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Jessica's 'Insulting' Offer to Nick?

Is Jessica Simpson trying to nickel and dime what's left of Nick Lachey? Insiders tell TMZ that the pouty-lipped starlet has made an "insulting" settlement offer to her not-quite-ex-hubby, proposing he slink away from their once cash cow of a union with less than $1.5 million.

The alleged buy-out is so puny -- the multitasking Simpson, 25, reportedly pulled down $35 million in 2005 -- because the belief is Lachey, 32, who back in April tearfully admitted to Rolling Stone that he still loves his estranged missus, "does not have the stomach" for an acrimonious court battle.

Jessica unwisely opted not to sign a prenup when she tied the knot in 2003, which means under California law Nick is entitled to half of everything they acquired during the marriage.

Still, he may have to withstand some emotional blackmail to get what's coming to him. According to TMZ, Jessica's dad-manager-overlord Joe Simpson has called Lachey to convince him to cave in to the terms so the onetime "Newlyweds" can "end as friends."

And Pa Simpson apparently isn't the only one reaching out and touching Nick. Simpson's pals and minions have also purportedly put pressure on him to take the chump change and run.

Lachey, you'll recall, raised eyebrows when he checked the spousal support box on his divorce papers, although he's loudly insisted he would never ask to be kept in the lifestyle to which he's become accustomed (besides, he seems to be doing just fine on his own, recently shelling out close to $6 million for a Bel-Air pad).

"I haven't requested alimony at all," he told Rolling Stone. "I have no intention of filing for spousal support. And I've been clear with Jessica about not wanting it."

What he does want, a friend explained to People back in March, "is to try and have a settlement that is fair so both of them can go on with their lives. He doesn't want to drag this out and make it ugly in any way."

Insiders tell TMZ that Lachey, whose prudent money management was often at odds with his wife's price tag-ignoring ways, has no intention of accepting the measly sum, which we're guessing is less than Simpson spends annually on maintaining her mutable mane.

Whatever the status of his divorce settlement, Nick doesn't appear to be letting it get in the way of his continued oats sowing. The latest object of his seemingly fickle affections is stylist Kim Kardashian, whom he was spotted with at a matinee of "The Da Vinci Code" in L.A. last week.

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Posted by on June 2, 2006 10:12 AM
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