The Masked Singer (American season 7)
The seventh season of the American television series The Masked Singer (also known as The Masked Singer: The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly[1]) premiered on Fox on March 9, 2022,[2] following a sneak peek episode that aired on February 20,[3] and concluded on May 18, 2022. The season was won by singer/songwriter Teyana Taylor as "Firefly", with actor/singer Hayley Orrantia finishing second as "Ringmaster", and actor/singer Cheyenne Jackson placing third as "Prince".
The Masked Singer: The Good, The Bad, and The Cuddly | |
---|---|
Season 7 | |
Starring | |
Hosted by | Nick Cannon |
No. of contestants | 15 |
Winner | Teyana Taylor as "Firefly" |
Runner-up | Hayley Orrantia as "Ringmaster" |
No. of episodes | 12 |
Release | |
Original network | Fox |
Original release | March 9 – May 18, 2022 |
Season chronology | |
Panelists and host
Nick Cannon, singer-songwriter Robin Thicke, television and radio personality Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, actor and comedian Ken Jeong, and recording artist Nicole Scherzinger all returned as host and panelists.[2]
Guest panelists in the season included Eric Stonestreet in the second episode, Nicole Byer in the fifth episode, and Leslie Jordan in the sixth episode.[4]
Unlike the previous three seasons, there were no first impression guesses made by the panelists, and the Golden Ear Trophy was not awarded for the first time since its introduction in the fourth season.[5]
Contestants
The season features 15 contestants split into three teams known as "The Good", "The Bad", and "The Cuddly".[1] This is the first season since the fourth season not to feature wild card contestants, but also being the first to feature teams.[6]
"Hydra" is the first three-headed costume in the series while also sporting three legs due to its portrayers as well as featuring smoke-breathing features and a large size.[7][8] "Cyclops" is the largest costume to date.[9]
Stage name | Celebrity | Occupation(s) | Episodes | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 | ||||
Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | |||||||||||
G | Firefly | Teyana Taylor | Singer/songwriter | SAFE | RISK | WIN | WINNER | ||||||
G | Ringmaster | Hayley Orrantia | Actor/singer | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | RUNNER-UP | ||||||
G | Prince | Cheyenne Jackson | Actor/singer | SAFE | SAFE | WIN | THIRD | ||||||
B | Queen Cobras | En Vogue | R&B group | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||
C | Space Bunny | Shaggy | Singer | SAFE | RISK | OUT | |||||||
C | Baby Mammoth | Kirstie Alley | Actor | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||
B | Jack in the Box | Rudy Giuliani | Politician | OUT | |||||||||
C | Miss Teddy | Jennifer Holliday | Singer/actor | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||
G | Armadillo | Duane Chapman | TV personality | SAFE | RISK | OUT | |||||||
B | Hydra[lower-alpha 1] | Penn & Teller | Magicians/comedians | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||
C | Lemur | Christie Brinkley | Model/actor | OUT | |||||||||
C | Thingamabob | Jordan Mailata | NFL player | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||
B | Cyclops | Jorge Garcia | Actor | SAFE | SAFE | OUT | |||||||
B | Ram | Joe Buck | Sportscaster | SAFE | OUT | ||||||||
G | McTerrier | Duff Goldman | Pastry chef | OUT |
- G The masked singer is on Team Good.
- B The masked singer is on Team Bad.
- C The masked singer is on Team Cuddly.
- WIN The masked singer won their respective round and moved on to the finale.
- SAFE The masked singer was safe from elimination.
- RISK The masked singer was in the bottom two, but was not eliminated.
- OUT The masked singer was eliminated from the competition and unmasked upon their elimination.
- The masked singer did not perform.
