SPOILER alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 5, Episode 4 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired March 31 on Fox.
Logan Paul admits his experience on “The Masked Singer” got off to a rough start. Paul, who was the next celebrity to be unmasked on Wednesday’s episode of “The Masked Singer,” said learning to sing and dance at the same time for the show wasn’t exactly what he expected.
“I can barely sing, I’ve never performed in this way, let alone adding dancing to this,” said Paul, who performed as Grandpa Monster. “This is a nightmare. And it was at first, until I crossed that hump and really started falling in love with the show.”
But he recalled being “scared and hesitant” early on. “My PR team got the angry call, I was like, ‘this show is not for me I’m not good at it. They’re having me dance, I thought I was gonna sing!’” Paul said. “And they’re like, just trust the process, believe in yourself.”
So Paul did, and his tune changed after his first episode. “I was like oh my gosh, this really is fun,” he said. “once you just like open up and let go, this is a great place to be vulnerable and get a fresh start, if you will, because you’re anonymous. And the moment I fell in love with the show then I got eliminated in round two!”
He then joked, “And that’s just the way it works, man. When you get attached to things, you get screwed over! Never fall in love, kids. That’s the lesson.”
Paul also fell in love with his costume, the elderly Grandpa Monster, precisely because it felt like the opposite of his energetic self. “I loved him,” Paul said. “So I didn’t I didn’t really need choices. I thought he’d be a fun misdirect in his geriatric nature, and then me like a kid, teeming with life on the inside like busting out of a grandpa costume. I thought that’d be funny and provide a nice little juxtaposition.”
Indeed, he managed to fool the show’s panelists. Nicole Scherzinger got close (but not quite) by naming Jake Paul — Logan Paul’s brother. Meanwhile, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg went with Michael “The Miz” Mizanin; Ken Jeong thought it was Kevin Hart; and Robin Thicke thought it was Johnny Manziel (“Johnny Football”).
“I was stumped at the feedback and how many people did not guess me,” Paul said. “I was certain, like I think I even called my manager after the first performance and I was like, my voice is so identifiable, there are so many clips of me screaming, yelling, singing online. People are going to guess that it’s me, not to mention I’m jumping and sprinting and kicking across the stage. But few people guessed it was me. Which I guess proves the whole model of the show is that the anonymous singing is harder to predict than one would think.”
For his second song, Paul sang “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett. Prior to that, he had performed “Mambo No. 5 (A Little Bit of…),” by Lou Bega. Had Paul continued, he was prepping Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” for his next song.
“I was convinced that I was gonna make it to round three,” he said. “I even said in the post-performance interview, I was like, there’s no way I’m going home tonight, I felt like I crushed it. I felt like the energy was there, I felt like my performance was fine.”
Meanwhile, this isn’t Paul’s only high-profile TV appearance this week; he’s also set to guest star on Friday’s episode of “WWE Smackdown” — also on Fox — as the guest of Sami Zayn. “I just doing stuff,” Paul said. “I like working and I like putting on big shows. Masked Singer blessed me with the opportunity to be on the show and WWE invited me.”
As for whether he wants to explore more singing, Paul said, “I would if I also didn’t have a million other things going on. It was tough to fit it in the schedule, they’re pretty demanding days. And I’m in a full training camp to fight Floyd Mayweather right now so the takeaway I had was just that I really do love performing and if I can continue to do that on a scale that big like I definitely will.”
Meanwhile, guest host Niecy Nash continued her run on Wednesday’s show, as the fill-in for regular host Nick Cannon, who was unable to return for the first several episodes of this season due to a COVID-19 diagnosis.
Also new this season, “wildcard” contestants will be introduced into the competition and join the battle for the golden mask trophy. Season 5 celebrity contestants will be split into two groups of five (A and B), but then all-new masked celebrities will jump into the “wildcard” rounds and compete as well. Additionally, the show has added a new character, a rooster named “Cluedle-Doo,” who promises to add some mischief to the proceedings and share additional clues to viewers.
This season’s costumes include Raccoon, Seashell, Black Swan, Snail, Grandpa Monster, Phoenix, Chameleon, Russian Doll(s), Porcupine, The Piglet and the wildcards. Paul as Grandpa Monster Trejo joins previously unmasked celebrities Danny Trejo (as Raccoon), Caitlyn Jenner (as Phoenix) and Kermit the Frog (as Snail).
