Jessica Simpson is in on the joke.
More than 20 years after she infamously got confused by Chicken of the Sea-brand tuna during the 2003 series premiere of Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, Simpson, 43, is teaming up with the seafood company.
In a new commercial for Chicken of the Sea, Simpson’s 11-year-old daughter Maxwell sees her enjoying some tuna.
“Mom, what are you eating in that packet?” Maxwell asks.
“It’s called Chicken of the Sea. But it’s not really chicken, it’s tuna. So, don’t get confused by it,” Simpson replies.
Maxwell then questions, “Who would ever get confused by that?” prompting Simpson to deny her past ignorance.
“No one. Not your mom,” Simpson says unconvincingly before staring off into space with a horrified look on her face, no doubt flashing back to her highly-mocked reality TV moment.
The collaboration comes more than two decades after Simpson asked then-husband Nick Lachey for some clarification on the canned food during an episode of their MTV show.
“Is this chicken what I have, or is this fish? I know it’s tuna, but it says chicken by the sea. Is that stupid?” Simpson asked Lachey, 50. “Why is it called chicken by the sea or in the sea?”
Lachey looked at her in disbelief and shook his head. “You act like you’ve never had tuna before,” he said. “Chicken of the sea is the brand. You know, because a lot of people eat tuna, a lot of people eat chicken, so it’s like the chicken of the sea.”
Simpson replied: “Oh, I understand now. I read it wrong.”
Newlyweds ran for 3 seasons, coming to an end in 2005. Simpson and Lachey divorced one year after the reality show’s conclusion.
After clips from the series began to resurface on TikTok — including one scene where Lachey called Simpson a “spoiled brat” — some fans began to question whether Lachey had been the villain in their marriage.
During a July 2023 interview with Bustle, Simpson shrugged when asked about social media comments arguing that Lachey was “mean to her” and a “terrible husband.” She simply said, “It’s amazing what publicity can do” when asked about the initial perception of Lachey.
Simpson has since moved on with husband Eric Johnson, with whom she shares daughter Maxwell, son Ace, 10, and daughter Birdie, 4. Nick, meanwhile, shares sons Camden, 11, Phoenix, 7, and daughter Brooklyn, 9, with wife Vanessa Lachey.
While Simpson may have been depicted as a “dumb blonde” on Newlyweds, she got the last word on the chicken-tuna mixup.
“Yes, people, I know it’s tuna,” she says at the end of her new commercial.
Fans who share Simpson’s love for Chicken of the Sea can now enter for a chance to win $10,000 by submitting a photo or video of themselves enjoying their favorite Chicken of the Sea product.
