Rasmusen's Deseret News column was apparently linked to a Clay Aiken fan site, and those fans have posted comments that TMZ mimicked in its story — that she's a bitter woman with a grudge against Aiken. What would make this funny if it weren't so sad is that Rasmusen and Aiken became the best of friends when they were on "American Idol" and remain close to this day.

"I love Clay. We talk all the time. We call each other. We text," Rasmusen said. "We've performed concerts together. Every time we see each other, we give each other a big hug.

"I consider him like a brother."

And it's not like she's kept that a secret.

"If anybody has any question about how I feel about Clay, all they have to do is read my book, 'Staying in Tune,"' Rasmusen said. "It's right in there that I think of him like a brother."

Part of the problem is that Aiken's fans — at least the ones posting comments — are reading what isn't there. And, as is so often the case, those who so quickly accuse others of having agendas are the people who have huge agendas of their own.

Aiken fans are certainly not unique. Fans of everything from stars to sports teams imagine ulterior motives all the time. They infer things that weren't in any way implied.

(Carmen is new at this. Those of us who have been doing it for a while have been through it before. It's one thing to be attacked for what you've written; it's something entirely different to be attacked because someone misinterprets what you've written.)

Yours truly is among those who reads Rasmusen's columns before they're printed. I thought the behind-the-scenes look was interesting, and it never for one moment occurred to me that she sounded in the least bit bitter.

Maybe that's because I interviewed her back in January, when we began running her columns, and I detected not one ounce of anger or bitterness toward "American Idol" or anyone involved in the show. On the contrary, Rasmusen couldn't say enough about how grateful she was to have been a part of it all.

And she even mentioned that she and Aiken remain good friends.

I'm only guessing here, but I doubt any of those who accuse Rasmusen of harboring bitterness toward Aiken are among his close friends, the way Rasmusen herself is.

But, gee, let's not let reality intrude on our interpretation of reality.

I wonder if David Archuleta really knows what he's gotten himself into. ...

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com