Fox
SPOILER ALERT: Don’t read ahead if you haven’t watched Season 9, Episode 11 of “The Masked Singer,” which airs April 26 on Fox.
Lou Diamond Phillips managed to do something few other contestants on “The Masked Singer” did: he silently shocked the show’s panel. Phillips was the latest celebrity to be unmasked on the Fox series, revealed as Mantis on the Wednesday night show.
Also unmasked in this episode: Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen, who turned out to be the gargoyle.
It was “Battle of the Saved” night, as Medusa, Gargoyle and Mantis – three contestants who had been saved earlier this season – battled it out to advance to the next round. New this season was “Ding Dong Keep It On,” a new twist on the competition, where panelists had the chance to save a singer from impending elimination. The bell could only be rung three times in the first three rounds, leading Medusa, Gargoyle and Mantis to face off in this week’s battle to join the competition.
Phillips said he’s been approached several times in the past to appear on “The Masked Singer,” but his schedule didn’t allow for it. This time he did, but he wanted to get his teenage daughter’s blessing first. “I’ve watched the show for several seasons now and it’s so much fun, and it’s a real crowd pleaser,” he said. “My youngest daughter Indigo, who is 15, is her favorite show. She goes on a FaceTime with a friend of hers and they watch together.
“So when the opportunity came up, I said, ‘Indigo, what do you think?’ She thought about it because, you know, there’s the ‘dad world’ – the movies and the things on TV that I do – and then there’s the ‘indigo world’ – stuff that she likes. there was a point where it’s like, ‘Please don’t ruin my show.’ She thought about it and finally gave me permission. And then she got really excited about it, especially when she saw the costume. It turned into a nice little family adventure.
For Mantis, no one understood. Panelist Robin Thicke thought it was Dennis Quaid. Nicole Scherzinger went with Steve Buscemi. Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg nominated Kevin Bacon. Ken Jeong cast Brendan Fraser.
“I was under no illusions,” Phillips said. “I knew performing in this costume was going to be a challenge. Because it’s not a mask, it’s a fucking construction on your head! And between that, the wings and the tail, it was really about figuring out how I could create movement and a stage persona.
Phillips said he was offered to wear a drysuit and at first he didn’t think he needed it. “And then after the first dress rehearsal you get drenched, just drenched,” he said. “It takes a lot of energy to maneuver this costume and to perform in it, in the big faux leather jacket and all the shoulder gear that holds the head in place. It was a really steep learning curve to figure out how to go out and perform and not just stay in one place and sing.
In the case of the Gargoyle, the panel also failed. Thicke picked the wrong loader, Joey Bosa. Scherzinger said it was Marshawn Lynch. Jeong went with Anthony Mackie. McCarthy Wahlberg nominated Michael B. Jordan.
Like last season, “The Masked Singer” again adopted a “Champion of Masked Singer” format. Each episode, three costumed celebrities will perform, but only one will win and compete again the following week. After each round, three finalists will face off in the semi-finals.
This means that a contestant will be unmasked midway through the episode, with the top two singers going head-to-head in a “battle royale.” After Phillips as Mantis was the first to be unmasked, it left Gargoyle and Medusa to face “Centuries” from Fall Out Boy. Gargoyle received fewer votes and was unmasked as Allen; Medusa moves forward.
Lou Diamond Phillips as Mantis and Keenan Allen as Gargoyle join Melissa Joan Hart as Lamp, Alicia Witt as Dandelion, Dee Snider as Doll, Christine Quinn as Scorpion, George Wendt as Moose, Holly Robinson Peete as Fairy, Alexa Bliss as Axolotl, Lele Pons in Jackalope, Malin Akerman in Squirrel, Michael Bolton in Wolf, Grandmaster Flash in Polar Bear, Debbie Gibson in Night Owl, Howie Mandel in Rock Lobster, Sara Evans in Mustang and Dick Van Dyke in Gnome as celebrities unmasked this season.
‘The Masked Singer’ enters Season 9 with 21 contestants, including ‘Mustang’, ‘Axolotl’, ‘California Roll’, ‘Dandelion’, ‘Moose’, ‘Gargoyle’, ‘Jackalope’, ‘Doll’, Polar Bear “, “Night Owl”, “Rock Lobster”, “Gnome”, “Macaw”, “Squirrel”, “Wolf” and more. Tim Chappel is the costume designer for this season.
