‘The Masked Singer’ Reveals Identity of the Beach Ball: Here Are the Stars Under the Mask – Variety

SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched “The Masked Singer” Season 6, Episode 8, “Giving Thanks,” which aired November 3 on Fox.

Honey Boo Boo, we hardly knew you. Reality TV mother and daughter stars June Edith “Mama June” Shannon and Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson joined “Masked Singer” on Wednesday night as new Wild Card contestants the Beach Ball, but were quickly unmasked at the end of the eighth episode of Season 6, “Giving Thanks.” (Episode 7, which aired last week, was a special best-of clip show without performances or an elimination from this season’s contestants.)

Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg thought it was Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi and Jenni “JWoww” Farley. Ken Jeong went with Kim and Khloe Kardashian. Nicole Scherzinger guessed Kristin Wiig and Annie Mumolo. Robin Thicke said it was Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs. Guest panelist Joel McHale also went with Snooki and JWoww.

Shannon and Thompson as the Beach Ball sang “Party in the USA,” by Miley Cyrus.

“Coming in as the wild card definitely makes sense because my whole life has kind of been wild,” Thompson said in the show’s voiceover. “I was thrown into the game at a very young age and in the spotlight for a very long time. I had famous recipes and I even had a hit single that I recorded in just one take. And best of all, I’ve had my biggest supporter right by my side. Until recently, when both of us went our separate ways. I would call out for them, and they just weren’t there. When they found out I was doing the show, we reconnected. The greatest thing is I know my biggest supporter will always have my back. So whatever happens tonight, I’m truly thankful for that.”

“Mama June” Shannon and Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson (Beach Ball) joined Rob Schneider (Hamster), Ruth Pointer (Cupcake), Larry the Cable Guy (Baby), Tyga (Dalmatian), Toni Braxton (Pufferfish), Vivica A. Fox (Mother Nature) and Dwight Howard (Octopus) as the next celebrity to be unmasked on Season 6 of “The Masked Singer.”

“It was definitely very hot,” Thompson said. “We had a lot of things going on. We had to move the mouth, make sure we didn’t roll off the stage, it was a lot.”

“The Masked Singer” entered Season 6 with the return of a studio audience for the first time since the pandemic began. This season’s costumes include Baby, Banana Split, Beach Ball, Bull, Caterpillar, Cupcake, Dalmatian, Hamster, Jester, Mallard, Mother Nature, Octopus, Pepper, Pufferfish, Queen of Hearts and Skunk.

The Season 6 contestants boast a combined 85 Grammy Nominations and 27 wins, three Academy Award nominations, 12 Emmy Nominations, 12 Razzie Award Nominations, two Super Bowl appearances and two Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The show’s panelists will once again compete for a “Golden Ear” trophy based on their first impressions of each masked performer (which McCarthy has won the last two seasons). Jeong went into episode eight with a point, ahead of everyone else.

As for Beach Ball, Thicke’s first impression was Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs; McCarthy Wahlberg’s initial choice was Kim Zolciak and Erika Jayne. Jeong picked Kim and Khloe Kardashian. Scherzinger gave Kristin Wiig and Annie Mumolo for her first impression. No one gained a point.

Also new this season, a “Take It Off” buzzer will allow the show’s panelists to prematurely demand a celebrity remove their mask, if they’re convinced they know who it is. They’ll get two extra points toward the Golden Ear tally if they’re right. If they’re wrong, they’ll be “severely punished.”

This week, McCarthy Wahlberg almost pressed the button for Caterpillar, and then stopped herself.

