Katharine McPhee, 34, engaged to David Foster, 68, his daughter, 35, calls her ‘mom’

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While you were eating your feelings about the rise of fascism, a great love story was taking place. Katharine McPhee, 34, got engaged to music producer David Foster, 68. It will be Katharine’s second marriage and David’s fifth. (One previous marriage isn’t that bad, but four seems a little excessive. Katharine is young though give her time.) It turns out that David was at Katharine’s first wedding, to Nick Cokas in 2008, and that he played the piano at the reception. David wasn’t even on his fourth marriage at that point, he married Yolanda Hadid (Bella and Gigi’s mom) of RHOBH in 2011 and they divorced in 2017. These two got engaged sometime last month after about a year together (although they’ve known each other since at least 2006).

Katharine recently posted details of the engagement, sharing a text message she sent a friend that David proposed in Anacapri, Italy on top of a mountain, joking that he was either going to push her off or ask her to marry him. Romantic.

❤️💍😬 cc: @jaredeng

A post shared by Katharine McPhee (@katharinemcphee) on

She also posted a photo taken on a yacht from that trip, where you can sort of see her new engagement ring. I’ve included an inset of the ring on the photo below. The angle is bad though so you can’t really see the stone, but the setting is pretty. (I tried not to block her adorable floofy dogs!)

katherinemcpheering

As for the headline, David’s daughter, Erin, 35, has jokingly called Katharine “mommmyy” and “stepmom” on social media. It’s kind of funny, and it’s obvious they’re close. They probably have a lot in common and I’ll leave it at that. Another one of David’s daughters, Sarah, 37, commented on the post “out of the country, what did I miss?” Sarah previously told US that she supports her father’s relationship with Katharine and that “We just want someone that’s going to treat him well and that cares about him.” David has three other daughters, the oldest of whom is 48, and seven grandchildren. Congratulations to David and Katharine!

mom

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David Foster and Katharine McPhee hold hands as they arrive for dinner with Tina Fey

Katharine McPhee and David Foster wait for a ride on Central Park South

Photos credit: Backgrid, Pacific Coast News, Getty and Instagram

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97 Responses to “Katharine McPhee, 34, engaged to David Foster, 68, his daughter, 35, calls her ‘mom’”

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  1. the_blonde_one says:

    It’s nice that there’s a ‘daddy’ for every woman with daddy-issues out there.

    • Am says:

      Anthony LaPaglia recently, too.

      • Lisa says:

        Isn’t his wife in her 40s?

      • Am says:

        No, he (59) and Gia Carides (54) divorced in 2015 and he just married Alexandra Henkel (29) after dating for three years apparently.

    • Still_Sarah says:

      Did he get down on one knee,she asked??? Are you kidding? Not at his age.

    • Snowflake says:

      Hahaha

    • Gypsy says:

      Seriously–this chick will do ANYTHING if she thinks it’ll help her career. Guess she needs all the help she can get; OK singer, slightly above average looks, nothing special, and the worst frigging actress ever!

  2. Bridget says:

    I don’t think I would interpret either of the Foster sisters’ comments as them being close to McPhee.

  3. Jane says:

    Am I reading this right?

    He has children older than her.

    I give it 5 years.

    • Celebitchy says:

      4/5 of his kids are older than her

    • S says:

      He has children MUCH older than her…And you’re far more optimistic about their longevity than I am.

    • whatWHAT? says:

      5?!…I give it a year.

    • Pandy says:

      Oh come on! You don’t think this will last and last and last and ….
      Reeks of true love LOLLLLL. The sisters are right to snark. He’s an idiot and she smells career boost. Made in heaven. PS: Any cute she had on Idol is long gone. Wow.

    • Gypsy says:

      Wow, you’re being generous; a year if she’s lucky. By then, she’ll figure out that he’s a creep, and he’ll realise that she’s a gigantic bore.

  4. Toot says:

    She likes older guys. Her ex was much older than her.

    • Gypsy says:

      Don’t forget the older husband of Mary MacCormack, whose marriage she tried to destroy. How trashy.

  5. Lucy2 says:

    Yeah, the four previous divorces would give me even more pause than the gigantic age difference.

    I think her first husband was a good deal older than her too. These just seems a bit extreme though, especially since he has children older than her.

  6. DragonWise says:

    Gross and thirsty.

  7. Jadedone says:

    The Foster sisters dont enough credit for how funny they arw

    • Karin says:

      Agree! They are hilarious.