Episodes
Week 1 (March 9)
# | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Thingamabob | "Wanted Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi | undisclosed | SAFE |
2 | McTerrier | "Working for the Weekend" by Loverboy[lower-alpha 2] | Duff Goldman | OUT |
3 | Cyclops | "My Sacrifice" by Creed | undisclosed | SAFE |
4 | Firefly | "Ain't Nobody" by Chaka Khan[lower-alpha 3] | undisclosed | SAFE |
5 | Ram | "I Want You to Want Me" by Cheap Trick | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 2 (March 16)
# | Stage name | Song | Result | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Firefly | "P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)" by Michael Jackson | RISK | |
2 | Cyclops | "Suspicious Minds" by Elvis Presley | SAFE | |
3 | Ram | "Learn to Fly" by Foo Fighters | RISK | |
4 | Thingamabob | "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran | SAFE | |
Duel | Identity | Result | ||
1 | Ram | "Take Me Home, Country Roads" by John Denver | Joe Buck | OUT |
2 | Firefly | "God Is a Woman" by Ariana Grande | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 3 (March 23)
- Group performance: "I Got You (I Feel Good)" by James Brown
# | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Thingamabob | "Classic" by MKTO | Jordan Mailata | OUT |
2 | Cyclops | "Flashdance (What a Feeling)" by Irene Cara | Jorge Garcia | OUT |
3 | Firefly | "Attention" by Charlie Puth | undisclosed | WIN |
Week 4 (March 30)
# | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Miss Teddy | "Tell It to My Heart" by Taylor Dayne | undisclosed | SAFE |
2 | Hydra | "Hey, Soul Sister" by Train | undisclosed | SAFE |
3 | Ringmaster | "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus | undisclosed | SAFE |
4 | Lemur | "I Feel the Earth Move" by Carole King | Christie Brinkley | OUT |
5 | Armadillo | "Secret Agent Man" by Johnny Rivers | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 5 (April 6)
# | Stage name | Song | Result | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ringmaster | "Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj | SAFE | |
2 | Armadillo | "I Fought the Law" by The Bobby Fuller Four | RISK | |
3 | Hydra | "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top | RISK | |
4 | Miss Teddy | "Tell Me You Love Me" by Demi Lovato | SAFE | |
Duel | Identity | Result | ||
1 | Armadillo | "Walking the Dog" by Rufus Thomas | undisclosed | SAFE |
2 | Hydra | "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors | Penn & Teller | OUT |
Week 6 (April 13)
- Group performance: "One Way or Another" by Blondie
# | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Miss Teddy | "Mercy" by Duffy | Jennifer Holliday | OUT |
2 | Armadillo | "Amazing Grace" | Duane Chapman | OUT |
3 | Ringmaster | "I Will Always Love You" by Dolly Parton | undisclosed | WIN |
Week 7 (April 20)
# | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Prince | "La Copa de la Vida" by Ricky Martin | undisclosed | SAFE |
2 | Baby Mammoth | "Walkin' After Midnight" by Patsy Cline | undisclosed | SAFE |
3 | Queen Cobras | "Good as Hell" by Lizzo | undisclosed | SAFE |
4 | Jack in the Box | "Bad to the Bone" by George Thorogood & the Destroyers | Rudy Giuliani | OUT |
5 | Space Bunny | "Jump in the Line" by Harry Belafonte | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 8 (April 27)
# | Stage name | Song | Result | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Queen Cobras | "I Say a Little Prayer" by Aretha Franklin | SAFE | |
2 | Space Bunny | "All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie | RISK | |
3 | Baby Mammoth | "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" by Cher | RISK | |
4 | Prince | "Lay Me Down" by Sam Smith | SAFE | |
Duel | Identity | Result | ||
1 | Baby Mammoth | "Me Too" by Meghan Trainor | Kirstie Alley | OUT |
2 | Space Bunny | "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" by Culture Club | undisclosed | SAFE |
Week 9 (May 4)
- Group performance: "Roar" by Katy Perry
# | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Prince | "Sir Duke" by Stevie Wonder | undisclosed | WIN |
2 | Space Bunny | "Now That We Found Love" by Heavy D & the Boyz ft. Aaron Hall | Shaggy | OUT |
3 | Queen Cobras | "Leave the Door Open" by Bruno Mars, Anderson .Paak & Silk Sonic | En Vogue | OUT |
Week 10 (May 18)
# | Stage name | Song | Identity | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Round 1 | ||||
1 | Prince | "Viva la Vida" by Coldplay | Cheyenne Jackson | THIRD PLACE |
