SPOILER alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched Season 10, Episode 3 of “The Masked Singer,” “NFL Night,” which aired Oct. 4 on Fox.
“Vanderpump Rules” villain Tom Sandoval became perhaps the second-most hated person to be revealed in “The Masked Singer” history on Wednesday night. (The first, of course, will forever be American traitor and despicable human being Rudy Giuliani, who nearly destroyed “The Masked Singer” in Season 7.) Sandoval was unmasked as the Diver.
Ken Jeong got it right, for the second week in a row, with Tom Sandoval. Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg thought it was Sandoval as well. Robin Thicke and Nicole Scherzinger both went with Pauly D.
Sandoval’s identity was probably the worst-kept secret of “The Masked Singer” Season 10, as fans of the show (and anti-fans of Sandoval) quickly sniffed out his participation. (PvNew previously wrote about it here.)
Sandoval as Diver sang “I Ain’t Worried,” by One Direction, for his performance. (Turns out, he should have been.) Here was his clue package voiceover: “Making my debut as the Diver last week was so rewarding. It felt great to get all the love from the panel and the audience. Something, as you know, I haven’t gotten much of lately. As a kid, I always wanted to be famous. I modeled, I acted and of course, sang. I was always waiting to become a household name. I just didn’t know it would be everyone hating me. But I’m here to show the world that I’m more than my mistakes. Being here already feels like a healing experience. Getting to share my talent instead of my drama is exactly what I needed. So tonight I’m going to keep my eye on the ball, because I am not ready to take off this mask.”
Sandoval is also on the cast of“Special Forces: Worlds Toughest Test,”anotherFox series. Clues that quickly helped viewers figure out it was the “Vanderpump Rules” star included the teaser video in which he said he was “pretty pumped” to be on the show. And Sandoval is no stranger to performing music, via his cover band Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras.
Tom Sandoval as Diver joins Anthony Anderson as Rubber Ducky and one-time special guest Demi Lovato as Anonymouse as the Season 10 unmasked celebrities.
“The Masked Singer” features a new format this season, with three groups followed by Battle Royale semi-final episodes. The season also includes the return of Wild Card contestants, with one Wild Card introduced to each group, and the “Ding Dong Keep It On Bell” is back in the Battle Royale semi-final episodes, where the judges can choose to save one contestant from elimination and move them directly to the finale.
With sixteen total celebrity singers, Season 10 features new costumes including “Donut,” “Anteater,” “Hawk,” “Hibiscus,” “Diver,” “Gazelle,” “Royal Hen” and a life-size “S’More.” Also returning to mark the show’s 10th are celebrities who have been previously unmasked since the show began. According to the show, Season 10 contestants “boast a combined 40 medals, 33 Grammy nominations, seven hall of fame awards, three lifetime achievement awards and over 50 tattoos.”
The season’s themed episodes will include a tribute to Elton John; a “Trolls Night” tied to the November release of DreamWorks Animation’s “Trolls Band Together”; a “Harry Potter Night” airing the week of Halloween; “NFL Night”; “One Hit Wonders”; “Disco”; “2000s Night”; “I Wanna Rock”; and “Soundtrack of My Life.” Back for Season 10 are host Nick Cannon, alongside panelists Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Nicole Scherzinger, Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke.
Here were the other performances on this week’s episode:
Cow
Song: “Treasure,” by Bruno Mars
Panel guesses: Usher, Trey Songs, Ne-Yo, Mario, Nelly, Jason Derulo
Clue: Brought out my Le’veon Bell. Tap shoes. “Much like a Super Bowl halftime show, I am known for my killer moo-ves.”
Package voiceover: “Last week was udderly fantastic, and I’m excited to make it this far with the cream of the crop. Tonight, I’m honored to be a part of NFL night. Even though I don’t have many memories of watching the Big Game with my dad. He wasn’t really around and I didn’t have a lot of positive male role models growing up. I was raised in a house of all women, who made me the sensitive cow that I am. Now as a parent I know the value of being present for my children. I’ve always achieved a lot of success in my life, but my greatest accomplishment has always been my kids. It’s so easy to get overwhelmed by the smoke and mirrors of fame, but I told myself early on that I’m a family cow first. So when I get on that stage I’ll be thinking of them and treasuring every single moment.”
