Singer Ashlee Simpson to try again on ‘SNL’

Ashlee Simpson may still have a bad taste in her mouth when it comes to “Saturday Night Live,” but the pop star is scheduled to return this weekend to the scene of her lip-synching fiasco of last year.

Lorne Michaels, the “SNL” executive producer, said Wednesday he debated whether to bring the singer back but ultimately decided she had suffered enough. “Look, she really screwed up and it had a profound effect on her career,” he said in an interview. “To me, it seemed it wasn’t fair for someone that young to be that severely beaten up. So we’re letting her come back.”

Simpson, now 21, was jeered last October when a technical glitch made it painfully apparent that she was relying on a prerecorded vocal for an appearance that had been advertised as a live performance. The singer later said she had opted to fake the singing because of a bad case of acid reflux.

A publicist for Simpson said she was unavailable Wednesday, but the singer did tell MTV she is excited about the second chance.

Simpson’s upcoming CD, “I Am Me,” which arrives in stores on Oct. 18, has two songs about the “SNL” embarrassment. Michaels said the singer will be walking a tightrope with her return to the show.

“If she’s good, it’ll be good for her career. If she’s not, then it won’t be good,” he said. “One thing: I can guarantee it will be live this time.”

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Geoff Boucher