Music mogul David Foster is facing backlash after a resurfaced video shows him calling his wife, famous singer Katharine McPhee, “fat” while on the “American Idol” stage.
Foster, in the video that went viral Thursday, references McPhee’s body weight when she first appeared on “American Idol” for season 5 in 2006. The resurfaced video shows McPhee back on the reality competition show stage, recalling how she met her husband in that very spot. She referenced the turn her life took.
It all began “when I was a little chubby and cheerful contestant on ‘American Idol.’ Look at me smiling!” McPhee said, as she pointed to a photograph of that moment that had flashed on the big screen. What happened next has become the focus of fans.
Foster responded to his wife’s statement by saying, “Oh, yeah. You were fat!”
The video went viral on TikTok and other social media platforms.
Countless replies and comments are pouring in, accusing Foster of being abusive to his wife. A number of fans claimed that if Foster could so nonchalantly call his wife “fat” in public, he was likely saying far worse things to her behind closed doors.
McPhee didn’t seem overly surprised by Foster’s response during the on-stage interaction between husband and wife.
The video shows McPhee continuing with her conversation without seeming to miss a beat. She addressed her husband’s comment directly while continuing to speak into the microphone.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 02: (FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY) (L-R) David Foster and Katharine McPhee attend the 2024 MusiCares Person Of The Year Honoring Jon Bon Jovi at Los Angeles Convention Center on February 02, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic) Getty Images
“’I was a little chubby, okay?” she said in her own defense.
“Just young,” McPhee, who is now 40 years old, said.
The situation was a sensitive one. McPhee spoke out about her struggle with eating disorders and admitted she suffered from bulimia in the past, according to a previous interview with ABC News. She told the news outlet her bulimia was “really out of control” in 2005, the time she auditioned for American Idol. (RELATED: ‘It Hurts Him’: Jelly Roll’s Wife Says He Quit Social Media After Being Bullied About His Weight)
“He is a total disgrace wait next wife will be on her way,” one person wrote.
“I am Canadian [Canadian flag emoji], (as is David) … and I apologize for our country, for that outdated, misogynistic, disgusting remark,” another said.
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA – APRIL 27: (L-R) David Foster and Katharine McPhee perform onstage during Gateway Celebrity Fight Night 2024 on April 27, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Gateway For Cancer Research)
The Grammy-winning record producer and McPhee married in 2019 and welcomed a son in 2021.
Foster, 74, was married four times before tying the knot with McPhee, including his marriage to Yolanda Hadid, the mother of models Gigi and Bella Hadid.
