Jessica Simpson has begun dating troubled comic actor Owen Wilson in a bid to trump uip publicity for her upcoming country music LP, that’s the story from elebrity gossip columnist Carolyn Halzel.

A source tells MSN:

“When Jess last had a new album coming out, that’s when she was introduced to John. She’s got her first country album coming out, so now she’s been conveniently introduced to Owen, who is a fellow Texan. Better yet, the public is sympathetic to him.”