Joe Simpson still loves Nick Lachey.

Although Nick recently poked fun at allegations that Joe's marriage ended because he is gay by joking ''the best thing about not having Joe Simpson anymore as a father-in-law is I don't have to play grab-ass under the table on Easter Sunday,'' Joe insists he still loves his daughter Jessica's ex-husband.

He told TMZ: ''I still love Nick. I think he was a good husband to my daughter.

''I would still have a beer with him today.''

While Joe appears to have taken the comments in his stride, Jessica - who split from Nick in 2005 - is reportedly annoyed Nick spoke out about her family and their split.

A source said: ''She's shocked to the core - they had an understanding that they would never bad-mouth each other.

''Jessica's doing what she always does - rising above it. But as far as she's concerned, Nick should have pleaded the Fifth.''

Nick - who has seven-month-old son Camden with second wife Vanessa Minnillo - recently admitted he hasn't talked to his former spouse in six years and never reminisces about their old reality TV show 'Newlyweds', which documented three years of their married life.

He said: ''It's been years (since I've talked to Jessica). Years. Honestly, probably six years. It was like another lifetime ago.

''I have not (watched 'Newlyweds'). As you can imagine, that's not popular viewing in my house. We don't sit around as a family and watch the old DVDs.''