Gay American Idol star Clay Aiken’s son makes TV debut in Celebrity Family Feud

Clay Aiken and son Parker on ABC's Celebrity Family Feud.

American Idol finalist Clay Aiken has shocked Celebrity Family Feud viewers by introducing his 15-year-old son Parker to the world – with people also discovering that record producer David Foster is Parker’s uncle.

It seems some Clay Aiken fans were taken aback seeing quite how much his son, who was born back in 2008, looks like his father.

The musician rose to fame more than twenty years ago, in 2003, after becoming a runner up in Simon Cowell’s famed singing contest, losing out to winner Ruben Studdard.

In the two decades since, he’s released six studio albums, appeared in an array of theatre productions, and just this year appeared on the eleventh season of The Masked Singer US. In 2022, he launched his second congressional bid after moving into politics, but lost he lost the primary to Valerie Foushee.

Yet its his appearance on Celebrity Family Feud last night (6 August) that seems to be making the biggest waves within his fandom.

Aiken appeared on the adored American game show, hosted by TV legend Steve Harvey, alongside his mother Faye, his brother Brett, his son Parker, and Parker’s mother and Aiken’s best friend, Jaymes Foster.

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“This is my son Parker, making his TV debut,” Aiken said proudly, introducing his son as the audience cheered.

The family were facing off against fellow American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee Foster, and her husband, multi Grammy Award winning record producer David Foster.

In another surprise revelation about the families’ dynamics, Aiken revealed that Parker’s mother Jaymes is actually the sister of competitor David.

Clay Aiken on a red carpet looking up
American Idol star Clay Aiken in 2009, one year after coming out as gay. (Getty)

After battling it out, Harvey eventually revealed that – spoiler alert – Aiken’s team had won, earning $25,000 for the US National Inclusion Project.

“Big bucks for Inclusion, woohoo! Parker, you were a rock star,” wrote one social media user.

“You did a great job on Family Feud, your son looks just like you,” another fan wrote to Aiken. “I’m glad you had your mom, brother, son and Bff [sic] with you tonight. Congratulations on your win.”

Who is Jaymes Foster?

Sister to record producer David Foster and also a music producer herself, Jaymes Foster gave birth to Clay Aiken’s son Parker in August 2008.

Jaymes Foster, Clay Aiken’s best friend and mother of their child, Parker. (ABC)

Aiken and Foster decided to have a child via vitro fertilisation and raise him together after years of being best friends. Now aged 66 and 45 respectively, Foster and Aiken remain close as they continue to bring Parker up; he is both parents’ only child.

After several years of speculation, Aiken confirmed a month after Parker’s birth in September 2008 that he is gay. That same month, Foster spoke to People about Aiken’s decision to publicly announce his sexuality, explaining that she “totally supports” him.

“It’s his choice. It’s a choice that he made. I love him and I’ll support him in any choice that he makes, whether as an entertainer, or a father, human being, of course I support him,” she said.

“We love each other dearly and deeply as friends, but I think as parents now, there’s an even greater bond, certainly for me. Our job is to remain best friends for the rest of our lives and that’s the most important thing for Parker.”

Celebrity Family Feud airs on ABC on Tuesdays, 8pm Eastern Time.

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