People Actually Shelling Out Money to Download Crappy Ashley Alexandra Dupre Music Online

In addition to being a high-priced hooker, Ashley Alexandra Dupre, 22, is a budding singer – and has already banked an estimated $200,000 from online music downloads in the past week, according to the New York Post.

It’s hard to blame soon-to-be former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s prostitute for cashing in on the sex scandal… but come on, people. Put your money in a savings account instead, then go to her MySpace and have a listen for free. Sheesh.

Ashley Dupre made two tunes, “What We Want” and “Move Ya Body,” available for purchase as 99-cent downloads on music site Amie Street shortly after the scandal broke. Musicians can earn a 70 percent cut on download fees via the site.

“What We Want,” a pulsating dance tune, was also added to New York’s Z100 play list on Thursday (she first streamed it on her MySpace page).

But is Ashley Dupre merely cashing in on her 15 minutes of fame, or does she actually have a future in the music business? Some reviews so far …

“With MySpace, American Idol and cheap home-recording equipment demystifying the creation of pop music, there’s this idea that anyone can become a star if she tries hard enough. It’s not that simple, but [’What we Want’] is not especially good or bad. It’s serviceable post-Britney Spears dance-pop, Dupre panting and sort of bleating over a clubby track with Middle Eastern pretensions, the sort of thing Scott Storch might make if he only had access to a $45 Casio.” – The Village Voice

“‘Move Ya Body,’ isn’t as good as ‘What We Want.’ It’s got a Britney Spears-ish ‘I’m a Slave 4 U’ feel, but it sounds like it’s not quite finished. Her vocals aren’t fully processed as she sings things like ‘Sex, money, drugs is what I’m all about, step your game up so you can see for yourself.’ Still, with a little polishing it could totally pass for a single from Spears or a lesser Pussycat Doll.” – Newsday

“Her song is absolutely terrible. If people are interested in signing her, then they shouldn’t be in the music business.” – Billboard

Friends of the 22-year-old high-priced call girl named “Kristen” are now rallying around the woman they knew as Ashley Youmans of Wall, N.J.

“We’re just trying to keep her head up and keep her strong, have her look at this as a positive,” high school friend Joe Pawlak tells People.

Pawlak, who graduated from Wall H.S. in 2003, a year ahead of Youmans – who now goes by Ashley Dupre – says she’s only human and “people make mistakes.”

“She’s just trying to work through it,” says Pawlak.

THG NOTE: Come on Pawlak. The girl slings the poon for thousands of dollars an hour. We’re not judging, but there’s no “mistake” about this.

Ashley Alexandra Dupre was identified this week as “Kristen” – the escort linked by federal authorities to New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, who resigned.

Bevin Doherty, who knew Ashley Youmans on the Pop Warner cheerleading squad in middle school, tells People that, in contrast to statements Ashley made on her MySpace page about her home life, Ashley lived with her mom.

“Her mom would pick her up from cheering at school in a Jaguar,” says Doherty, who assumed Ashley, who wore designer clothes, was wealthy.

Set to graduate from the Wall H.S. class of 2004, Ashley Youmans disappeared near the end of her sophomore year. At some point, Youmans legally became Ashley DiPietro, but later took on the “stage” name of Ashley Alexandra Dupre.

“When she left high school,” said Doherty, “me and others thought she left to go get married. That’s what I was under the belief … that she met someone and had a ring and left to get married. We always wondered what happened to her.”

A teacher of Ashley Dupre, Gerald Basiak, 58, recalls her as a very kind person, but a “B-C student who really wasn’t focused on anything.”

As for Ashley’s being caught up in the Eliot Spitzer sex scandal: “I would never expect this, there were never indications of any problems at home.”

Thanks to People magazine, as usual, for this collection of some of the funniest and most most memorable celebrity quotes from the past week …

“She looks at me and says, ‘Nice top shelf.’ That was one of the greatest days of my life.” – Justin Timberlake on Madonna

“He’ll have to restrain his hair.” – A Waffle House employee, on Kid Rock

“Do not pull them up tight and have your bulge showing. Let it hang!” – Victoria Beckham on the way to wear jeans

“You always want to point out the elephant in the room.” – Jim Carrey, dressed as an Dr. Seuss’ Horton the Elephant, on American Idol

“She knew her lines better than me.” – How I Met Your Mother’s Josh Radnor, on Britney Spears‘ visit to the set

“I had to face some difficult spending decisions and I’ve had to conduct sensitive diplomacy. That’s called planning for a wedding.” – President George W. Bush

“I really romanticized being pregnant. Then I realized, this is awful!”
– Marcia Cross, reminiscing about pregnancy

“A little later on I’ll be at the Dinah Shore Golf Tournament, of course. That’s if it doesn’t conflict with my women’s basketball games that I go to.” – Ellen DeGeneres, leaving a message for Rep. Sally Kern of Oklahoma

“I just don’t want to be thought of as a monster.” – Ashley Dupre