Jessica Simpson's the new Jennifer Love Hewitt, thanks to some much curvier photos of the pop singer performing at a recent Florida chili cook-off. The pics have prompted all kinds of internet talk about her weight -- and we're not about to pile onto that or condone it, of course. If the girl wants to eat chili -- if she finds the country music scene more forgiving of non-stick-figures, if she likes sharing Southern cooking with much-discussed boyfriend Tony Romo -- then God bless her for not starving herself. (God bless her also for just enjoying being ridiculously gorgeous, whatever her size.) But it also begs the question, in this very specific case: When a star has made herself famous by selling her personal life, where will the public dissection stop? And if you're a conspiracy theorist (one who reads lots of tabloids), you might even wonder if she wants us to be having this exact discussion right now...?

(Check out some more curvy-Simpson photos after the jump.)

This also represents our first post in the category we like to call ShePop -- because we're clever like that -- in which we'll offer up a thinking woman's perspective on stuff that's wont to otherwise be shoved into a "girly" corner. We'll discuss and debate everything that inspires us, enrages us, or even makes us laugh (we're looking at you, Tina Fey and Kristen Wiig).

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"I wish her nothing but the best and I hope she's happy—whatever size that comes in," Simpson's ex-husband Nick Lachey tells Extra.

"I can't believe it's this big of a story and people are making such a huge deal about it. I'm never ceased to be amazed by people's reactions to things," the singer said.

Lachey, 35, has been dating True Beauty host Vanessa Minnillo for over two years.

He's currently prepping to release his third solo album, Coming Up for Air.

Check out cool gallery of Nick lachey and Jessica Simpson

Jessica Simpson attacked her critics head-on last night in the row over her weight gain.

The pop star squeezed into a pair of skin-tight black latex leather trousers and a figure-hugging jacket before warning her fans not to focus on 'completely pointless things'.

Curvy Jessica, 28, took to the stage in Charlottesville, Virginia, on the latest leg of her US tour - and immediately thanked everyone for their support.

Latex lady: Jessica Simpson's skin-tight trousers hugged her curvier frame as she performed at Charlottesville, Virginia last night

Fans were surprised when she unveiled her new curvier look in Florida at the weekend, and commentators were quick to criticise her apparent weight gain.

Addressing the issue on stage last night, she said: 'Please remember, no matter what you go through in life, somebody else might have it harder.

'I feel like in our world today we focus on so many things that are completely pointless.

[Image & Article source]