Britney seeks control, bounces assistant

Los Angeles - Oops, she did it again...

Yes, the joke is old, but the sentiment isn't: Just days after her OK! magazine debacle, Britney Spears has fired her personal assistant, the latest in a string of firings within the Spears entourage.

"Britney is adamant these days that no one around her tries to control her in anyway," a source close to the pop princess reveals. "The moment she feels someone is trying to tell her what to do, she responds by firing them. And she thought her new assistant was trying to be too 'in charge,' as she put it."

Spears gave Shannon Funk her walking papers just three weeks after hiring her, our source said. The termination follows the recent axings of manager Larry Rudolph and the powerhouse public relations firm BWR. Spears' previous assistant, Alli Sims—who also happened to be her cousin—parted ways with the performer last month. And Spears has even sought to distance herself and her kids from her mother, Lynne.

There was no immediate comment from Spears. Attempts to reach Funk were unsuccessful.

Sources close to Spears say she partly blames the recent fallout from the disastrous OK! photo shoot on Funk.

According to OK!, Spears was uncooperative during the session, refusing to use the magazine's hair and makeup team, ruining a designer dress after using it as a napkin and then storming off before the photographer could finish the shoot. Spears left wearing nearly $9,000 in designer duds, per the magazine's account. Funk, meanwhile, was caught trying to walk off with another designer dress but was stopped by the wardrobe coordinator, according to the magazine (though she did score a tank top and pair of shorts, the article said).

"Britney didn't blame the day directly on her assistant," the source said, "but just said in general that a lot of her problems recently were caused by Shannon's unprofessional behavior. Britney thought Shannon was rude and tried to run her affairs without listening to her."