If 2004 isn’t the year of Ashlee Simpson, then I don’t know whose year it could possibly be.  Nobody has had as good of a year as Ashlee within the music world.  Leapfrogging out of her older sister Jessica’s shadow (Jessica Simpson is famous for her reality TV hit Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica and sometimes her music), Ashlee has become an international force.  When her debut album, Autobiography, came out earlier this year, most of America was like: Who is Ashlee Simpson?  Well, after two million albums sold and an album that soared all the way up to Number 1 on the charts its first week out, America is now fully aware of this new queen of pop.

Distancing herself away from pop tarts like Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and even her older sister, Jessica, Ashlee provided an alternative much like Avril Lavigne.  Writing or at least co-writing the music and lyrics of the songs that made up her album, soon everything that Ashlee did was all over the news.  Ashlee Simpson pictures and mp3s are some of the most searched items on the Internet today and Ashlee’s even considering making a move to the movies.  How cool is that?

However, there’s a little bit of sadness today in the universe Ashlee as our girl has run into a bit of controversy.  As the musical guest of last week’s Saturday Night Live, Ashlee was poised to make a triumphant appearance that would cement her reputation as this year’s it-girl.  After a successful run through of her hit song, Pieces of Me, Ashlee hit a snafu during her second song, Autobiography.  What should have been a triumphant moment turned quickly into a tragic one, as it was revealed that Ashlee had been lip synching!

Lip synching!  Although pop stars, even of the pop rock variety, are rightfully judged by standards much looser than mere mortals like us, there is one major pop commandment that one shouldn’t break: thou shalt not lip synch or at least get caught lip synching!

After the great Milli Vanilli Tragedy of 1991 that single handedly broke America’s collective heart and spirit, which launched the hazy period known as grunge, America cannot handle another lip synching controversy.  America is confused and weakened due to this divisive election between George W. Bush and John Kerry and it also isn’t sure who to side with in the great conflict between Hilary Duff and Lindsay Lohan!  Now with this lip synching revelation, I’m not sure whether America is going to make it through this week.

Ashlee, you’re my girl and all, I wake up every morning singing Shadows and I watch The Ashlee Simpson Showreligiously, but you need to fix this.  Your attempt to blame the band at the end of Saturday Night Live was noble, although a little shady what with the band playing the right song and a vocal track of the last song playing while your mouth was completely closed.  It was a good try but you need a better story.  Maybe you can blame it on a mysterious twin sister who is trying to sabotage your career or you can even be like all Ashton Kutcher like and say that you just punked America.