Season 9 nominees “bring a total of 28 Emmy nominations, six Grammy wins, 10 gold albums, four Golden Globe nominations, five medals, 26 books, two Tony Award nominations, five Lifetime Achievement Awards, four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a total of 95,231,000 records sold. Season 9 will feature all-new themed episodes, including “ABBA Night,” “New York Night,” “DC Superheroes Night,” “Sesame Street Night,” “80s Night,” “Movie Night,” and more.
Here are the competitors and their performances on the eleventh night:
Medusa, “The Masked Singer” (Michael Becker/Fox)
Pete Dadds
Jellyfish (WINNER)
Song“Mercy”, by Shawn Mendes
The panel guesses: Lorde, Susan Boyle, Kesha
Hint: “A.k.a.” “Here I am known as Medusa, and at home I am known by my name. But for the world, I’m going through something completely different.
Voice over package“I was devastated when I found out I had lost to the California Roll. They were so good I knew I was going home. So when the bell rang, I couldn’t believe it. It’s really exciting to get another chance, especially from judges that I respect and admire. I’ve always felt like an outsider. This whole experience takes me back to the beginnings of my career, where I had to constantly proving to people that I was worthy of their time and energy. That’s why every time I sing, I really feel like I’m going to a different place. Free from ego, from insecurities, and it’s all about the music and feeling the emotion. I didn’t know how attached I was to that mask until I almost lost it. Hope tonight’s performance will allow me to last a little longer.
Previous songs: Happier Than Ever, by Billie Eilish; “Dancing Queen”, by ABBA; “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra
Assumptions of the previous panel: Elle Goulding, Megan Markle, Jessie J, Charli XCX, Dua Lipa, Lorde, Tove Lo, Lorde, Apple Martin, Dakota Johnson; Lorde, Florence Welch, Shirley Manson, Susan Boyle, Kesha. And when she was about to be rejected: Ken Jeong chose Susan Boyle, Robin Thicke went with Kesha, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg said it was Halsey, Nicole Scherzinger guessed Lorde.
Nick Cannon and Gargoyle, “The Masked Singer” (Michael Becker/Fox)
Pete Dadds
Gargoyle (KEENAN ALLEN)
Song: “DJ Got Us Fallin’ in Love”, by Usher feat. pit bull
The panel guesses: DeSean Jackson, Michael B. Jordan, Anthony Mackie
Hint: “Pregame.” “Whether I’m listening to my own track or one of the greats, music always gets me into the zone.”
Voice over package“I thought I was broke. I thought I was going home. Then they rang the bell and kept me alive. I’m grateful they’re giving me another chance. I was super nervous the last time, because I had never been on a stage like this. Even though I am used to playing in front of thousands of people in gigantic halls, here I wear this mask and I wear four layers “I always feel like everyone is watching me. It’s tough, but I have more experience as an underdog than anyone else. I’ve been on teams who have always had to prove that they deserve to be in the national spotlight. So, I’m going to use that to my advantage. I’m going to have to tap into my inner killer and seize the performance.
Previous song: “One Call”, by Charlie Puth
Assumptions of the previous panel: Antonio Gates of the LA Chargers, The Weeknd, Odell Beckham Jr.
Mantis, “The Masked Singer” (Michael Becker/Fox)
Pete Dadds
Mantis (LOU DIAMOND PHILLIPS)
Song: “You Really Got Me”, by the Kinks
The panel guesses: Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, Thomas Lennon
Hint: “Movie Maverick”. “I’ve won awards for my independent spirit. But the real reward is getting more movie credits than Ken.
Voice over package: “My God, it takes my breath away to have a second chance. I did not expect to be out of the first episode. This is my daughter’s favorite show. I saw the show, and you You have ridiculously talented singers! We know I’m not known as a singer. So, I thought I was gonna come over, try to get by, be entertaining. And then Robin chose to save me. is like a Cinderella story! When you touch someone’s heart, it makes all the difference in the world. I’ve been off the beaten path for most of my career. I don’t fit into the classic mold of a lot of people as a main man. I was very rarely anyone’s first choice. I always felt like I had to earn it, I had to work for it. And the beauty of that is that I love the work. I love the craft. I even love doing that. I turned him into this stage persona, and he became this god of rock. It would be absolutely wonderful to win it all. There are no more saves.
Previous song: “Old Time Rock and Roll”, by Bob Seger
Assumptions of the previous panel: Dennis Quaid, Cole Hauser, Kevin Bacon, Bruce Springsteen. And when he was about to be rejected: Jeong said it was Bruce Springsteen. (“Worst guess ever!” Scherzinger said.) Scherzinger thought it was Keanu Reeves. McCarthy Wahlberg chose Kevin Bacon. Thicke guessed Dennis Quaid.