    • Abby says:

      I was coming over here to say this. I watch Erin’s Insta story every blessed day and it gives me LIFE. Erin and Sarah are just so funny. I didn’t even know who they were for a while, just funny.

      No idea how this marriage will go but…. I don’t think I’d take it well if my dad married someone younger than me.

    • Jen says:

      Totally agree. I follow both on Instagram after watching their show, Barely Famous, and they have a great sense of humor

  8. Lisa says:

    He looks pretty good in these pics in a suit, but I’m going to be petty and say, as far as older men go, I’ve seen hotter.

    • Esmom says:

      He’s clearly very fashion conscious, to the point where it strikes me as try hard, and he’s well groomed but otherwise he’s not attractive at all to me.

      • minx says:

        I was on vacation, looking for a fluffy cheap book on iBooks. I read Linda Thompson’s book and Foster was definitely not the easiest guy to live with.

    • Black granola bar says:

      And what’s the big deal about that?

  9. Tiffany says:

    This dude just loves parting with his money, doesn’t he?

    Or he is just a romantic??

    • SamC says:

      I think he can’t stand being alone but IIRC he’s also the one who has initiated most/all of his divorces. His attorneys must have a standard pre-nup template on file for him at this point.

    • SnarkedySnark says:

      Another day another giant ring, sugar daddy, yaught Cruise. Sigh.

  10. Pia says:

    That “friend” in the text is Jared of Just Jared….what happened to objective reporting? He also posts a million Joey King articles a day too and I think is friends with that whole family.

    • Wellsie says:

      Are you… kidding? “Objective reporting” from a gossip blog? Why would that be a thing?

    • Enny says:

      Wait, he popped the question, and she’s the one who went to Jared?

      (Gong)

      Sorry, I couldn’t resist. I’ll show myself out. 😬

      • Electric Tuba says:

        Don’t show yourself out! Pull up a chair that was hilarious! Hahahahaha

    • Patty says:

      I thought it was Jared’s, the diamond store. It said Jaredeng which I took eng to be shorthand for engagement. I hope it’s not Just Jared.

      That being said, to my knowledge she’s only dated one person in her age range. Her first hubby was 20-25 years older than her; she has daddy issues and DFoster dates young because he can, he has money.

  11. Kate says:

    Is she the one who was making out with Mary McCormack’s husband in broad daylight? Anyway, congrats, I guess.

    • Veronica S, says:

      Yep. And that she has “no regrets” about it because she learned!! so!! much!!, even though, you know, it destroyed her first marriage AND nearly contributed to the demise of McCormack’s. All of her beaus have been at least twenty years her senior, so there are some serious daddy issues rattling around in that girl’s head.

    • Baby Got Back Fat says:

      She’s also the bitch who crashed someone’s wedding with her friend, got kicked out by the bride, and then posted a bunch of videos about it like “what kind of bride has her own security” and “she could have been in Page Six because of us”

  12. Veronica S, says:

    Isn’t this her second husband that is nearly twice her age? What a weirdo.

    Edit: Yep, Cokas was a 1965 baby. She’s got a type, I guess.

  13. Beth says:

    If my dad was rich, elderly and marrying someone younger than me, I’d probably be a little suspicious of why she was around

  14. Boston Green Eyes says:

    Color me strange, but I’ve never heard of either of these two.

    • Tiffany says:

      David Foster is one of the biggest things in music. Just look up his resume. He is no slouch. His name appears on alot of the CD’s (remember those) that I own.

    • Alisha says:

      @Boston Green Eyes he also was once Bella and Gigi Hadid’s stepdad.

      Katherine was once on American Idol (as a runner up I think) and also acts.

      • minx says:

        AND stepdad to Brody and Brandon Jenner, for quite a long time. This guy gets around.

    • Happy21 says:

      David Foster is a HUGE record producer who has produced some of the biggest names ever in music and is credited with ‘discovering’ Michael Buble. I believe he has something like 14 Grammys.

      • holly hobby says:

        He produced the Bodyguard soundtrack and the earlier Celine Dion ones. He’s been around forever and is actually quite good.

      • Jen says:

        He’s a very accomplished record producer and writer. Among other things, he co-wrote Whitney Houston’s ” I Have Nothing” along with his ex-wife Linda Thompson, which is one of my favorite songs.

  15. Alexandria says:

    Almost everyone in Hollywood has Foster as a stepdad or dad.