2 | Firefly | "Bad Girl" by Usher | undisclosed | SAFE |
3 | Ringmaster | "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles | undisclosed | SAFE |
Round 2 | ||||
4 | Firefly | "Lost Without U" by Robin Thicke | Teyana Taylor | WINNER |
5 | Ringmaster | "Waking Up in Vegas" by Katy Perry | Hayley Orrantia | RUNNER-UP |
Ratings
No. | Title | Air date | Timeslot (ET) | Rating/share (18–49) | Viewers (millions) | DVR (18–49) | DVR viewers (millions) | Total (18–49) | Total viewers (millions) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
0 | "The Masked Singer Sneak Peek" | February 20, 2022 | Sunday 7:00 p.m. | 0.5/5 | 2.26 | 0.1 | 0.39 | 0.6 | 2.65 | [10][11][lower-alpha 4] |
1 | "Masks Back - The Good, The Bad & The Cuddly - Round 1" | March 9, 2022 | Wednesday 8:00 p.m. | 0.9/7 | 4.15 | 0.4 | 1.80 | 1.3 | 5.95 | [12][13] |
2 | "Masks at Dawn - Round 1" | March 16, 2022 | 0.7/6 | 4.03 | 0.3 | 1.63 | 1.1 | 5.66 | [14][15] | |
3 | "The Double Unmasking - Round 1 Finals" | March 23, 2022 | 0.7/6 | 4.17 | 0.3 | 1.49 | 1.0 | 5.66 | [16][17] | |
4 | "Masking For It - The Good, The Bad & The Cuddly - Round 2" | March 30, 2022 | 0.8/7 | 4.39 | 0.3 | 1.41 | 1.1 | 5.75 | [18][19] | |
5 | "Masking for a Duel - Round 2" | April 6, 2022 | 0.7/6 | 3.97 | 0.3 | 1.30 | 1.0 | 5.27 | [20][21] | |
6 | "The Double Mask Off - Round 2 Finals" | April 13, 2022 | 0.7/6 | 3.97 | 0.4 | 1.40 | 1.0 | 5.27 | [22][23] | |
7 | "Don't Mask, Don't Tell - The Good, The Bad & The Cuddly - Round 3" | April 20, 2022 | 0.6/5 | 3.83 | 0.3 | 1.60 | 1.0 | 5.43 | [24][25] | |
8 | "The Mask of Least Resistance - Round 3" | April 27, 2022 | 0.7/6 | 4.17 | — | — | — | — | [26] | |
9 | "One Mask Hurrah - Round 3 Finals" | May 4, 2022 | 0.7/6 | 4.06 | — | — | — | — | [27] | |
10 | "Road to the Finals" | May 11, 2022 | 0.5/4 | 3.00 | — | — | — | — | [28] | |
11 | "Season Finale: I'm Team Good, Thanks for Masking" | May 18, 2022 | 0.7/6 | 4.19 | — | — | — | — | [29] |
Controversy
Reports prior to the season premiere identified that controversial figure Rudy Giuliani was one of the masked performers during this season, reportedly in one of the first episodes taped. Giuliani's unmasking reportedly prompted panelists Jeong and Thicke to storm off the set as an act of protest,[30] though later reports indicated that Thicke only left to check on Jeong.[31] After Giuliani was not unmasked in the premiere episode, a Fox Entertainment vice president told Newsweek, "...like most productions, the groups are not necessarily taped sequentially, so we don't always know the order they will air," with Newsweek adding on that his appearance was not cut from the show.[32] The unmasking later occurred in the seventh episode broadcast, showing the panelists' surprised reactions, as well as Jeong quietly walking off during Giuliani's unmasked performance. Prior to walking away, Jeong can be seen visibly upset at this reveal, has his arms crossed, and does not partake in the elimination interview.[33][34] The casting was widely criticized,[35][36] and was considered by Wired as a poorly-executed ratings grab, as the episode saw a significant drop in viewership compared to prior episodes in the season.[37] Rob Wade, Fox's vice president of alternative entertainment, said that they were pleased with the choice to include Giuliani as the show "is all about delivering jaw dropping moments", and was only disappointed that sources leaked the reveal early.[38]
Notes
- Because of Hydra's three-legged design and large size, the costume had to be assembled back stage while Hydra had to be wheeled out on a special platform to get it to and from the stage.[8]
- After this performance, McTerrier's mask accidentally came off and he had to shield his head while the panelists shielded their eyes until a crew member ran out and put the mask back on.
- The performance was cut short due to a medical incident where Firefly's portrayer started coughing and had to be taken to see the on-site medical staff. After recovering from the incident, the performance was redone after Ram's performance.
- Live+7 ratings were unavailable, so Live+3 ratings have been used instead.
References
- Andi Ortiz (January 30, 2022). "The Masked Singer Season 7 Costumes Revealed in New Trailer (Video)". TheWrap. Retrieved February 3, 2022.
- Sasha Urban (January 26, 2022). "Masked Singer Season 7 Premiere Date Set at Fox as Network Announces Spring Lineup". Variety. Retrieved January 26, 2022.
- "(SP-2216) "The Masked Singer Sneak Peek"" (Press release). Fox. Retrieved February 8, 2022 – via The Futon Critic.
