to go platinum.

"I can feel you loving me.... I WANNA LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE" <- That shit was hot.

OT- I don't know the backstory, but am I the only one annoyed by people who cover songs that were released within the last 5-10 years? I'm not an overall huge fan of the "remake" as it is, but for some reason Tiffany remaking "I Saw Her Standing There", or Boyz II Men remaking "In The Still of the Night" 20-30 years later makes a lot more sense to me than Sixpense None The Richer remaking "There She Goes" 5 years later.

They did that in the first season when they went to Ohio for his grandmother's wedding. I don't know if they had kids but it didn't look like they were living the high life. I think he said they slept on an air mattress.

How old was he? I thought very early 30's, like 31 or 32 since he was in college with Nick. I doubt six figures very highly, but he probably does make more than 60k, my main point was that the cost of living and salary rates are different throughout the country therefore you cant really compare two people without analyzing all the factors, and who really wants to do that for this show?

Well, it's official (maybe). This morning on "Good Morning America" Jessica told Diane Sawyer that she and Nick are NOT planning to renew their vows. She explained that she once said "When the show is over, we'll have to renew our vows or something!" and that she meant (figuratively) to make the change from not being filmed and so on (paraphrasing here, Jessica would never use the word "figuratively"). She then said that the rumors totally blew up from there and had them going to Hawaii and such. She laughed about it. So that won't be the final episode of the series. (Unless she's lying.)



I wasn't a fan of Jessica before I became foolishly obsessed with this show. I remember hearing her name a lot and thinking "Who is Jessica Simpson?" (probably around the time she first had a big hit). Now I admit that I love "With You" and "Sweetest Sin" (ok, the video for "Sin" especially, because of hot Nick). And I understand why her earlier CDs sold well -- she has a fine voice and pop instincts. But watching her on GMA this morning made me rather sad for her. She is just blowing it with over-vocalizing every last syllable and doing those awful facial contortions. It looks bad and it sounds worse. I only saw/heard her sing "With You" live this morning, but if I had not known the song, I don't think I could have understood most of the words, the way she sings now! It was haaarible (to borrow a phrase from "Queer Eye" Tom).

Not that we haven't discussed this before, but it's just that this morning I thought "Geez, WHY can't her parents or NICK tell her that this new thang she's doing isn't RIGHT?" She sold CDs before she developed this style, so why did she think she had to change? I wish Simon from "Idol" would call her up and set her straight.

Yeah, because they're going to divorce.

the Gucci Kid asked:


Nothing's wrong with buying a sarong. Someone upthread had said they thought the sarong was excess or something to that effect; I just meant that in the grand scheme of things, it didn't seem to be to me. And I like Hailey's thought that Nick bought it to be polite, whether it's true or not.

No, no you're not, and WORD to your entire post, First Kennebec.

RE: Jessica's over-vocalizing (is that tm juliaz3, or just a term I've never heard? Either way, I like it). I think Ma and Pa push her in that direction because she's a "singer" and they want her talent to be emphasized. Maybe it's in contrast to Ashlee, who isn't as naturally talented a singer but is more of an entertainer (I use the term loosely, but that's the difference I see.)

Why Nick hasn't pointed out to her that she's doing herself and her audience a disservice.... I don't know. Maybe in light of his most recent album he's not super confident in his musical instincts?

You know what sucks, though? She has so much potential. She has an AMAZING voice beneath the face contortion and breathy Berlin covers. It kinda sucks because I Wanna Love You Forever has been stuck in my head all day and it's really sad that she's actually REGRESSED as a singer.

How awesome would it be if that was the series finale?

I have a comment about remakes. First of all, yes I totally agree with the above posters that songs covered too soon bite the big one. The point of a cover is to reminisce and bring up nostalgia in a way right?

Anyway, when you all started posting that Jessica was covering a song called Angels by Robbie Williams, I was like a.) Who the hell is Robbie Williams? and b.) What the hell song is Angels?

I have come to the conclusion that Jessica counted on her mostly teenybopper audience to ask the same questions. I don't know if many 10-14 year olds know who that is, or know of the original song. So for Jessica, these kids all think she's got this hot new song out about God. Basically, she's able to take a not-too-well-known song by a not-too-well-known artist, put her own religious spin on it, and market it almost like it was her own.

Case in point: About 3 years ago, that remake of Bryan Adams' song
"Heaven" came out by some shit group no one heard from since. My sister (about 16 at the time) thought the group was so cool for having written such a song. I had to explain to her that it was a remake, and she was totally unaware. I am POSITIVE there are thousand of Jessica lovers out there who think the exact same way.

I don't think she had a great voice to begin with. It was serviceable, but she will never go down as one of the great pop singers in history.

Jess will only owe Robbie royalties if he actually wrote the song, right? Dolly Parton made millions off Whitney Houston, who made lots of money in her own right off sales as the artist, but nowhere near as much as the writer.

Here's what I think about Jess and her remaking Angels:

She's the "religious" daughter. So she's trying to throw that back out there again. Even though we've seen how they act. If someone who never knew about the whole virgin/Christian thing saw them, they would NEVER believe the Simps were Christian and that PaSimp was a Pastor.

Her voice is nothing to write home about, and she is slowly but surely destroying it with her bad habits. Her vocal chords are her instrument, and she should treat them as such. It always amazes me that Jessucka talks on the day of a performance. Every serious female singer I have ever known personally or known of...from myself to Stevie Nicks to Julie Andrews to Faith Hill to Anna Moffo...does not speak to anyone on the day of a show. Vocal chords are delicate and they need to be babied. She should not be stressing her instrument out like that.

Jessucka does indeed overvocalize (brilliant word). She shout-sings now, thinking that it makes her voice sound more "powerful." No, what it does is make you a) sound like Christina A., who has the same terrible habit; and b) put tiny rips and tears in your vocal chords as you plow through a song. After a while, those rips and tears add up to permanent damage.

She sings entirely from the throat. A trained singer sings from the chest; I was always taught that your notes should originate from the top of your tummy and move up from there. Her breathing and phrasing are amateurish. Her notes are losing their quality, too; the notes are there, but they are hardly pure.