  16. Elena says:

    Why get married five times?
    She is very pretty when she just rocks her long dark hair.
    That’s all I’ve got.

  17. Nikki says:

    I married a man 3 years younger than me, my sister married a man 7 years younger, and my mom and two daughters all married younger men! I highly recommend going for younger rather than older: you’re motivated to stay hot and youthful, and you don’t have to become a nursemaid to your husband. I don’t see his appeal for the life of me.

  18. Other Renee says:

    Who knows? Five times the charm?

  19. Lioness says:

    Are we buying that she is 34?

    • Am says:

      I think it’s the haircut that’s making her look older. Those bangs are not really flattering to her.

      • Lioness says:

        I think you’re right. The bangs are not good

      • Ankhel says:

        Plus, older husbands do often suck the youth out of women. Take Catherine Zeta Jones, for instance. Pretty girl – married Michael Douglas. Instant middle age.

    • MaryContrary says:

      Yes-I remember her being on American Idol back in the day-and she was young then.

  20. KNy says:

    When I’m having a particularly tough time at my demanding job, I look at people like Katharine McPhee and…I kind of get it. If I married that old man, I could say “peace out” to my job and go on a vacation and not have to worry about the work piling up for me at home. Katherine, I get you, girl.

  21. harla says:

    I too am married to an older man, not 34 years older but still older, so I don’t have an issue with May/December relationships but for some reason this coupling has always grossed me out a bit. And oddly it’s more about her than him, again I don’t know why but it just feels like there’s something “off”, I don’t know I can’t quite put my finger on it, about her.

    • tealily says:

      I’m with you on this. I really don’t have a problem with an age gap, but this one just feels weird. I think it’s the kids being older than her angle.

    • jan90067 says:

      There’s “older”, and there’s “he could be your father as he is TWICE (or more, like in Keith Richard’s, Billy Joel’s etc.) your age”.

      Girl, being a singer, is looking for a big leg up as the case may be. Does ANYONE see this lasting more than a couple of years, tops? Oh, and maybe a kid to cement those payments for 18 years.

      Sorry…feeling really cynical this morning 😝 Need more ☕️…lots more lol

      • Nic919 says:

        The age gap is one thing but the music producer is really why she’s with him. Her career hasn’t panned out the way she thought it would and foster can help her with more things. Remember Smash and how she was supposed to be the broadway ingenue but Megan Hilty was always was better and Leslie Odom Jr became huge in Hamilton?

      • AMA1977 says:

        Just wanted to say…Patti Hansen (Keith Richards’ wife) is 62 to his 74, and they’ve been married for over thirty years. IMO, 12 years between full-gown people (they married when she was 27 and he was 40) is not a big deal like the 34 years between Foster and McPhee.

    • Lady Medusa says:

      I’m with you. I don’t have a problem at all with big age gaps; it all depends on the individual relationship. This doesn’t strike me as a healthy relationship. I give it 7-9 months.

      I’m with an older man, and our relationship is very equal. I used to have daddy issues (and a list of bad relationships to prove it), but years of therapy and solid “me time” helped me address and exorcise those. But I can usually smell my own, so to speak. Katharine definitely strikes me as someone who hasn’t addressed her issues, who is still unconsciously looking for a father figure. There’s just something off about this relationship.

  22. smcollins says:

    And to think she got her start as an American Idol contestant. She’s definitely moved up in the world.

  23. tealily says:

    At least her hairstyle matches his age group.

  24. JustSayin' says:

    For those saying she looks older than 34…..I’ve noticed among my friends who’ve married or are dating older men that they end up looking the same age as their man or close to it. It’s scary. It’s like the ageing process speed up for them, like the men suck the youth out of them.
    Seen it too many times and it’s enough to put me off dating older guys.

  25. perplexed says:

    Her partners keep getting older and older. The next one is going to be 75.

    I can’t tell if she has daddy issues or wants to be involved with men who can help her career.

  26. Happy21 says:

    While I feel like he doesn’t mind that she likely is marrying him because of his status and his money, I do wish them the best.
    He’s from where I live and my dad went to school with him and he used to do a lot of charity work in town here so I even though my first thought isn’t necessarily positive.
    I saw an interesting take on CTV’s The Social yesterday about how older men dating and marrying such younger women is like saying that women lose their worth and value (not monetary but beauty, as people, etc.) as they get older, I had never thought of it that way and I do agree. Especially if the man has a pattern of only getting with younger women. (ahem, Mick Jagger)

  27. holly hobby says:

    He has had the hots for her for a long time (yes back to her first years on AI and after). I have his Music Man concert on dvd and he had all these singers on it (Celine, Josh Groban – yes he was that big). She comes on does an ok job (I’m not really bowled over) and he practically lavishes her with praise. He was with Yolanda at that time and she was with hubby #1.