Previous song: “Bones,” by Imagine Dragons
Previous panel guesses: Shawn Stockman, Usher, Leslie Odom, Jr.
Diver
Song: “I Ain’t Worried,” by One Direction
Panel guesses: Pete Davidson, Tom Sandoval, Pauly D
Clue: Presented by a superfan: A club. “I’m well suited for the club. I know how to get the club going, wassup.”
Package voiceover: “Making my debut as the Diver last week was so rewarding. It felt great to get all the love from the panel and the audience. Something, as you know, I haven’t gotten much of lately. As a kid, I always wanted to be famous. I modeled, I acted and of course, sang. I was always waiting to become a household name. I just didn’t know it would be everyone hating me. But I’m here to show the world that I’m more than my mistakes. Being here already feels like a healing experience. Getting to share my talent instead of my drama is exactly what I needed. So tonight I’m going to keep my eye on the ball, because I am not ready to take off this mask.”
Previous song: “Any Way You Want It,” by Journey
Previous panel guesses: Adam Levine, Tom Sandoval, Scott Disick
Gazelle
Song: “The One That Got Away,” by Katy Perry
Panel guesses: Leighton Meester, Constance Wu, Auli’i Cravalho
Clue: Presented by Antonio Gates: “Villain.” “I’m not actually a villain, but I can play the part. Gazelle’s got range.”
Package voiceover: “Last week was such a redemptive experience. Now, I am ready to tackle the competition. Because I feel right at home on this stage. There were a lot of times I didn’t know if there was a place for me in the entertainment industry. At just 8 years old, I was pressured to change my name to blend in more with the herd. Casting directors couldn’t figure out where I fit because of my unique look. I wondered if I could ever truly be myself and pursue my greatest passions. Fortunately, the world is changing and there are more opportunities every day. I’m proud of my heritage, and proud to be able to continue to blaze the trail for girls who look like me.”
Previous song: “Uninvited,” by Alanis Morrisette
Previous panel guesses: Camila Mendes, Lucy Hale, Vanessa Hudgens
S’more
Song: “Moves Like Jagger,” by Maroon 5
Panel guesses: JC Chasez, Kevin Richardson, Simu Liu
Clue: Presented by Desean Jackson: Oranges. “I tasted victory before and it’s so sweet, I hope to do so again here at the ‘Masked Singer.’”
Package voiceover: “Last week I burst forth with bravado, and I’m thrilled to have made it to NFL night. I was born for the fearless life in the spotlight. But my father was afraid to lose his son to the fantastical world of fame. While I was still in high school, a huge opportunity to work with an industry legend came my way. But when my dad found out, he told me to turn down the gig. I made the hard decision to move out. Years down the road, I conquered the Broadway stage. A life-long goal. There was no way it could get any better. Until one night after curtain call, I saw my dad backstage. Hearing him say he was proud of me was really the biggest win I could ask for. So dad, this one’s for you.”
Previous song: “Slow Hands,” by Niall Horan
Previous panel guesses: Joey McIntyre, Justin Guarini, Kevin Richardson
Wild Card: Pickle
Song: “Pinball Wizard,” by the Who
Panel guesses: Craig Kilborn, Dax Shepard, Conan O’Brien, Howard Stern
Clue: Presented by the VIPs: “On Air.” “When I speak, people listen. Are you listening, Ken? I get paid a lot to talk. I’m bringing that BDE, big dill energy.”
Package voiceover: “To be honest with you, I never imagined myself dressing as a pickle, singing center stage. But now that I’m here, this wild boy is planning on winning. And trust me, I’ve learned to never count myself out. When I was younger, all my teachers thought I was nothing. Said I was a hyper-disruptive kid who didn’t have interest in anything but sports. It was basically decided that I was a bad boy with no future. But once I found my true passion, I became laser focused. Nothing or nobody was going to stand in my way. Lo and behold, I reached massive success, rubbing elbows with some of the most famous people on earth. Tarantino, Scorsese, Short. Maybe you’ve heard of them. Yeah, my mouth still gets me into beef. But that hyper distructive kid became a super successful, hyper, disruptive adult.”
“The Masked Singer” is produced by Fox Alternative Entertainment, with James Breen (who is also showrunner), Craig Plestis and Cannon as executive producers.
