‘Claim to Fame’: [Spoiler] Eliminated After 3rd Failed Attempt to Expose Chris (RECAP)
Spoiler Alert
[Warning: The following contains MAJOR spoilers for Claim to Fame Season 2 Episode 8.]
We’re begging for someone on Claim to Fame to remember the Osmonds exist. Another week of new clues, and still no one in this cast has put together that Chris’s dad is Donny Osmond. While that was only a strong theory up until this point, Episode 8 (which aired on Monday, August 14, on ABC) revealed a clue that confirms his parentage. But the cast’s Osmond blind spot has led to a third person being sent home when guessing Chris’s relative during the guess off.
Claim to Fame took its pop culture knowledge testing to new heights in this episode’s challenge, which saw the final five running around a field covered in famous names in a game similar to musical chairs. Host Franklin Jonas read clues, and the contestants had to run to a star bearing the correct celebrity’s name, of which there were multiples. But the numbers of repeated stars on the field dwindled down each round, making the players race to the one right star in the final rounds.
Monay ended up winning the whole game, revealing to viewers that she works with her celebrity relative (her dad), who also worked with Kenan Thompson on Saturday Night Live and was in Spider-Man: Far From Home with Jake Gyllenhaal. We believe her father is JB Smoove, but that’s another episode’s mystery to solve, as Monay’s win saved her from elimination.
Her win also landed her the key clue about Chris: His celebrity relative won Dancing With the Stars Season 9. That winner is none other than Donny Osmond, but no one in this cast knows that apparently. Their collective best guess was still Billy Idol, who’s less off the mark than last week’s Elton John theory (he is not from Utah!) but still wildly off nonetheless (if Idol is known for any kind of jacket, it’s black leather, not colorful).
JR and Gabriel found themselves in the bottom two after their poor performances in the challenge. With only two votes necessary to send them into the Voto Booth, Gabriel had to quickly make amends with Chris after their tense fight earlier in the episode. JR was sent to the guess off, which he was dreading, given he, Monay, and Karsyn weren’t 100 percent confident in their Idol theory. But in the absence of any other idea, JR named the “Rebel Yell” singer as Chris’s relative, which was incorrect, making JR the eighth person sent home on Claim to Fame Season 2.
The internet’s popular theory about JR’s claim to fame was correct: JR is, indeed, related to Grammy-winning Lil Nas X! The “Old Town Road” rapper is JR’s little brother. JR is his real name. It’s short for Robert Lamar Stafford, Jr. He’s named after his and Lil Nas X’s father.
“He’s opened my eyes so much to the LGBTQ community, and he taught me, man, just be yourself. No matter what nobody think about you, just be yourself,” JR said of his baby bro, adding, “I’m blessed to have him as my brother.”
Lil Nas X made a video appearance after the reveal, saying, “I’m happy you’re out here doing your thing. I’m thankful for you, I’m thankful for all the support you give me and all the love you show me throughout my life. Love you!” JR teared up seeing the message from the musician.
JR is now the third person to be sent home for incorrectly guessing Chris’s relative. The first was Jane (real name Jada), who theorized he was related to Elvis Presley in Episode 3. The second was Hugo, who wrongly guessed Chris was related to Elton John last week. Hopefully, something reminds the cast of the Osmonds’ existence soon. With just four players and two episodes left, things are getting down to the wire.
Did you guess JR’s relative correctly? Let us know in the comments below.
Claim to Fame, Mondays, 10/9c, ABC
