Fans React to 97-Year-Old Icon Unmasked as the Gnome on 'The Masked Singer'
The judges and viewers were stunned to find out who was inside the gnome costume.
The Masked Singer is a show all about surprises, with everyone guessing at contestants in costumes, but last night, some got the shock of a lifetime when it was revealed that 97-year-old Dick Van Dyke was inside the extravagant gnome costume.
On the Feb. 15 episode of The Masked Singer, the person behind the gnome costume, who sang the song "When You're Smiling" by Billie Holiday (later recorded by Frank Sinatra), was unmasked as Van Dyke.
The 97-year-old icon stunned the audience and judges with his talent and energy.
Judge Nicole Scherzinger started crying after she saw Van Dyke, saying, "I love you so much, we love you, the whole world loves you so much. It's an honor to have you on our show. I can't believe you're here! I'm trying to play it cool, but...and you look so gorgeous, you look so handsome!"
Ken Jeong then told Van Dyke, "You are one of the reasons I got into comedy. You are comedy...Our greatest reveal ever."
The live audience and viewers were just as stunned by Van Dyke's appearance, and many shared their shock online.
One person saw that Van Dyke was trending and came to check what all the fuss was about, writing, "Now I know the reason Dick Van Dyke was trending, and I can’t believe he’s 97 years old and was on #TheMaskedSinger."
Another big fan tweeted, "For the record if I was in the Masked Singer audience and Dick Van Dyke was revealed I would’ve been screaming like 14-year-old me at an NSYNC concert."
"Few things have made me happier than seeing DICK VAN DYKE appear on television still singing and dancing at age 97," wrote another.
With an extremely well-known voice, some even guessed who was behind the gnome before the reveal: "I love Dick Van Dyke so much I was tearing up at his reveal I knew his voice @iammrvandy @MaskedSingerFOX."
The tweets about Van Dyke's appearance on The Masked Singer sparked a bigger conversation appreciating the actor's expansive career and positive influence.
With any luck, the 97-year-old icon will continue shocking people with his talent for years to come.