Here were the other contestants and their performances:

Mallard

Song:: “Play Something Country,” by Brooks & Dunn
Previous songs: “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy),” by Big & Rich; “My House,” by Flo Rida
Turkey drop clue: “Crown”
Voice-over: “One thing this duck is thankful for, is family. In fact, I rose to fame as part of a pretty famous one. Soemtimes family has its challenges. I’ve had scrutiny over stuff a family member has said. But no matter how much you disagree, you still have to get together at the end of the day and have a good ol’ supper together. And always remember that there’s probably always more things that we’re alike than we’re different. This next song is from someone I basically consider family, Luke Bryan. Years ago he asked me to get on stage and sing this song. But one problem: I didn’t know the words. I just couldn’t do it. And I have regretted that my whole life. So tonight is my redemption.”
Panel guesses: Billy Ray Cyrus, Kiefer Sutherland, Jack Osbourne, John Rich
Previous panel guesses: Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley, Billy Ray Cyrus, Freddie Prinze Jr., Nick Offerman, Jon Bon Jovi, Mario Lopez

Caterpillar

Song: “It’s Gonna Be Me,” by *Nsync
Previous song: “If I Were a Boy,” by Beyoncé
Turkey drop clue: “Pop”
Voice-over: “I didn’t know my whole family growing up. So when I became a telemarketer, it kind of gave me an excuse to call them. I would call over and over, but I was scared to tell them who I really was. When I finally told them, they wanted to connect. But I had a lot of apprehension, because I wasn’t sure they wanted to get to know the real me. To my surprise, they accepted me with open arms. So you just never know how a simple phone call can change your life. The thing I’m most thankful now is good air conditioning on stage because I’m going to need it. I’m letting the world and judges know it’s gonna be me.”
Panel guesses: Keegan-Michael Key, J.C. Chasez, Joey Fatone, Lance Bass, AJ McLean
Previous panel guesses: Howie D., Aaron Carter, AJ McLean

Queen of Hearts

Song: “River,” by Bishop Briggs
Previous song: “Born This Way,” by Lady Gaga; “La Vie En Rose,” by Edith Piaf
Turkey drop clue: “Home”
Voice-over: “One thing I’ve learned in my life is the power of words. When I was discovered, the press wasn’t real kind to me. Some of their words were critical, telling me what I should or shouldn’t wear, what I should or shouldn’t look like. All because I was a woman. But I didn’t listen. I’ve always written my own story. I’m really thankful for my experiences, and hopefully I’ve made it a little easier for others to follow. I’m doing this show to push myself. After the last performance, I wanted to pivot a little. I changed the song last minute, so it’s definitely a risk. My rehearsal was terrible. I said I wanted to be challenged, so here I am. And hopefully I can pull it off.”
Panel guesses: Kacey Musgraves, Jessica Simpson, Jennifer Lawrence, Jewel
Previous panel guesses: Britney Spears, Kellie Pickler, Faith Hill, Carrie Underwood, Fergie, Renee Zellweger, Ireland Baldwin, Ashley Judd, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus

Banana Split

Song: “Let ‘Er Rip,” by The Chicks
Previous songs: “A Million Dreams,” by Pink; “Cry Me a River,” by Michael Bublé
Turkey drop clue: “Director”
Voice-over: “[Split] We are so thankful to be doing this together, genuinely. We’re having so much fun. The last time we worked together, it was a nightmare. We bickered so much. [Banana] It’s true, because she’s impossible! [Split] No, you don’t want to learn new things! Aren’t you supposed to get better at things when you work at them? [Banana] Is this full-fledged therapy? [Split] It might be! But to our surprise, people really did like what we did together. [Banana] I think people saw the magic in us and they wouldn’t stop watching. We’re really grateful to be working together, one more time, here. [Split] If you say so! [Banana] But I am incredibly claustrophobic, just afraid of not being able to breathe. They built me a special costume but I can’t see out of it. [Split] Every performance seems to be getting a little easier, and for that we are thankful.”
Panel guesses: Sutton Foster and Hugh Jackman, Jeff Goldblum and his wife Emily, Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick, Zooey Deschanel and Lamorne Morris
Previous panel guesses: J. Lo and Mark Antony, Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow, Katharine McPhee and David Foster, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, Craig Robinson and Ashley Tisdale, Camila Cabello and Shawn Mendes, Sara Bareilles and Josh Groban