Jessica Simpson to Howard Stern: Don't Mess With Gabourey Sidibe!

Actress blasts shock jock for his nasty comments about the Precious Oscar nominee, says it's "disrespectful"

Jessica Simpson is coming to Gaby Sidibe's defense against Howard Stern for his recent outburst that the Oscar nominee could kiss her Hollywood career goodbye because of her weight.

"I'm actually surprised somebody had the cojones to say that," Simpson tells me from a New York City hotel. "I just think that's really disrespectful."

And not exactly accurate…

"It's unfortunate because she walked the red carpet at the Oscars and she owned it," Simpson said of the Precious star. "She was beautiful. There was no denying that she did not think she was the most beautiful person on that red carpet. She was just owning that moment for herself. She had such confidence and I absolutely 100 percent think she could get anything in the world that she wants."

Simpson knows a thing or two about being publicly crucified for her appearance. But she's fighting back.

"I don't care how harsh the criticism is, you're not going to take me down," she said. "I'm going to get back up and fight. I'm not going to let anybody's opinions destroy me."

Simpson's new VH1 reality series, The Price of Beauty, follows her and best buddies Ken Paves and Cacee Cobb as they travel the world exploring different cultures' ideas of beauty.

The show, premiering March 15, came along just at the right time, following Simpson's mom jeans fiasco last year. "After all the public scrutiny that I went through in the past year, I felt I was just stripped of everything," she says.

But now? "I got curves!" she says. "I can't get rid of them. There ain't no getting rid of them. At this point, I just celebrate them…I'm a healthy girl. I work out. I box. I try to eat right. I still like my corn dogs, my burgers and my onion rings. I can't help it. Just as long as I feel good about myself and if I feel healthy, I feel beautiful."

Especially when she lets her hair down.

"I feel most beautiful when I am in my bathtub, listening to Sade," she said. "I also feel beautiful when I laugh and when I'm with my friends and I just have a T-shirt and booty shorts on."

And then, without missing a beat, she laughs, "With my heels on, of course."

I've got more Jessica scoop. Make sure to keep coming back, y'all! Yup, she talks John, Billy, Tony and...living the single life!