The very private Carrie Underwood gave Elle magazine a rather revealing interview in the December issue. Accompanied by a stunning pictorial, the American Idol alum and top selling country artist got right down to business and cleared up some misconceptions and rumors, beginning with her alleged date with Olympic champion Michael Phelps.

It’s even more awkward when rumors emerge that you’re dating people you’re not—like, say, a certain Olympic gold medalist in swimming, as happened after the Beijing Games in August. “I never met the guy!” Underwood exclaims. “I’m sure he’s lovely. I’m sure he’s a great guy. He made America proud!” She giggles. “But I never met him, I never mentioned him in an interview, I never mentioned him in that way to anybody that I know. The only conversation that ever came up was when we were watching the Olympics and somebody would be, like, ‘How about that Michael Phelps?’ And it’s, like, ‘Yeah, he’s doing great!’ That was one of those completely, totally, utterly fabricated lies that came out of nowhere. I’ve had people for the last three days texting me and calling me: ‘Do you know Michael Phelps?’ No!” She laughs again. “I swear on everything, on my job, my house, my dog.… That’s how serious I am. It’s all just a lie. Anytime any [media source] ever says ‘a friend said,’ or ‘a close’ whatever— no, they didn’t! It’s just made up. None of my friends would say anything. Ever. About anything!”

Underwood also admits that she made a mistake when she said that her ex-boyfriend, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, still calls her occasionally. The comment sent the Internet rumor mill into overdrive and had Romo’s current girlfriend Jessica Simpson on the offensive.

At the mere mention of Simpson’s name, Underwood begins biting her nails nervously. It’s clear she’d rather talk about anything else, but she submits, perhaps eager to set the record straight.

Why did Underwood ever say that Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, with whom she was briefly associated, still calls her (a comment that Simpson, now dating Romo, “laughed at” and said was “definitely” not true)? “See, this is always a tricky thing,” Underwood answers. “I don’t think people realize that when you do an interview, the magazine comes out six months later. It was just something that was said in passing, and I would never mean to say anything to hurt anybody or to stir up anything, because I’m just not about drama. At all. I might be mad too,” Underwood adds, “if somebody said my boyfriend was calling some other girl. So I can definitely see where she would be coming from. But I haven’t talked to him since, like, May.”

[From Elle]

I’ve always liked Carrie since her days on American Idol. She’s talented, gorgeous, works her butt off and seems like a real person. She also admits her mistakes – something not many celebrities do. I think the best move for her romantically would be to get involved with a regular guy who’s not in the business.