'The Masked Singer' recap: This singer has to leaf! Host, most of panel guessed star
Spoiler alert! This story contains details from "The Masked Singer" Season 2, Episode 8, including the identity of the eliminated celebrity.
Wednesday's episode of Fox's "The Masked Singer" involved a smackdown – and we're not talking about the slights shot between panelist Ken Jeong and guest judge Joel McHale.
After "The Hangover" actor warned host Nick Cannon, "Don't get me started on height," McHale swiped Jeong's cushion and revealed the prop to the audience.
"Look what he's sitting on," McHale said, hand in the air. "He's sitting on a pillow."
"Cut that out," Jeong directed. "That's not cool, Joel. You're so immature!"
Battles also raged between contestants. Flamingo and Leopard faced off, as did Flower and Rottweiler. The two who fell short in the challenges competed to save their space on the singing show.
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Flamingo took to the stage after dropping hints at her "chateau."
"I'm so happy, I feel like I'm living in a fantasy," Flamingo said. Her home was decorated with global landmarks – the Eiffel Tower and the Taj Mahal. Flamingo also hinted at being Hispanic. She spoke in Spanish, and musicians danced around her pool wearing sombreros.
While belting out Patti LaBelle's "Lady Marmalade," Flamingo reached notes that seemed to amaze the audience and had the entire panel – which also includes Jenny McCarthy, Robin Thicke and Nicole Scherzinger – out of their chairs.
"Somebody came to win!" Scherzinger said of the confident performance. McCarthy said Flamingo "slayed."
In a statement that also served as a clue, Flamingo said, "When I started this show, I was shaking in my feathers, but each performance has helped me build my confidence, and now I feel like I can do anything."
The panelists' guesses were wide-ranging. McCarthy suspected Adrienne Bailon, while Jeong thought Bella Thorne could be inside the hot-pink costume. Flamingo might be Fantasia Barrino, said Thicke. McHale threw out trainer Jillian Michaels.
The night's second act, Leopard, shared that as a teen, he “set myself free for the first time.” He added, “I never want to forget that moment when I chose to just be me.” New York and Paris were also mentioned by the costumed celeb, who sang Earth, Wind & Fire's "September."
For his clue, he spoke of his family. "I want to tell everybody how perfectly exciting it has been playing the Leopard, but how utterly shocked my little ones are going to be when they find out it’s me."
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Jeong praised Leopard as "a master of theatrics" and guessed Donald Glover was behind the mask. Scherzinger and Thicke were confident it was Seal beneath the getup, and McHale playfully threw Alec Baldwin's name into the mix.
As a result of the panelists' and studio audience's votes, Flamingo was the victor, sending Leopard to sing in a subsequent smackdown.
"Like a bud to a bloom, in my career, I am always changing," Flower revealed prior to performing. She held up a pink heart that read "For Sale," which could be an allusion to the song "I Sold My Heart to the Junkman," originally sung by LaBelle and The Bluebelles. Perfume bottles and a disco ball were perhaps a nod to "Dancing With the Stars," on which LaBelle competed in 2015.
Flower sang Heart's "Alone," which moved Scherzinger to sing along. Thicke lauded the contestant for making the tune her own.
“I’ve performed all around the world, but this is the most challenging job I’ve ever had," Flower said. "'The Masked Singer' is phenomenal.”
Although McHale picked Barbra Streisand, and Jeong went with Björk, McCarthy and Thicke were set on LaBelle.
Before his performance, Rottweiler shared his fears about being revealed. "Truth be told, I’m terrified of the panel finding out my true identity and judging me because of it," he said.
The pup also donned boxing gloves that read "Boxing Day," and a mouthpiece that read "platinum" was shown to the camera. He also appears to know downward dog, showing off some yoga poses.
After hyping up the crowd with Bruno Mars' "Grenade," McHale declared: "McGruff the Crime Dog is the best singer on the show!”
“Your compliments are so amazing, I feel like they’re directed to someone better than me," Rottweiler said. "This whole experience has helped me to believe in myself more than I ever have. So, thank you. I’m so grateful.”
Could Gavin Rossdale be the dog? McCarthy thinks it's a possibility. While an impassioned Jeong thought it might be Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong. McHale guessed Mario Lopez, but Thicke and Scherzinger are sold on Darren Criss.
With the Rottweiler revealed to be the winner, a smackdown between Flower and Leopard blossomed.
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Leopard's rendition of The Pussycat Dolls' "Don't Cha" was good enough to overtake Flower, who put her spin on Survivor's “Eye of the Tiger.”
Before removing Flower's petals, Cannon gathered final guesses from the panel. Three – McCarthy, Thicke and Scherzinger – were convinced it was LaBelle.
“I knew it!” Cannon exclaimed after the reveal.
“How’s it feel?” the host asked LaBelle.
“It feels awesome. It feels like I did win,” she said. “I loved it.”
The show's musicians paid respect.
“My mom played your music when I was just a little boy. I’ve been hearing your voice ever since I was a child," said Thicke. "I’ve learned so much from you. It’s such an honor to have you on this show. I think we’re all very blessed.”
“No one will ever have another voice like you, ever to come, and I continue to be inspired by you,” raved Scherzinger.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Masked Singer' recap: Host, most of panel guess eliminated powerhouse