    Something tells me while he is looking for someone to take care of him (he is of that age), she is looking for a boost up with her musical career. To my knowledge, he hasn’t produced a hit for the last few years. I read his bio and he sounded bitter that some of these singers that he discovered, later went with other producers (Groban and Buble were the ones that stuck out). The gist of his bio was that only he knew how to produce hits and it’s a shame that these singers don’t know that blah blah. I don’t see her sticking around for the long haul. I think she is a user (see how she tried to bust up Mary McCormick’s marriage).

    • minx says:

      I actually could see this marriage lasting. He may just be tired of getting divorced and she’s so much younger that she will defer to him in everything. And he likes that.

      • holly hobby says:

        It would only work if she is actually into him (like the Douglas and Zeta-Jones marriage). However, she has been trying to jump start her singing career for the longest time. I don’t see her sticking around if he doesn’t give her a hit record. Yeah I’m cynical.

  28. Littlefishmom says:

    Hope she never gets sick

  29. AnotherDirtyMartini says:

    They’re perfect for each other. They’re both insane.

  30. paddingtonjr says:

    I’m a bit more concerned about the four previous marriages than the age difference, but she’s not some naive ingenue and he doesn’t seem to have a predator reputation. I certainly hope they leave out the “til death do us part” line from the vows unless they want to give guests a good laugh. Hopefully, they both see this marriage for the temporary, if enjoyable and profitable, situation it is. I can see his appeal to a certain (*cough* thirsty, *cough* famewhore *cough*) demographic: he’s successful, not bad looking and at least two of his ex-wives (Linda Thompson and Yolanda Hadid) have had greater professional success as a result of their marriages. And he gets pretty arm-candy until he gets bored and/or the novelty wears off. Rinse and repeat until Liz Taylor’s record is broken.

    • holly hobby says:

      Linda Thompson wasn’t a nobody. She dated Elvis and was married to Bruce Jenner before she married Foster. Yeah she was well known.

      • paddingtonjr says:

        She was known before her marriage to Foster, but became known as a talented songwriter when she married him.

  31. Totally Old says:

    She’s calling him Daddddy…….girl needs a father not a husband.

  32. Amelie says:

    Meh this won’t last too long. The age gap, the multiple divorces on both sides, Katherine’s thirstiness to become a full-fledged music star… I say 2-5 years at most.

    Also I know I shouldn’t speculate but that picture of her with Foster’s daughters standing in frot of the Bumble Wall: either she’s pregnant or that is a super unflattering dress/angle.

  33. perplexed says:

    Whatever floats your boat, I guess, but I don’t get it. Does anyone ever actually become a star from marrying an older man? Catherine Zeta-Jones is the only one I can think of, but I think that’s because she may actually love Michael Douglas (warts and all) — her marriage gives her a certain kind of security, but it didn’t seem calculated. Plus, I think she may have already been a bigger star than this lady is before she married Douglas.

    I suppose she’ll get money out of the marriage, but wouldn’t the marriage have to last for some time for the payout to come? He looks healthy, so….

    Seems like it would be easier to do a fake romance with Henry Cavill.

    • holly hobby says:

      CZJ was already a star when she met Douglas. It was right around the time Zorro came out. McPhee is doing ok in tv but I think she really wants to sing. I find her meh.

  34. Yes Doubtful says:

    After 5 failed marriages, you are not meant to be married bud.

  35. Harryg says:

    He is just SO pompous.

  36. A says:

    He hasn’t been divorced from Yolanda for so long, and he’s been married a bunch, so I’m not sure why the rush to do it again…..

    Though I will say that even though he’s had so many divorces, he’s had some long marriages – I think he was with Linda Thompson for nearly 15 years, and his first wife for around 10 years. The other two were around 5 years each, and I think he’d still be with Yolanda if she hadn’t gotten sick and become unable to continue waiting on him hand and foot.

  37. maggiegrace says:

    Gross.

    He can suck that paunch in all he wants (e.g., in the white shirt), but that can’t look good up close and personal.

  38. Tara Beth says:

    Man, I wish I was somebody’s 5th wife.