Ashlee Simpson’s new album “Bittersweet World” is already looking like a gigantic flop, and it hasn’t even hit the store shelves yet. First, its release was mysteriously pushed back half a year, and second, it’s chock-full of songs sung by Ashlee Simpson. Now there’s even more bad news — Mariah Carey will be releasing her new album just two days before Ashlee’s drops, which translates to lots of Simpson dollars lost in the wake of the S.S. Mariah. What’s a girl to do except find a way to make Mariah’s album available illegally online weeks before its release? MSNBC reports

Tracks from [Mariah's new album] “E=MC2″ have leaked onto the Internet since [her first single "Touch My Body"] was released last week. One record industry source thinks the culprit could be someone from the Simpson camp hoping to dilute the impact of Carey’s release.

“Joe Simpson has every right to be nervous about Ashlee going up against Mariah. They are backed into a corner with this release date since they already changed it once. Their only option in fighting the Mariah machine would be to create a way to make the album’s release less newsworthy.”

Joe Simpson, evil mastermind? You’re telling me the guy mesmerized by his own daughter’s jugs and Members Only jackets is going to somehow finesse the piracy of one of the most anticipated albums of the year? I don’t think so. Now showing up dressed like a pirate and making jokes about Jessica’s boobs in a Blackbeardy voice I could totally believe.

Ashlee and Pete Wimpz at OK!’s “Viva La Karaoke” in New York March 31st:

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