LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The grandson of a former U.S. president wasn’t able to keep the identity of his secret celebrity relative much of a secret on ‘Claim to Fame’ airing on Channel 2.
In Monday night’s episode, contestant Hugo was forced to reveal himself as Hugo Wentzel, the grandson of former President Jimmy Carter.
On ‘Claim to Fame,’ each contestant has a celebrity relative whose identity they must keep a secret. If they’re found out or if they incorrectly guess someone else’s celebrity relative, they’re sent packing.
Wentzel, 23, met the latter fate on Monday.
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Most of the contestants were pretty confident they knew who Wentzel’s relative was -- between peanut and presidential clues planted around the house and the fact that Wentzel admitted that his celebrity relative is 98 years old. Jane, who was revealed to be Dolly Parton’s niece, even guessed that Jimmy Carter would be someone’s potential relative in the premiere episode.
In the end, Wentzel wasn’t officially “outed” as Carter’s grandson, but made the wrong guess himself. Wentzel, when it was his turn to be the “guesser” voted that fellow contestant Chris was related to Elton John. But Chris’s relative is from Utah, which Elton John is not.
Wentzel was eliminated.
Wentzel is the son of Amy Carter, the only daughter of Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter.
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“He believes in equality for everyone, regardless of race, class, gender or anything. I aspire to be like him one day,” he said of his grandfather after he was eliminated. “I love you very much, Papa. You’re amazing, and I’ll do everything I can to keep your legacy alive. Lead with love.”
He also revealed to his fellow contestants that former President Carter is now in hospice care because “he’s very sick.”
“He always wants to be doing something with his mind, so he’s trying to keep himself busy, but he is really sick and getting older,” Wentzel told Entertainment Weekly. “My mom spends a lot of her time with him. She spends almost half her time taking care of him at this point... I haven’t been seeing him as much recently, but he knows that I love him.”
Wentzel also commented to Entertainment Weekly about his grandmother’s dementia diagnosis which was announced in May.
“Yeah, she does have dementia and when I see her, she does forget what’s going on sometimes, but when she remembers it’s amazing,” he said. “I want everyone to know how incredibly important and beautiful she is as a person and a grandma.”
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‘Claim to Fame’ airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. on Channel 2.
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