8 Things You Didn't Know About Jessica Simpson

Think you know everything about Jessica Simpson? Think again. Because you probably don’t know more  than her longtime hairstylist/BFF Ken Paves –namely, who she really is beyond the tabloid coverage of he r high-profile relationships and so-called weight issues.

“We do so many things unrelated to what people expect,” says Ken, who counts Jessica as the muse for his popular line of clip-in hair extensions.

The two co-star on VH1’s The Price Of Beauty, which premieres tonight at 10 p.m., wherein they scour the globe to explore how other cultures define attractiveness. During the season, the BFFs — who have spent 11 years together — travel to temples in Thailand and fashion runways in Paris, goofing off along the way. Another Jessica insider, CaCee Cobb, comes along for the ride. “We are all actually real friends and there is a depth to our relationship — and I don’t sit up all night brushing Jessica’s hair,” says Ken.

He doesn’t? Consider that myth debunked. Here are 8 other facts about Jessica, courtesy of Ken:

1. She loves vintage cars and when Ken drives fast — like 140 miles an hour fast. “She thinks it’s hot,” says Ken.
2. She and Ken read out loud together and take notes on their favorite passages. Their reading list includes The Art Of Happiness: A Handbook For Living by the Dalai Lama.
3. She likes to go hiking and do other outdoorsy things. “She’s daring, she’s funny, she’s a tomboy,” Ken gushes.
4. She can take a joke. Last week, Jessica — wearing glasses, her hair a lighter shade of brown — was approached by a woman in a bookstore who said, “You look like a smart version of Jessica Simpson.” She laughed and did not correct the woman, later posting this tongue-in-cheek photo on her Twitter.
5. She’s up for anything — like spending New Year’s on a tour bus along the California coast with Ken and his four dogs.
6. She’s resilient, and has no plans to leave showbusiness after the awful John Mayer-and-Mom Jeans-induced drama. Says Ken, “Here’s a girl who was attacked by the world for a picture — and nobody stood up for her.” That lack of sisterly love from the media and her peers furthered Jessica’s need to produce The Price Is Beauty.
7. She’s in a good place right now, really. “She’s become so powerful. She’s so happy with herself.”
8. She’s a good friend. “We go to each other for everything. … How many times DON’T we talk a day? We’re more like Avatar where we’re attached at the tail.”