By Lauren Bishop / Enquirer staff writer

Cincinnati's rolling out the red carpet this week for Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson - literally.

The pop singers and stars of MTV's Newlyweds, now in Lachey's hometown for a stop on Simpson's Reality Tour, will attend a private party at Club Clau in Over-the-Rhine tonight.

Sometime between 9 and 10 p.m., they're scheduled to walk a red carpet to the club's front door, through which only those who received invitations will be allowed to pass.

"We're doing it L.A. style," says Andrew VanSickle, the club's art director.

VanSickle says Lachey wanted to throw the party for Simpson in honor of her performance Wednesday at Riverbend, her first since Newlyweds catapulted them from the C list to at least the B+ list. She opened for Ricky Martin in 1999, battling strep throat and bringing out then-boyfriend and 98º frontman Lachey for a duet.

VanSickle says he's gotten calls from fans all over Ohio about the event. But only the invited 250 will be allowed inside the club, recently named one of the top 30 nightspots in the world by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

The couple's friends and family will be in attendance tonight, as well as some Bearcats, Bengals and Reds and local media personalities, says Josh Heuser, the club's director of operations. The other invitees are Clau regulars, VanSickle and Heuser say.

So maybe you're not not one of the invited guests. Not to worry: We'll capture all the glory for you. Visit www.cincinnati.com for photos and details.

E-mail lbishop@enquirer.com.