LeAnn Rimes & Jessica Simpson: Engagement Envy?

Unless you live under a rock (or aren't up on your YourTango reading), Jessica Simpson and her dad Joe Simpson have made sure you already know that Jess' ex-husband, Nick Lachey isn't the only one who just got engaged. Yes, Jessica's boyfriend less than a year, Eric Johnson proposed, and she accepted in what feels like a lame attempt to steal the spotlight from her ex and his fiance, Vanessa Minnillo.

Meanwhile, rumor has it that LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian are about to officially announce that they are engaged too, which is convenient considering LeAnn's ex- husband, Dean Sheremet recently announced he popped the question (to a LeAnn lookalike, no less.) Now is this whole getting-engaged-immediately-after-my-ex phenomenon a freaky coincidence … or are Jessica and LeAnn trying to beat their exes to the altar? Jessica Simpson Is Engaged To Eric Johnson

Of course, LeAnn and Jessica both expressed (or perhaps, feigned) excitement for their exes' happy news. Immediately after the news hit that Sheremet was engaged, LeAnn had to chime in with her reaction in what kinda seemed like a pathetic attempt to steal back some of the limelight from Dean (even though she trampled his heart by running off with Cibrian after seven years of marriage.)

"Congrats to @deansheremet and @sarah_silver on your engagement! A little birdie told me the happy news last night. Wishes for a life full of happiness," LeAnn tweeted. (Followed by about 100 more tweets insisting that her sentiments were genuine.)

Likewise, Jessica called good-old Ryan Seacrest's radio show to make sure everyone knew she was happy for Nick and Vanessa—despite rumors to the contrary.

"Our relationship was over a really long time ago, and it would be nice if everyone could move on with us and really just celebrate the love between him and Vanessa," Jessica said to Ryan. "I do, and I wish them nothing but the best." Jessica Simpson Is Sad About Nick's Engagement

But we're not so sure we believe Jessica or LeAnn. If these two ladies were genuinely happy for their exes (instead of glaringly jealous), why wouldn't they just privately congratulate them? And why would Simpson and Rimes even bother to defend their sentiments to people who claimed they weren't genuine?