Ashley Dupre

Ashley Dupre at a nightclub in New York earlier this year

Remember Ashley Dupre? She was the hooker at the center (sometimes on the bottom, sometimes on top) of the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal last year. Well she hasn't gone away. In fact, music mogul Russell Simmons has taken a "special" interest in her. From Janet Charlton's Hollywood:

Russell Simmons has taken Ashley Dupre under his wing and he’s “mentoring” her career. (Friends suspect there’s more than “mentoring” going on, but that’s a matter of opinion.) For whatever reason, Simmons, after meeting Ashley in a yoga class, has decided to help her develop a singing career. So he says. Not only that, but he’s trying to sell an Ashley Dupre reality show to either E! or MTV where he has connections.

What an admirable gesture by Russell to take an ex-whore under his wing. The man is a true humanitarian. In order to get her singing voice up to par, I wouldn't be surprised if he's working on throat exercises with her daily. Of course Ashley's newfound vocal talent is no surprise to former Governor Spitzer -- he already knew she could use her mouth to make money. *rimshot* . . . or perhaps more appropriately, *rimjob*