The Masked Singer: Was the Right Contestant Saved on ’60s Night? Plus, Every Season 12 Celebrity Revealed
Fox promised a double elimination on Wednesday’s episode of The Masked Singer, but the judges had other plans.
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The celebrity karaoke contest returned from its post-World Series break with the Group B Finale, pitting Bluebell, Goo and Wasp against one another for a single spot in the quarterfinals. Goo got things started with a haunting performance of The Animals’ “House of the Rising Sun,” followed by Bluebell’s take on The Contours’ “Do You Love Me,” and Wasp’s beautiful tribute to his late mother via Aretha Franklin’s “Ain’t No Way.”
Bluebell was the first elimination of the night, revealing herself to be… singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia, which felt appropriate considering how torn the judges were about to find themselves.
Following a Battle Royale set to Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” Wasp was declared the winner of Group B, securing him a spot in the quarterfinals. But before Goo had a chance to take off his mask, the judges agreed that it wasn’t the slime’s time just yet. With seconds to spare, Jenny McCarthy rang the Ding Dong Keep It On Bell, keeping Goo (whoever he may be!) in the competition.
Did you guess Bluebell’s identity correctly? Were you relieved that the judges used their save on Goo? And who are your guesses for Goo and Swap? Read on for a complete breakdown of everything we’ve learned about this season’s contestants, then drop a comment with your own guesses below.
1. BLUEBELL (Natalie Imbruglia!)
The Group B Finale spelled the end of the road for Bluebell, who turned out to be singer-songwriter Natalie Imbruglia!
2. BUFFALOS
CLUES | What we thought was a single Buffalo turned out to be three, as introduced by Nick Lachey, who claims that one of the Buffalo is always the center of attention at his Super Bowl parties. One of the Buffalo grew up poor and practiced his craft at bus stops, before eventually getting his big break (“it was game on!”) at a cattle call. The so-called “national treasure” went on to star in two of the biggest sitcoms of all time. Visual clues included Betty White and Vanna White on a slot machine, and a crown.
Episode 2 explained that the Buffalos were “rebels” who “found each other along the trail.” They’re funny, they’re corny and they’re apparently rich. As one Buffalo explained, “We’re a little tired right now, because we’re busy using this tractor to mow lawns all around town.” Visual clues included a game of poker and a bottle of poison.
In Episode 3, the Buffalos revealed that they had a fourth member of their group — “a real MacGyver, too, always fixing stuff.” Unfortunately, they lost him suddenly. “Everything we do is for him,” they said. Visual clues included a bell and a Dead End sign.
OUR BEST GUESS | The internet is convinced that Boyz II Men is under those Buffalo costumes, but do the clues really line up? Allow us to throw in another option: Cedric the Entertainer, an original member of the Kings of Comedy (hence the crown). Not only did he share the screen with Betty White during a crossover between The Soul Man and Hot in Cleveland, but he also appeared in the Broadway revival of David Mamet’s play American Buffalo. Could the other two Buffalo be Cedric’s fellow Kings of Comedy, Steve Harvey and D.L. Hughley? They did also mention suddenly losing their fourth member, just as the Kings suddenly lost Bernie Mac in 2008. And think about it, Bernie Mac…Gyver? Tell us we’re not crazy!
3. CHESS PIECE (Laverne Cox!)
There was never a Doubt in our mind that the Chess Piece was Laverne Cox, and our suspicions were confirmed when she was unmasked after being eliminated in Episode 5.
4. DUST BUNNY (Andy Richter!)
It was one and done for Dust Bunny, who was eliminated shortly after his first (and only) performance, revealing himself to be… Andy Richter.
5. GOO (?!)
CLUES | Introduced by NFL wide receiver Keenan Allen in Episode 4, Goo grew up wanting to tackle everything in sight. But the truth is, he’s sensitive. His older brother started playing guitar, which provided Goo with an “escape” in the form of music. He even sang in his school’s a cappella group. Visual clues included a tackle box and a toy train with a disco ball inside. “For me, you may want to focus on the sole of the shoe,” he teased.
Goo is a big-time romantic, which we learned when he shared the story of how he met his now-fiancée at a theme park. Visual clues in Episode 5 included a golden ticket, a plate of apple turnovers and a choir robe. His Barbie Dream House clue felt “fitting” for Robin Thicke, who is apparently a “fan” of this person.
Visual clues in Episode 6 included a chess board (with a rook piece), a bag of gold coins, sheet music and a conductor’s baton. When handed a whistle, he said, “Oh say, can you see… that has a special meaning to me in more than one way.”
OUR BEST GUESS | He’s got to be an athlete, right? That’s not exactly our territory, so we’re still not ready to name names. Robin Thicke is allegedly a fan of both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bears. Are any players on those teams engaged? And possibly covered in slime? Help.
6. LEAF SHEEP (John Elway!)
Leaf Sheep — which is a real creature, if you’re brave enough to Google it — was revealed to be NFL great John Elway in the Season 12 premiere.
7. SHIP (Paula Cole!)
Ship nearly made it to the quarterfinals, but those pesky Buffalos knocked her off course, exposing her as ’90s songstress Paula Cole.
8. SHOWBIRD (Yvette Nicole Brown!)
One of the more obvious Season 12 contestants, Showbird was revealed in Episode 2 to be none other than Ken Jeong’s Community co-star Yvette Nicole Brown. We’re just glad he finally guessed her correctly — that could have been embarrassing.
9. WASP (Mario?)
CLUES | Ne-Yo has known the Wasp since he first arrived on the scene, and he apparently made it big by taking Ne-Yo’s “words of wisdom” to heart. Wasp grew up in a tough neighborhood, but learned to dig deep and fight, leading to him perform on the biggest screens and stages in the world. Visual clues included boxing gloves, a popped heart balloon and the planet Mars. “Fresh kicks help me to stay on my game,” Wasp teased.
Wasp grew up in a house with a dozen family members, but without his father in his life, Wasp felt directionless. After he became successful, he reconnected with his father, who finally said how proud he was. A crab also served as an additional visual clue. “Every minute I’m out there, I take my live performances to new heights,” he teased in Episode 5.
He admired his mother, his protector, for his entire life. But as he got older, he saw cracks in her armor — and couldn’t save her when she faced her darkest battle yet. Visual clues in Episode 6 included a stethoscope and a treasure map. “Just like this bill, I’ve also hit a million,” he teased when presented with a million-dollar bill.
OUR BEST GUESS | OK, hear us out on this one — could Wasp be R&B singer Mario? Not only did Ne-Yo write one of Mario’s earliest hits (“Let Me Love You”), but the popped heart balloon in Wasp’s clue package could also be a nod to his biggest song (“Just a Friend”). As for the planet Mars, that could be referencing Mario’s 2020 EP Closer to Mars. As for the biggest stages and screens, Mario’s career has included roles in movies like Step Up and Freedom Writers, and he played Benny in Fox’s production of Rent: Live.
10. WOODPECKER (Marsai Martin!)
Woodpecker was eliminated in Episode 3, revealing herself to be black-ish star Marsai Martin.
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