- Michael Schneider (March 7, 2022). "The Masked Singer Reveals All Season 7 Guest Panelists (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
- Michael Schneider (March 9, 2022). "The Masked Singer Season 7 Premiere Reveals Identity of McTerrier, After Unprecedented Costume Malfunction". Variety. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- Jillian Fabiano (March 1, 2022). "Your First Look At the Cutest New Addition to The Masked Singer Season 7". E! News. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- Lauren Huff (March 2, 2022). "Meet Hydra, The Masked Singer's first three-headed monster costume". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 2, 2022.
- "The Masked Singer Hydra Costume Out Of Control ... Celebs Worried About Safety". TMZ. March 23, 2022. Retrieved April 4, 2022.
- Lorianne Palinkas (March 24, 2022). "Jorge Garcia Reveals Which Lost Co-Star Should Do Masked Singer Next". Screen Rant. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- Mitch Metcalf (February 23, 2022). "Sunday 2.20.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved February 23, 2022.
- Marc Berman (February 21, 2022). "Sunday Ratings: The Winter Olympics Concludes With a Whimper". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
- Mitch Salem (March 10, 2022). "Wednesday 3.9.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved March 10, 2022.
- Marc Berman (March 10, 2022). "Wednesday Ratings: Positive Returns for Survivor on CBS and The Masked Singer on Fox; Domino Masters Left at the Fox Starting Gate". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- Mitch Metcalf (March 17, 2022). "Wednesday 3.16.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- Marc Berman (March 17, 2022). "Wednesday Ratings: Beyond the Edge Opener Underwhelms on CBS; NBC Tops Night". Programming Insider. Retrieved March 27, 2022.
- Mitch Salem (March 24, 2022). "Wednesday 3.23.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- Marc Berman (March 24, 2022). "Wednesday Ratings: CBS Leads; Survivor Tops Night; Beyond The Edge Squanders Lead-In Support". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- Mitch Metcalf (March 31, 2022). "Wednesday 3.30.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- Marc Berman (March 31, 2022). "Wednesday Ratings: CBS' Veteran Survivor Tops Night; Beyond the Edge Squanders Lead-In Support". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- Mitch Metcalf (April 7, 2022). "Wednesday 4.6.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 7, 2022.
- Marc Berman (April 7, 2022). "Wednesday Ratings: The Kardashians Special From ABC News Not So Special". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 9, 2022.
- Mitch Salem (April 14, 2022). "Wednesday 4.13.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 14, 2022.
- Marc Berman (April 14, 2022). "Wednesday Ratings: NBC Wins; Veteran Survivor Solid on CBS". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
- Mitch Metcalf (April 21, 2022). "Wednesday 4.20.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
- Marc Berman (April 21, 2022). "Wednesday Ratings: NBC Wins; CBS' Survivor Solid; Fox's The Masked Singer Sinks to a Creative Low". Programming Insider. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
- Mitch Salem (April 28, 2022). "Wednesday 4.27.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
- Mitch Metcalf (May 5, 2022). "Wednesday 5.4.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
- Mitch Salem (May 12, 2022). "Wednesday 5.11.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
- Mitch Metcalf (May 19, 2022). "Wednesday 5.18.2022 Top 150 Cable Originals & Network Finals". Showbuzz Daily. Retrieved May 19, 2022.
- Mike Fleming Jr (February 2, 2022). "Unmasking Of Rudy Giuliani On Fox's The Masked Singer Prompts Judges Ken Jeong & Robin Thicke To Walk Off In Protest". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 2, 2022.
- Ally Mauch (February 4, 2022). "Masked Singer: Ken Jeong Felt 'Upset' and 'Disrespected' by Rudy Giuliani Reveal, Says Sources". People. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- Jake Thomas (March 9, 2022). "Did Masked Singer Editors Cut Rudy Giuliani? Premiere Has Internet Buzzing". Newsweek. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
- Dana Rose Falcone (April 20, 2022). "Ken Jeong Walks Off of The Masked Singer Set After 1 Contestant's Unmasking: 'I'm Done'". People. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- Peter White (April 20, 2022). "The Masked Singer Finally Unveils Rudy Giuliani: "Is That Robert Duvall?"". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 20, 2022.
- Ani Bundel (February 4, 2022). "Rudy Giuliani's Masked Singer performance is a new TV low". NBC News. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
- Daniel Fienberg (February 4, 2022). "Critic's Notebook: Rudy Giuliani on The Masked Singer Is a New Low for TV Image Laundering". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
- Angela Watercutter (April 22, 2022). "Why The Masked Singer's Rudy Giuliani Reveal Failed". Wired. Retrieved April 22, 2022.
- Peter White (May 16, 2022). "The Masked Singer: Fox Alternative Chief Has "No Regrets" On Casting Rudy Giuliani In Reality Contest". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 16, 2022.