A humbled Jessica Simpson is trying to repair the damage caused by her duplicitous ex-PR guru, Rob Shuter, who was fired by her manager-father last Thursday after a botched publicity stunt. Sources say the singer has been placing personal calls to the editors of the major celebrity weeklies to voice regret over Shuter's machinations, which culminated in a recent People magazine cover story claiming she had found love with sensitive guitar hero John Mayer.

Some are comparing these off-the-record phone calls—supervised by a publicist at her record label, Epic—to the grueling apologies 12-steppers are required to make to the people they vomited on or otherwise offended while drinking. "She's in Rob-o-holics Anonymous," laughs one call recipient.

A penitent Simpson expressed gratitude for the boost the weeklies have given her career, determination to take on a more direct role in dealing with them, and sadness at having become an object of scorn for the very magazines that once treated her like a goddess. "She's wondering why they all turned on her," says the source. Adds another person close to the situation, "It was kind of like, 'Hi, I'm actually a human being.'"

While higher-ups at Us, Star, and In Touch were happy enough to take Simpson's call, People editor Larry Hackett has yet to speak with her. Although the official explanation had Hackett—in the midst of closing People's annual Best and Worst Dressed issue—too busy for a chat, sources say he remains furious that his mag was used as the bearer of Shuter's fairy tale romance.

PREVIOUSLY
Jessica Simpson: I Didn't Fire Rob Shuter...In My Heart
Canned Shuter's Epic Battle With Simpson
Joe Simpson Fires Rob Shuter