Leave it to Papa Joe to interrupt what was a much needed Thanksgiving break to finally allow his daughter's handlers to officially state the obvious.

LOS ANGELES - After months of rumors, denials and salacious magazine covers, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey are officially calling it quits. The couple jointly announced their separation Wednesday, their publicists Meredith O'Sullivan and Rob Shooter confirmed. "After three years of marriage, and careful thought and consideration, we have decided to part ways," Simpson and Lachey said in an official statement. "This is the mutual decision of two people with an enormous amount of respect and admiration for each other. We hope that you respect our privacy during this difficult time." The couple wed in October 2002 and went on to star in their own reality show, "Newlyweds," on MTV. The show made them A-list celebrities. Following Simpson's role in 2004's "The Dukes of Hazzard," tabloid magazines began reporting trouble in the marriage. Us Weekly first reported the couple's split in its Oct. 17 issue."

Be free, Nick. Be ever thankful for birth control. Papa Joe now sits back, wrings his hands and cackles maniacally, for he is again the sole owner of his eldest "Mini Me".

See also:
E! Online
MTV.com
ABC News
People Magazine
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