Who is that? The Masked Singer‘s seventh season started making headlines before the premiere even aired, thanks to one controversial contestant.
One month before the show’s March 9 premiere, Deadline reported that panelists Robin Thicke and Ken Jeong walked off set after one of the new characters was unmasked as Rudy Giuliani. The former New York City mayor’s costume remained a secret at the time, but some fans were upset that the otherwise apolitical show had chosen such a polarizing figure for the cast.
The Giuliani controversy came nearly two years after the series drew backlash for inviting former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to compete as the Bear. The Going Rogue author was sent home in March 2020 during her first episode after performing a rendition of Sir Mix-a-Lot‘s “Baby Got Back.”
Palin later said that one reason she did the show was to hit back at her critics. “I knew it would be so refreshing and so freeing and well, in a real respectful way, kind of a walking middle finger to the haters out there in the world where I could do whatever I wanted to do and not care what anybody said because they wouldn’t know until after the fact,” she said during a May 2020 episode of the Masked Singer aftershow. “So it all worked out.”
Giuliani wasn’t unmasked during the season 7 premiere, but the episode still made headlines after the McTerrier accidentally knocked his own head off mid-performance. The contestant managed to hide his face from the panelists, but he still got unmasked at the end of the episode after being voted the weakest performer of the evening.
Though he went home first, Duff Goldman, who was inside the McTerrier costume, still had a blast competing on the show.
“I had so much fun on The Masked Singer,” he said in a post-show video shared via the series’ official Instagram account. “Everybody here is so cool. I put on this outfit and all of a sudden, I know I’m singing for millions of people, and I totally didn’t care. It was incredible.”
The Charm City Cakes founder also made history as the first person to accidentally lose their mask during the show. Mickey Rourke famously unmasked himself during his first outing in season 4, but he did it on purpose and self-eliminated.
The Masked Singer airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET. Keep scrolling for a complete list of clues about each contestant:
Credit: Michael Becker/FOX
The McTerrier: Team Good
McTerrier's first clue package showed him advertising a "terry towel" that's good for cleaning anything right up to the edges. Other hints included a gold vinyl record, red birthday cake and a hatchet with a gold star on it. After his first performance, McTerrier noted that he plays many instruments and considers himself an artist.
REVEALED: Duff Goldman
Credit: Michael Becker/FOX
The Ram: Team Bad
Ram's first clue package began with a theater marquee reading "Macbeth x Hamlet." Other hints included a referee calling a touchdown, a piggy bank reading "quarter return" and a horse figurine. The package also noted that the Ram has heard boos and cheers in his career, is used to telling stories "under lights" and has followed in his father's footsteps.
During the March 16 episode, Ram hinted that he knew guest panelist Eric Stonestreet. His mega clue was a golden envelope, which he said he would add to his "collection."
REVEALED: Joe Buck
Credit: Michael Becker/FOX
The Cyclops: Team Bad
Cyclops told the panelists that he connected with monsters more than heroes as a child. His first clue package included a compass pointing southeast, a turtle wearing a cowboy hat and a comic book.
In the March 16 episode, Cyclops revealed his mega clue: a meteorite that he said crashed to Earth in 1988. He added that it came from "a galaxy far away" and landed in Jeong's backyard.
Cyclops' third clue package featured a replica of Michelangelo's David statue and a lottery ticket with the number "15" on it. He mentioned that one of his favorite musicians previously asked him to feature on their album and he was super flattered. There was also a hint that he hosts or has been on a podcast.
REVEALED: Jorge Garcia
Credit: Michael Becker/FOX
The Thingamabob: Team Cuddly
Thingamabob said that he "grew up" with rock music, which "transformed" him. His first clue package included a bald eagle, a tip jar with a bell on it, a tackle box and a Hotel California ornament. Bulldog, who was unmasked as Nick Cannon in season 5, also made a cameo during the package.
In week two, Thingamabob joked that he could have bench-pressed Jeong when he was 8 years old. He also said a lot of people think he's big and scary, but he wants to show his cuddly side as the Thingamabob. His mega clue was a group of shields carried by the men in black, and he noted he left his "trident" backstage.
The third clue package included a red suitcase with a black bull on it. Thingamabob said that he didn't have much as a child and wanted nothing but the approval of his parents. When he finally started pursuing his dream, his parents were "skeptical" and his siblings stopped talking to him. He also told the panel that not everyone believed he could succeed on The Masked Singer because of what his job is.
REVEALED: Jordan Mailata
Credit: Michael Becker/FOX
The Firefly: Team Good
Firefly's inaugural clue package included a playbill from an Apollo Theater comedy show, a photo of Tyler Perry and a gold replica of the Statue of Liberty. After her first outing, she told the panelists that she's been performing her entire life.
For her mega clue, Firefly revealed a photo of Pharrell Williams, who she said had been one of the major "keys" of her career. Reflecting on her stumble during the season premiere, she said, "The show must go on."
In
the March 23 episode, Firefly said that she loved dressing up in her
mother's clothes as a child and performing for an imaginary audience. At
that point, the clue package showed a photo of Kanye West.
She said she performed for her neighbors and one of them actually
helped her get her first gig. The package also included a fire alarm and
a stick of dynamite labeled "TNT."
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