I stayed up way past my bed time last night to watch Jessica Simpson‘s new VH1 show, “The Price of Beauty.” I didn’t have high hopes for the show in the first place (more on that later), but it ended up being kinda terrible in a way I hadn’t expected: “The Price of Beauty” is ostensibly about Simpson and her friends, CaCee Cobb and Ken Paves, traveling to different countries to learn about what they consider beautiful.

But instead, “The Price of Beauty” was a rather embarrassing display about rude American tourists who make inappropriate jokes and shriek, squeal and squirm when offered strange food. When Miss American Pie Jessica Simpson burst into a fit of sniggering giggles while meditating in a Buddhist temple with a Thai monk, I covered my eyes with my own hands and winced.

It’s been raining for four days straight here in New York, and I am officially sick of staying in and watching television. And yet, there are so many exciting boob tube happenings this week that I’m looking forward to. From the premiere of Jessica Simpson’s “The Price of Beauty” and “Kirstie Alley’s Big Life” to fresh episodes of “Lost” and “Secret Diary of a Call Girl,” here are the shows to watch this week.

Jessica Simpson makes her long-awaited return to TV on March 14 when “The Price of Beauty” debuts on VH1. On the show, Jessica explores the question: What makes women in different countries feel beautiful? This is the same program with the theme song written by Jessica’s maybe-boyfriend Billy Corgan, that required $25,000 worth of hair and makeup for Jessica per episode, and had her storming down the runway at the Olzem Suer fashion show in Paris.

Do you think it’ll open people’s eyes and change our perspectives about beauty— or will it simply be another chance to watch Jessica acting silly on television? [via NY Post]

Poor Jessica Simpson! First she had to sleep between not one, but two nets to keep the bugs out of her bed in Uganda, and now she has risked her life for her new show, “The Price of Beauty.” Here is a Twitpic the singer posted of her and BF hairstylist Ken Paves at the airport departing for India. See how happy and blissfully unaware they are about what horrors they might encounter upon their arrival? The same day they landed in Bollywood to film a segment for the reality program, Indian health officials announced that over 13,000 people are infected with swine flu. Still, brave Jessica and Ken soldiered on, and as of press time, neither one has contracted the illness. The price of beauty, indeed. (Am I the only person who kind of can’t wait to see this show? Quite possibly, yes.) [Examiner]

When I first heard that Jessica Simpson was slated to host “The Price of Beauty,” a show devoted to discussing “society’s scrutiny of women’s bodies,” I was intrigued. Simpson is certainly no stranger to the terrifying degrees to which the tabloid press will go to to call attention to the slightest amount of famous weight gain or loss, and so seemed uniquely suited for the job. Now comes news, however, that makes Sarah Palin‘s exorbitant bills look minute by comparison: It costs $25,000 per episode to get Simpson camera-ready! Apparently, the fees are associated with her hair and makeup team, and word on the street is they charge even more than J.Lo‘s people. (And you know that cost is steep.) Women’s relationships to beauty may be a great equalizer, but to a nation of ladies who can barely afford Supercuts at the moment, outrageous beauty bills are no way for a fallen star to ingratiate herself to the public. We certainly can’t relate. [Splash News Online]

When I heard a few months ago that pop star Jessica Simpson was considering a reality TV show about “real beauty,” I was thrilled. Finally! A celeb who sought to use the negative press attention towards her and spin it a positive way! In the wake of the offensive tabloid lynch mob over Simpson’s “mom jeans” weight gain, taking the high road seemed like a classy thing to do.

The details of said show are finally out: in a docu-series called “The Price of Beauty” for VH1, Simpson will travel around the world speaking to women about the lengths they go to to achieve physical perfection, including their diets, clothes and beauty regimens. 

It does sounds like a cool premise for a TV program. But when I read Jessica’s statement regarding her show, I came to my senses about just who the feel-good, body-positive “messenger” is.

Jessica Simpson made headlines with her MTV reality show “Newlyweds,” especially after her famous Chicken of the Sea line. The show ended, as did Nick and Jess’ marriage. That’s why I was surprised to hear that Simpson is giving reality TV a second try with a new show, “The Price of Beauty.” This time around, the focus will be on “society’s scrutiny of women’s bodies.” Simpson, who has received a lot of flack in the press for a spike in weight exaggerated by a very unforgiving pair of high-waisted jeans, pitched the idea to several networks, according to Us Weekly. “The idea behind the show is that she and a friend set off on a road trip around the world in search of what people find beautiful and why,” a source from the magazine said.