It’s fortunate for Adam Christoferson, the latest winner of “Claim to Fame,” that the show isn’t based on popularity.

“I really had no clue how much everyone was against me,” says the 40-year-old contestant in an interview with YSL News. “I was completely unaware that every single person was targeting me after Episode 3.”

This tension escalated during the finale, where previously eliminated contestants returned to either help or sabotage the three finalists — Christoferson, Mackenzie Adkins (daughter of country singer Trace Adkins), and Hud Mellencamp, who is John Mellencamp’s son.

“Currently, Adam is the primary target,” stated Raphael Miguel Curtis in the episode, blaming Christoferson for his own exit. “You need to face the consequences of your actions.”

Throughout the season, Christoferson baffled his fellow contestants, who only figured out he was related to Michael Bolton during the finale. (He is Bolton’s nephew.)

In the final challenge, which required finalists to decode a pixilated billboard of their opponents with clues, eliminated players chose to ignore Christoferson’s pleas for assistance and actively tried to mislead him. “I’m not getting any help from anyone,” he noted.

While navigating through challenges, Christoferson suffered a head injury from a metal post. Overwhelmed with frustration, he began to cry, fearing he wouldn’t be able to continue. However, he received the go-ahead to proceed and ended up being the only finalist whose billboard remained mostly concealed.

Christoferson had no doubts about recognizing Mellencamp’s identity based on earlier clues and suspected Adkins was linked to either Trace Adkins or Alan Jackson. The sight of Adkins donning a black hat on her billboard confirmed his guess, serving as a nostalgic nod to Christoferson’s father, who raised him on country music.

“It’s amusing because I’m from New England,” he shares, “so I felt out of place at times, but this ultimately helped me in the competition.”

Winning the challenge granted Christoferson the authority to choose the first player to guess. He strategically positioned himself in a way to control the final guessing round.

He confidently opted to guess Adkins first. Once it came down to just him and Mellencamp, Christoferson again took charge, revealing the identity of his closest ally in the game. “It was him and me from the start, so while I was saying John Cougar Mellencamp, everything felt like it was shaking. It was surreal,” recalls Christoferson.

Mellencamp encouraged him by saying, “‘Just take it in.’ I was stunned, thinking, ‘Wow, I can’t believe this is happening.’”

Shortly after being reunited with his wife on the car ride home from the airport, Christoferson shared the news of his victory. Until that moment, he had kept the secret safe with her. He intends to use the $100,000 prize to buy a truck for his father, whom he describes as an “incredible man who gives everything he can.”

Additionally, he formed close bonds with his “Claim to Fame” co-stars, gaining ten new friends. “I tend to be difficult at times, yet they were genuinely kind,” he reflects. Five of them even attended a ceremony for scattering his grandmother’s ashes in Santa Monica Bay. The competitors maintain a lively group chat that he describes as “hysterical.”

Christoferson was initially drawn to the series because of the celebrity connections among the contestants.

“I understand how life is affected when you have a famous relative. I wanted to connect with others who’ve experienced that,” he states. “At one point, I was deeply moved while housemate Naomi Burns shared stories about snorkeling trips with her cousin Molly Ringwald. It really touched me.”

Christoferson’s admiration for his uncle is clear in the finale, as he praises Bolton for his incredible work ethic. “He has shown me that with hard work and dedication, you can create a wonderful life.”

Christoferson fondly recalls the day a limousine pulled up to the modest apartment where he lived with his mother, ready to take them to a concert by Bolton.

“We went through very tough times,” he reflects. “I would gaze up at the stage, captivated by the experience, and my grandmother would tell me, ‘That’s your uncle.’ Then we would go backstage and engage in all these incredible activities.”

Now, as the champion of “Claim to Fame” Season 3, Christoferson is experiencing the rewards of his perseverance and hard work.