AceShowbiz -

Jessica Simpson is gearing up to release a new Christmas album and she has taped a TV special on PBS in support of the holiday set. The promotional effort, unfortunately, has been marred by rumor that she snubbed a singing group of combat veterans named 4Troops due to their scruffy clothes.

Report suggested it was Jessica's dad, Joe Simpson, who banned the veterans from performing with her. Joe reportedly demanded them to change their clothes to tuxedos to suit the glamorous event. "Joe should be ashamed of himself," a spokesperson for the group said. "I am so disappointed and angry, I threw up when I got back to my room."

A source told New York Post's Page Six, "They waited for six hours until midnight only to be told their number with Jessica had been cut from the show. The irony was Jessica was on stage saying how much she supports and admires the troops, and the veterans were stuck in a room in the basement. Instead of enduring more humiliation, the veterans left."

Contrary to the report, a representative for Jessica insists the singer is innocent. "The song was cut due to time. Jessica wasn't even aware. She is wholeheartedly devoted to the troops. She just returned from the Persian Gulf where she performed for and met with service men and women stationed at several different locations. The military was the source of inspiration for her entire Christmas album, so much so that she recorded a duet for the album with a USS Harry Truman sailor," the rep explained.