This has been quite a season for announcements from Clay Aiken.

Aiken, who besides making news as an openly gay father, is currently starring on Broadway in Monty Python’s Spamalot.

His latest accomplishment is the announcement of the winner of the “Write Clay’s Playbill Biography Contest,” which provided members of the singer’s fan club the opportunity to pen his official bio for program of the Tony-winning musical.

And the winner is: Jo-Anne Lopez of Carlsbad, Calif. Her publication-worthy prose (which takes into consideration the musical spoof’s humorous reference to Finland):

Two weeks after Clay Aiken announced he is an openly gay man, the Spamalot Broadway actor has taken to the Web to explain his coming-out decision to his fans.

“I would have preferred to separate my personal life from my professional life,” Aiken, 29, writes on his clayonline.com. “But, living as myself without discussing my sexuality publicly would have been as impossible.”

Writing on various message boards, many Aiken fans expressed feelings of betrayal by the American Idol alum.

No Apologies

Discussing himself in a 2003 Rolling Stone interview, Aiken opined that male celebrities are either considered womanizers or gay. “Since I’m neither one of those, people are completely concerned about me,” he said.

He says he will not apologize for the response, saying, “When this guy started asking me about things that I didn’t really know how to answer for myself, things that I was not yet ready to admit to folks like my mother and my family, things that I found intimidating and invasive, I responded in what I assumed was a benign way at the time.”

In conclusion Aiken blogs, “I am not defined by my sexuality. It is, simply, a small facet of the same person I have always been. Nothing has changed.”

RELATED GALLERY:
• 2003: Relive Clay’s Idol days!
RELATED ARTICLES:
• 2006: Clay addresses those persistent gay rumors
• 2004: Clay talks touring and Claymates!

Clay Aiken’s fellow American Idol stars are thrilled for the new daddy - and one even has her own baby news.

“Congratulations! I am very happy for him,” Rickey Smith, 29, told PEOPLE. “He has great morals and ethics, and I think his baby will be brought up in love.”

Smith added that baby Parker Foster Aiken’s birthdate of Aug. 8 has a personal significance.

“My grandmother’s birthday, God rest her soul, was August 8,” Smith said. “I lost her, but here, another life has been born, so that’s pretty memorable to me. Eight is a lucky number in my family - so tell %26#91;Clay%26#93; welcome to the family!”

“Before Idol, he worked with children %26#91;as a teacher%26#93;, so I definitely think that experience will help him,” she said. “He’ll be a great dad, and a great role model. And I hope %26#91;the baby%26#93; grows up with his voice, for sure!”

An ecstatic Carmen Rasmusen sent big news with her congratulations. The Salt Lake City, Utah-based singer is expecting her first child with husband Brad Herbert, 25, son of Utah Lt. Governor Gary Herbert.

“I’m actually expecting my first boy this Christmas,” the five-months-along former Idol contestant, 23, told PEOPLE. The couple met at Brigham Young University and married in 2005.

“Isn’t this crazy? We’re going to both be parents! It’s so exciting - we went from being nobodies to being on American Idol together, and now starting our families %26#91;at the same time%26#93;.”

Clay Aiken sure has a lot to sing about lately.

The American Idol runner-up’s son, Parker Foster Aiken, was born in North Carolina on Aug. 8. And now comes word that the singer will reprise his role as Sir Robin in the Broadway musical Monty Python’s Spamalot.

Aiken, 29, who performed the role earlier this year from January to May, will perform in the show from Sept. 19 to Jan. 4.

According to Variety, Aiken’s initial run in Spamalot “had a noticeable effect on box office. Weekly sales … surged the week Aiken joined the cast and took a steep tumble … after he departed.”

-David Caplan

Eight is definitely enough for Clay Aiken and his best friend Jaymes Foster. The two welcomed their son Parker Foster Aiken at 8:08 a.m. on 8/08/08.

So what do all those eights add up to?

Numerology expert Daniel Hardt says the proud parents may have business on the brain for their newborn.

“Eight is a very powerful number. It’s a number of mastery,” says Hardt of Life Path Numerology in Indianapolis, Ind.

Eight is also a lucky number in Chinese culture, which is why the Opening Ceremonies for the Summer Olympics are scheduled for 8/08/08.

Hardt cautions that though eights signify business acumen for the child, they come with a caveat.

“Some people try for an eight because they think it will mean money,” says Hardt, “but sometimes you will end up causing some challenges in the life that will not necessarily be desirable for that child.”

Ultimately, he believes eights will bring the tiny Aiken luck. Says Hardt: “I think in this case, it’s going to be a good situation.”

Clay Aiken is a daddy!

The former American Idol contestant and music producer Jaymes Foster welcomed a baby boy Friday morning, the singer said in a statement on his Web site.

“HE’S HERE!” Aiken, 29, writes. “My dear friend, Jaymes, and I are so excited to announce the birth of Parker Foster Aiken (No hyphens. One first name. One middle name. One last name.)”

