Several reputable media sources say Little Ms Simpson, best known for being the younger sister of Jessica Simpson, having a great nose job and lip synching on American TV show Saturday Night Live, is in the family way - not following in the footsteps of her sister, who famously stayed a virgin until she wed ex-husband Nick Lachey.

Pete Wentz called the pregnancy rumours 'a witch hunt,' and Ashlee refused to deny the whispers on American TV lately, simply saying "some things you want to keep personal."

Word around town is that Papa Joe Simpson is doing his utmost to flog the pregnancy and follow-up new baby story to the American mags for one million dollars! Apparently she'll get no more than US$60k, and, as one particularly sharp-tongued magazine honcho remarked 'getting pregnant is the best thing that could have happened to Ashlee,' given the waning interest in her career and her celebrity.

Ashlee also has an album coming out in the US this week, up against releases from Mariah Carey and Madonna. Is the timing of the engagement and pregnancy hoo-ha simply a coincidence? I think not.

And if it is all simply a case of fortunate timing, can a girl who welcomes the media to launch records, clothing lines and the like when it suits her simply switch off the media attention when it's something that she's not happy with? Whoring yourself out to the media isn't a one-way street, honey.

It's not the first time Papa Joe has attempted to drum up publicity for his famous daughters. Remember all those announcements when Jessica was dating rubber-face musician John Mayer? Paparazzi just seemed to ‘turn' up when the pair would be dining out and driving around and the shame on Mayer's face was obvious.

One of Hollywood's main offenders in this department is Jessica Simpson's friend Eva Longoria - or Eva Publicity Whoria. I know I've vowed to not mention her or fan her sad flames of publicity, in the weekly run down of the gossip mags, but in a blog on this subject there's no way you couldn't mention Mrs Longoria Parker.

After blabbing about her sex life with then-boyfriend Tony Parker, Eva let slip accidentally on purpose every single detail about her elaborate French wedding to the media.

Then she started denying pregnancy rumours, of which there were none. Of course these made the headlines in the requisite gossip mags. But if you start the rumour yourself by denying it, does it really count?

"We're so happy if we get pregnant, and if we don't, we're okay," she told People in January during an interview for her new movie, Over Her Dead Body. "We're just letting God decide it."

Good, Eva! Fine! Now shut up about it. Next you'll be telling us the ins and outs of your menstrual cycle.

Mischa Barton is rumoured to have an exclusive deal with a Hollywood photo agency in where she gives them a heads-up exclusive on her whereabouts- she gets to look good in snaps, and gets a kick back on the profits. Denise Richards, who travels across Los Angeles to take her daughters to a park with a clear view for the camera lens.

Paris Hilton is renowned for going home after a big night out and checking out all the pap snaps of herself online.

Even Angelina and Brad aren't adverse to it, fanning the flames of those pregnancy rumours earlier in the year with a few loose dresses.

And Britney Spears, of course, for a while seemed like she couldn't live without the paparazzi, who descended on her like a literal plague every time she left the house. They pumped her gas. They gave her lifts. One guy brought her tampons. Hey, one lucky guy (or not so lucky, depending on where you stand)  even ended up being her boyfriend for a brief spell.

But for every publicity whore, there are celebrities who realise that the media focus is part and parcel of their job - and while they may not like it, like an annoying office worker or demanding clients - they know it just won't go away and play the game to some extent instead.

Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston released a photo of their 2000 wedding to the media. For all her media manipulation you will have never seen a photo of Madonna's Scottish nuptials. Gwyneth Paltrow won't play the game, refusing to be photographed at events with Coldplay frontman hubby Chris Martin. And most recently Cate Blanchett completely bypassed the frenzy for buying celebrity baby pics by bringing along then 6-day-old son, Ignatius, to the Australia 2020 environmental summit in Canberra last weekend.

Even Lindsay Lohan has had enough of her famous family's publicity seeking ways. "I just wish that he [her father Michael] wouldn't go and talk to the media," People magazine reported she said last week on US radio. "It's not attractive to me, it really upsets me and I wish he would stop. ... I love my father. I just don't know why he's doing what he's doing. It's a weird situation, very odd."

So does everyone have a right to privacy, or do those who make money off the media deserve all the coverage they get?