SPOILER alert: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 9, episode 8 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired April 5 on Fox.
We’re not gonna take it. No, we ain’t gonna take it. Dee Snider’s not gonna be on “The Masked Singer”… anymore!
That’s right, the Twisted Sister frontman was the next celebrity to be revealed on Wednesday’s edition of “The Masked Singer,” as the Doll.
Snider had won the previous week as Doll, but his journey ended here. For Doll, no one got it right. Panelist Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg thought it was Iggy Pop. Robin Thicke went with Gene Simmons, Nicole Scherzinger named David Lee Roth and Ken Jeong guessed Austin Butler.
Like last season, “The Masked Singer” has once again adopted a “Champion of Masked Singer” format. Each episode, three costumed celebrities will perform, but only one will win and move on to compete again the following week. After each round, three finalists will compete in the semi-finals.
That means one contestant will be unmasked midway through the episode, with the top two singers facing off in a “battle royale.” After Snider as Doll was first to be unmasked, that left Dandelion and Mantis to face off with “(I’ve Got a) Golden Ticket” by Jack Albertson and Peter Ostrum from “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Mantis received fewer votes and was about to be unmasked.
For Mantis, Jeong said it was Bruce Springsteen. (“The worst guess ever!” said Scherzinger.) Scherzinger thought it was Keanu Reeves. McCarthy Wahlberg picked Kevin Bacon. Thicke guessed Dennis Quaid.
But new this season is “Ding Dong Keep It On.” In the new twist to the competition, panelists will have the opportunity to save asingerfrom looming elimination, but the bell can only be rung three times during the first three rounds. Those three singers will then face off on a special episode in a battle to rejoin the competition. On Wednesday, the bell was rung, and Mantis was saved. He’ll go up against Medusa and Gargoyle in the wild card round.
Dee Snider as the Doll joins Christine Quinn as Scorpio, George Wendt as Moose, Holly Robinson Peete as Fairy, Alexa Bliss as Axolotl, Lele Pons as Jackalope, Malin Akerman as Squirrel, Michael Bolton as the Wolf, Grandmaster Flash as Polar Bear, Debbie Gibson as Night Owl, Howie Mandel as Rock Lobster, Sara Evans as Mustang and Dick Van Dyke as Gnome as the celebrities unmasked this season.
It was “Movie Night,” actually “Warner Bros. Movie Night” (a sponsorship tied to the 100th anniversary of the studio). Warner Bros. Discovery also sponsored a “DC Superheroes Night” on “The Masked Singer” earlier this season.
“The Masked Singer” enters Season 9 with 21 contestants include “Mustang,” “Axolotl,” “California Roll,” “Dandelion,” “Moose,” “Gargoyle,” “Jackalope,” “Doll,” Polar Bear,” “Night Owl,” “Rock Lobster,” “Gnome,” “Macaw,” “Squirrel,” “Wolf”and more to be announced. Tim Chappel is this season’s costume designer.
The Season 9 contestants “boast a combined 28 Emmy nominations, six Grammy wins, 10 gold albums, four Golden Globe nominations, five medals, 26 books, two Tony Award nominations, five Lifetime Achievement Awards, four stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and a combined 95,231,000 records sold.” Season nine will introduce all-new themed episodes, including “ABBA Night,” “New York Night,” “DC Superheroes Night,” “Sesame Street Night,” “80s Night,” “Movie Night” and more.
Here were the contestants and their performances on night eight:
Mantis (SAVED)
Song: “Old Time Rock and Roll,” by Bob Seger
Panel guesses: Dennis Quaid, Cole Hauser, Kevin Bacon, Bruce Springsteen
Clue: “True story.” “Representing a legend was key to my success, and it was an honor to do so.”
Package voiceover: “In a world, where celebrities dress up in elaborate costumes and sing their hearts out, one gentle mantis is answering the call. ‘I’m in!’ And is ready to show you a new side of himself. Flying onto the Masked Singer stage comes a performer known for his brooding persona. And he’s ready to show you he’s real freaking good at comedy. He’s almost won an Emmy for it. You may not know the Mantis as a singer, but he’s a published author. He’s done Shakespeare. And now he wants to let loose and dance with the wolves. Music has followed Mantis his whole career, from Broadway to the silver screen. So, get ready for some insect insanity. Because this bug is coming to the stage. Right now.”
Dandelion (WINNER)
Song: “Over the Rainbow,” by Judy Garland
Panel guesses: Zooey Deschanel, Emmy Rossum, Reese Witherspoon
Clue: “Billboards.” “These heels were made for performing. TV, movies, concerts and even charting next to Olivia Rodrigo.”
Package voiceover: “My life has always felt kind of like a movie. ‘The Wizard of Oz,’ to be exact. Like Judy Garland, I started my career when I was just a kid. I’ve worked with all the greats: Madonna, Flea, Sir Elton John. The living and the dead. But the way I am, I was restless for a home. A place to play my keys. So, I put down roots, in a musical city. Sadly, much like the Wizard of Oz, a devastating twister hit my home. But just like dandelions growing through the cracks in the concrete, I rebuilt. I learned no matter what, there’s always sunshine after the rain. Which is why I’m so excited to sing this song tonight.”
Doll (DEE SNIDER)
Song: “Jailhouse Rock,” by Elvis Presley
Panel guesses: Gene Simmons, Austin Butler, Slash, Sebastian Bach
Clue: “King Status.” “Besides making movies, the King and I share making platinum records.”
Package voiceover: “Last week, it was down to me and Scorpio. She gave a heck of a show, even the splits! There’s no way I can do that, especially in these six-inch heels. So, I says to myself, I’ll just do what I do best: Sing and look damn good doing it. And I just let her split her way off the show! I can’t wait to bring down the house tonight. Because I’ll be singing a song from one of my favorite artists. The King. I love Elvis, and I loved the movie. And I’ll let you in on a family secret: I may have sung this once or twice before. And here’s another family secret for all you suckers (a lollipop heart). What do you think of this sweet, sweet clue?”
Previous song: “Don’t You (Forget about Me),” by Simple Minds
Previous panel guesses: Gene Simmons, Vince Lee, Tommy Lee, Donnie Wahlberg, Sebastian Bach
