“The Masked Singer” cut one more competitor from its Season 6 lineup on Wednesday’s episode, uncovering the identity of the Hamster contestant before the hour’s over.
However, before watchers took in Hamster’s secret identity, he and the other leftover Group A contestants — Skunk, Pepper and Bull — alongside beginner Wildcard Jester, all performed for have Nick Cannon and “Masked Singer” judges Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke, and guest panelist Leslie Jordan.
Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg got it directly with Schneider. Ken Jeong went with another previous “Saturday Night Live” star, Will Ferrell. Nicole Scherzinger thought it was Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias. Robin Thicke said it was Cheech Marin.
Visitor specialist Leslie Jordan, who opened the show by singing “This Little Light of Mine” dressed as Soft Serve, likewise thought it was Iglesias.
Schneider as Hamster sang the Spanish-language melody “Sabor a Mí” by Luis Miguel. His past melodies were “Oh, Pretty Woman,” by Roy Orbison and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” by Queen.
“I thought for sure they wouldn’t kick me off after the Spanish song because I thought, ‘they can’t do that, that’d be racist!’” Schneider said. “I was wrong.”
Had he proceeded, following up, Schneider needed to sing ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic’s ‘Amish Paradise.’ “I think they made a huge mistake, kicking me off,” he added.
Prior signs from Schneider referred to “Saturday Night Live”: “You should have seen me in my 20s,” he said in one clue package. “I was living in a huge city, working with my best pals. The fun that we had when we were younger was our most fun ever. There’s nothing like not being famous and then the next day being famous. And that’s what happened to all of us. And the fact that we’re still friends all these years later is phenomenal.”
Past board surmises for Hamster included Bill Murray, Brendan Fraser, Albert Brooks, Tim Allen, Kelsey Grammer, Andy Richter, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, David Spade, Jim Breuer, John Leguizamo, Paul Rudd and Schneider himself.
Schneider’s Hamster joins the all around unmasked “The Masked Singer” Season 6 competitors: Cupcake (Ruth Pointer), Octopus (Dwight Howard), Mother Nature (Vivica A. Fox), Pufferfish (Toni Braxton), Dalmatian (Tyga) and Baby (Larry the Cable Guy).
Still in the running for a “Covered Singer” win are Group A’s Skunk, Bull, Pepper and Jester, alongside Group B’s leftover setup of Queen of Hearts, Banana Split, Mallard and Caterpillar. Fans will simply need to continue to sit tight for the appearance of the last Wildcard competitor, Beach Ball.
Per Fox, “The Masked Singer” 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” prize dependent on their initial impressions of each masked performer (which McCarthy has won the last two seasons). Jeong went into scene six with a point, in front of every other person.
Here were different contestants and their performances on night six:
The Bull
Song: “Make You Feel My Love,” by Bob Dylan
Previous songs: “Drops of Jupiter,” by Train; “What Hurts the Most,” by Rascal Flatts; “Circus,” by Britney Spears
Time machine clue: Circa 1990s iMac. “It made the most annoying sound ever. That sound will forever live rent-free in my head.”
Voice-over: “If I could revisit any time in my life, it might surprise you. It’s when I made one of the most risky moves and left my stable job to go and chase my dreams. And like the Fresh Prince, my life was suddenly turned upside down. I found myself alone in a strange new place, living in an apartment full of cockroaches. But when I look back on that moment I’m just unbelievably proud. Because the risk paid off. Here I am, chasing my dreams, singing on ‘The Masked Singer.’ The rumor on set is I ask more questions than the rest of the contestants combined. I’m just very, very nosy. It is killing me to not know who I’m up against. I’ve been running to the bathroom unexpectedly to hopefully catch someone. And I haven’t seen anything. I think the lesson here is only worry about things I can control, and that is a great life lesson for me to learn.”
Panel guesses: Taye Diggs, Cheyenne Jackson, Lil Nas X
Previous panel guesses: Hunter Hayes, Lance Bass, Brian Littrell, Sisqo, Dwayne Johnson, Darren Criss, Justin Timberlake, Brandon Flowers, Rufus Wainwright, Kevin Jonas, Zac Efron, Donald Glover, Anthony Ramos, Leslie Odom Jr.
Pepper
Song: “No Tears Left to Cry,” by Ariana Grande
Previous song: “Jealous,” by Labrinth
Time machine clue: An iPod. “All you have to do is plug it in, and let’s get the party started!”
Voice-over: “If I could revisit any time in my life, it would be when I first hit big. I was suddenly pulled in a million different directions. There were interviews, awards shows, red carpets. But I think sometimes you can get so caught up in what’s next that you’re not living in the what’s now. And I wish that I had enjoyed that time for what it was: The beginning of an amazing career. I’m trying to remember that lesson here. I actually signed on for this a few days before it started. So it’s been that same sort of whirlwind. There’s costume fittings, music meetings, but it’s crazy because it all comes together. And when it does, it’s magic. I’ve always believed in magic, I’ve seen myself as a bit of a wizard. And I’m trying to stay calm, because the semi-finals are so close.”
Panel guesses: Pink, Idina Menzel, Elle Goulding
Previous panel guesses: Kesha, Hailee Steinfeld, Pink, Miley Cyrus
Skunk
Song: “Square Biz,” by Teena Marie
Previous songs: “Diamonds,” by Sam Smith; “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World,” by James Brown; “Midnight Train to Georgia,” by Gladys Knight & the Pips
Time machine clue: Pager with the number “607.” “If someone sent me these three digits, it would make me feel like a complete dream girl.”
Voice-over: “I’ve thought about what life would be like if I had a time machine. Probably more than the average person. To fix one of my biggest regrets. One night my pride prevented me from saying ‘hi’ to a loved one. Little did I know, I would never get a chance to do it again. If I could do it all over, all I’d want to do is give them a hug. But that one hug could have changed the course of history. Now all I have to do is to keep moving forward. Tonight, I’m moving around and sweating even more. Because I’ve chosen an upbeat song that celebrates love.”
Panel guesses: Jennifer Hudson, Cynthia Erivo, Faith Evans
Previous panel guesses: Faith Evans, Mary J. Blige, Toni Braxton, Janet Jackson, Sade, Lauryn Hill, Yolanda Adams, Jill Scott, Fantasia Barrino, Janelle Monae, Erykah Badu, Taraji P. Henson, Queen Latifah, Tamar Braxton
Jester (WILDCARD)
Song: “School’s Out,” by Alice Cooper
Time machine clue: Jacket, circa 1975. “This is pure style.”
Voice-over: “You want a wild card? Well, get ready for the wildest wild card yet. I’ve been called an icon. You could say I’ve changed the course of history. I’ve even been voted one of the 100 most influential people of all time. But I’ve also been called a scoundrel. I’ve offended heads of state, been banned from famous venues. Though in reality I’m not a bad guy. In fact, that’s why I’m here. To show the world I’m a lovable, sensitive, multi-faceted clown who just wants to make you laugh. I’ll do whatever it takes to entertain this court, and that’s no joke.”
Panel guesses: Dee Snider, Ricky Gervais, Roger Daltry