The Season 5 contestants boast a combined 26 Grammy nominations, nine multi-platinum singles, four Academy Award nominations, three Super Bowl appearances, six gold medals and two world records.
The show’s panelists are also once competing for a “Golden Ear” trophy based on their first impressions of each masked performer (which McCarthy won last time). Jeong and McCarthy Wahlberg each had a point so far, heading into this episode. This week, for Grandpa Monster, McCarthy Wahlberg went with Morgan Freeman; Jeong went with Emmitt Smith; Thicke’s was Jonny Manziel; and Scherzinger went with Cam Newton. None of them got a point.
Here were the other contestants and their performances on episode two, “Group B Wildcard Round — Rule of Claw”:
Piglet
Song: “Good to Be Alive (Hallelujah),” by Andy Grammer
Piglet’s 1st crush: Meg Ryan. “I’m a romantic, she’s the queen of romcoms, it’s a match made in heaven.”
Panel guesses: JC Chavez, Austin Mahone, Jonathan Knight
Voice-over: “Making my debut on this stage with four days notice was a wild ride. But I countered my nervious energy with a love song that made me feel right at home. When you’ve got your eye on the prize, no pain, no tears and no archnemesis can stand in your way. I always had the chops. But it was my competitive nature that made me a hometown hero. When I got to the big leagues, I never anticipated a lifetime of competition with my archrivals. But that only made me train harder. Because I never throw in the towel. Tonight, when those lights come on, it’s Friday night all over again, even on a Wednesday. Clear eyes, full belly, can’t lose.”
Previous song: “Speechless,” by Dan + Shay
Previous panel guesses: Adam Lambert, Charlie Puth
Black Swan
Song: “In My Blood,” by Shawn Mendes
Black Swan’s 1st crush: D’Angelo. “His voice and talent, he plays every instrument, he’s just the one for me.”
Panel guesses: Demi Lovato, Lindsay Lohan, Ashlee Simpson
Voice-over: “I might have seen confident while I was singing, but I was terrified. So hearing all the love from the panel felt amazing. It made me want to put into words how thankful I am to the person who brought me to life and gave me the confidence to start this journey. It hasn’t always been an easy journey for us. The higher I flew, the harder it became for them to keep up. I saw their heartbreaking, so I had to let them go. It was the hardest decision of my life. Over time, I realized I was only able to soar because of the wings they gave me. Eventually we were able to fly back into each others’ lives, just like birds of a feather do. I’m thankful we never gave up on each other, and I hope this performance shows them how much they mean to me.”
Previous song: “Barracuda,” by Heart
Previous panel guesses: Anya Taylor-Joy, Camilla Cabello, Leona Lewis.
Chameleon
Song: “21 Questions,” 50 Cent feat. Nate Dogg
Chameleon’s 1st crush: Salma Hayek. “I have a thing for hot ladies. And the chick right here is smokin’.”
Panel guesses: Iman Shumpert, Dwyane Wade, 2 Chains
Voice-over: “I knew if I was going to hold my own against these powerhouse singers, I couldn’t just blend in. I had to stand out and let my flow shine. My whol life has been about embracing what makes me unique. And I’ve made it my quest to help others shine too. When I was young, someone inseperable from me was constantly attacked for who she was. It was hard to witness, but I helped lift her up until she was ultimately able to embrace what made her unique. But then tragedy struck, and she was taken from me. It was the most difficult thing I think I ever faced. Now I honor her memory by fighting for those who don’t feel accepted. Because I want everyone to feel proud showing their true colors.”
Previous song: “Ride Wit Me,” by Nelly
Previous panel guesses: Dwight Howard, Redfoo, Nick Cannon
WILDCARD: Crab
Song: “Ain’t No Sunshine,” by Bill Withers
1st crush: Janet Jackson. “We grew up together on ‘Good Times.’”
Panel guesses: Lenny Kravitz, Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill
Voice-over: “All my life I dreamed of being a star. And I was blessed that my dream came true in a flash. Everyone around the globe wanted to be like me. I felt like a King Crab. But with every blessing, tragedy seems to follow. It’s been a struggle dealing with the darkness that has followed me and my family. We’ve endured so many twists, turns and traumas. But through the pain, it’s the strength of my family that allows me to stand and be a star again. My song tonight is a tribute to that love and the family members who have gone before me. Because after all the darkness, it’s time to finally let the light back in.”
