Picture this: it’s Wednesday night; millions of families flock downstairs to their living rooms and plop their bodies down on the couch. One person picks up the remote control, immediately turning to FOX. At 8:00 PM (Atlantic Time) on the dot, a gimmicky introduction segment commences complete with bad puns, over-the-top graphics, and Nick Cannon’s obnoxious voice. The Masked Singer has finally begun. 

Somehow, the scenario above is not a fever dream. The Masked Singer somehow manages to repeatedly claim the top spot for most watched entertainment show on network television since its inaugural season back in 2019. Even crazier, Season 3’s premiere episode amassed 23.70 million views directly after the Super Bowl. 

In its first six seasons, the program has featured D-list stars hidden behind elaborate masks, ranging from living legends Patti LaBelle and Chaka Khan to standout basketball players Victor Oladipo and Lonzo Ball. However, a fair share of controversial contestants have been given a platform through the show (cough, Logan Paul), leading some frustrated viewers to storm onto their Twitter accounts and post complaints using #TheMaskedSinger.

It does not help that half of the judging panel is just as bad. Robin Thicke, only known for his rape anthem “Blurred Lines”, has been accused of groping supermodel Emily Ratajkowski while shooting his borderline pornographic music video. He is joined by Jenny McCarthy, a notorious antivaxer who believes she cured her son’s autism through a disproven method called chelation therapy. 

Unfortunately the host’s actions cannot be ignored, too. Nick Cannon, formerly the emcee for America’s Got Talent, conveniently left the gig shortly after racist “jokes” resurfaced online. However, more recently, he has been under fire for anti-semitic comments. 

The recent premiere featured everyone’s least favorite judges, the disgraced Nick Cannon himself, and five brand new masked characters. Thingamabob, McTerrier, Cyclops, Firefly, and Ram took to the stage to perform following their clue packages that possibly contained the worst CGI and lamest jokes ever. Mix in some poodles on jackhammers, roller skates, trippy special effects and voila – the hour has almost come to an end. 

And it’s not The Masked Singer without a little bit of drama sprinkled into the mix, right? 

During McTerrier’s performance, his head fell off after singing “Working for the Weekend” and the show immediately cut to a commercial break as the audience gasped out loud. Plus, just a few seconds into Firefly’s rendition of “Ain’t Nobody”, she began coughing and tapped out. Cue the next commercial break!

McTerrier ultimately ended up getting the boot and was revealed as Food Network star Duff Goldman. The Kids Baking Championship co-host remains relatively unknown to 99% of the population, but at least he’s known for being a decent human being.

Speaking of decent human beings, a recent report claims that a man with an insanely shady past was on set: Rudolph Giuliani, former attorney to Donald Trump. Rudy once had a decent reputation as New York City’s mayor during 9/11, but his reputation has been tarnished ever since. 

While the show may not have had much credibility before this particular leak, the breaking news caused a media frenzy in which many loyal viewers vowed to never watch a single episode again. Even crazier, Rudy’s alleged unmasking caused Ken and Robin to exit the stage. 

Yes, even the man with rape accusations cannot tolerate Rudy being in the same room as him. 

The Masked Singer is not the only show that casts conservative politicians with negative press. Dancing With the Stars saw Sean Spicer bust some moves in the ballroom and Celebrity Big Brother invited Anthony Scaramucci as a HouseGuest. Both castings were met with overwhelmingly negative receptions by critics and fans alike. 

If only everyone in Hollywood could be like Dionne Warwick or Kermit the Frog, maybe reality TV featuring “celebrities” would not be such a mess.