Parker, whose name is his grandmother Faye’s middle name, weighed 6 lbs., 2 oz. and was 19 inches long. He was born at 8:08 a.m.

“Wow … 8:08 … 08/08/08,” added Aiken. “The little man is healthy, happy, and as loud as his daddy. Mama Jaymes is doing quite well also.”

Clay’s mom also said that baby Parker has “dark hair” and that Clay is “smiling from ear-to-ear” about the news.

In May, it was confirmed that Foster, 50, became pregnant via in vitro fertilization.

Though they are not romantically linked, Clay and Jaymes plan to raise the child together. The two met when Aiken competed on Idol, and Foster - who is the sister of legendary music producer David Foster - has produced several of his albums.

• Reporting by DAVID CAPLAN

Clay Aiken is just weeks away from becoming a dad, so it’s only fitting that the singer and UNICEF ambassador is blogging about children’s issues.

Aiken, 29, recently visited Somalia and Kenya, and has been blogging about the trip on the UNICEF Web site.

In his final posting, Aiken writes how violence during the country’s election earlier this year left thousands of children homeless. And even though the unrest has decreased, many of the kids have not returned to their schools.

Aiken continues, “Every child has the right to an education. Education transforms lives and breaks the cycle of poverty that so many children are caught in. And an educated child will make sure his or her own children receive an education too.”

Next up for Aiken? Fatherhood. As PEOPLE confirmed in May, Aiken artificially inseminated music producer Jaymes Foster, whom he met when he was on American Idol. Foster, the sister of legendary music producer David Foster, is due in August.

The “Claymates” are showing an outpouring of support after a rep for producer David Foster confirmed to PEOPLE that Clay Aiken is fathering a child with David’s sister, music producer Jaymes Foster.

“OMG Clay Aiken is my Hero,” writes one fan on claymaniac.com. “I love him and wish him the best of luck!”

Adds another on the same site: “Now today I almost choked on my sandwich, Clay is going to be a father? And in three months? It blew me over. All I can say is ‘Congratulations!’ That is going to be one handsome and talented baby.”

Still, there were some doubts: “How can he have time with his baby if he’s always on a busy schedule. Like tours, CD releases, talk show%26#91;s%26#93;. Life becomes crazy with a baby.”

Still, the majority of comments on fan sites and blogs were positive.

One person in the Claymates Yahoo group gushed, “I think the child would be so lucky to have them as parents. … This is their business and we should not be judging Clay or Jaymes.”

The page dedicated to Aiken on popular music widget iLike had also had supportive comments. Writes one fan, “Wow … I am kind of shocked. But Clay always wanted to be a father so good for him! It was just sudden news, I am still shocked … I wonder if his kid will inherit his pipes!”

Adds another: “Here’s a toast to Clay and Jaymes for the healthy arrival of their baby in August. This baby will be loved, however it came to be. “Lover All Alone” is a great collaboration with David Foster - and this will be a great collaboration with his sister Jaymes. Congrats!”

Clay Aiken’s friends are sending him support and good wishes after hearing news that he’s going to be a father with music producer Jaymes Foster.

“Congratulations, Clay!” says American Idol alum Jennifer Hudson. “I think he will be a good parent.”

Actor Eric Roberts and wife Eliza says their close friend Foster - the sister of music producer David Foster - pulled them aside at her 50th birthday party in Los Angeles in March to tell of her pregnancy with a friend, whom they later learned was the 29-year-old Aiken.

Foster, who has been friends with Aiken since they worked together on Idol, was artificially inseminated, and is due in August, a rep for her Foster’s brother tells PEOPLE.

Eliza Roberts stresses: “People should understand: It’s not like he’s the donor and she’s the surrogate. These are two people who made a very loving decision to have a baby together.”

Talked on Bus

Former Idol contestant Carmen Rasmusen, who toured with Aiken after the second season, says, “I’ve always thought Clay would make a great dad. He’s great with kids. … He’s accomplished a lot in his career, so it’s probably a good time for him to be a dad.”

While on the tour bus, Aiken would talk about wanting to become a father, Rasmusen says.

“I remember him saying, ‘I can’t wait to be a dad and have a family and have my own kids,’” recalls she. “He really was looking forward to being a father, even five years ago. I thought it was so cute that that was a priority for him.”

• Reporting by MOLLY LOPEZ, TIFFANY McGEE and PAMELA WARRICK

Clay Aiken is going to be a father, PEOPLE has confirmed.

“The story is true,” a rep for producer David Foster, the pregnant woman’s brother, told PEOPLE Wednesday, of the TMZ.com report that Aiken, 29, impregnated David’s sister, music producer Jaymes Foster. “It is true Clay is the father. She was artificially inseminated by Clay. She’s due in August.”

The rep added of Aiken and Foster, “They have been friends ever since American Idol, when they worked together.”

Foster also executive produced Aiken’s album A Thousand Different Ways.

Aiken’s reps have not yet commented.