In the world of celebrity, shared last names often lead to mistaken assumptions, and Riley Gaines is no stranger to such confusion. Many have speculated that the Republican activist and former swimmer might be related to Chip and Joanna Gaines, the beloved couple from HGTV’s “Fixer Upper.” However, Riley herself dispelled these rumors in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on July 15, 2025. “Not related to Chip and Joanna Gaines btw,” she tweeted, sparking a playful thread of replies from others humorously denying connections to famous figures with similar surnames. One user, @Rob_Sisson, jokingly tweeted, “Not related to Harry Sisson btw.”
While Riley didn’t specify what prompted her to address the speculation, the timing hints at a desire to distance herself from the HGTV stars, who were recently embroiled in controversy. Chip and Joanna faced backlash for featuring a same-sex couple in a promotional video for their Magnolia Network. As Riley is known for her outspoken views and criticism of the transgender community, she likely wanted to avoid being associated with the couple during this contentious period.
Although Riley has not made any public statements directly criticizing Chip and Joanna Gaines, Chip did respond to the criticism on X. He expressed his disappointment with the negative reactions, writing, “It’s a sad Sunday when ‘non-believers’ have never been confronted with hate or vitriol until they are introduced to a modern American Christian.”
The confusion over Riley’s last name doesn’t end with the HGTV duo. Some speculate a connection to Rowdy Gaines, another swimmer, with some even mistaking Riley for Rowdy himself. Unlike Riley, Rowdy Gaines is a celebrated Olympic athlete who has won three gold medals and has been a prominent TV swimming commentator since the 1996 Olympics. Despite the substantial age difference—Riley being 25 and Rowdy 66 in October 2025—the mix-up persists. As one X user pointed out, “I’m pretty sure Riley Gaines gets so much attention because folks confuse her with Rowdy Gaines (no relation), an Olympic gold medalist swimmer who has been a TV swimming commentator at every Olympics since 1996.”
What have the Gaines been up to?
While Riley Gaines has clarified that she shares no affiliation with Chip and Joanna Gaines, some still think Riley is related to Rowdy Gaines, who is also a swimmer. Some even mistake them for the same person. Unlike Riley, however, Rowdy has actually gone to the Olympics, winning three gold medals as a result. They also share a massive age gap. As of October 2025, Riley is 25 years old, while Rowdy is a 66-year-old man. Of course, that hasn’t stopped the confusion. As one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter, “I’m pretty sure Riley Gaines gets so much attention because folks confuse her with Rowdy Gaines (no relation), an Olympic gold medalist swimmer who has been a TV swimming commentator at every Olympics since 1996.”
As far as Riley’s possible connection to Chip and Joanna, they all appear to be on diverging paths. In addition to complaining about transgender athletes, Riley also announced that she was pregnant in June 2025, giving birth in October. “One day we’ll show our daughter these photos and explain that, despite how happy we look, our lives weren’t yet complete,” she posted to Instagram, alongside her maternity photos. “We’re ready for you, baby girl.” Meanwhile, Chip has been busy hyping up his wife over landing her very own Barbie doll. “Joanna is already in a class of her own.. but when @barbie called and asked to make her part of their doll family, I nearly burst with pride,” he shared on Instagram alongside Joanna holding a copy of a prototype of her doll.