The Masked Singer Eliminates a Hip-Hop Legend on Ghostbusters Night — See Who’s Behind Every Season 13 Mask
When you want to pay homage to Ghostbusters, who you gonna call? The Masked Singer, apparently! Wednesday’s episode featured performances inspired by the ectoplasmic franchise, ending with an unmasking so obvious, it was actually… scary.
The four remaining members of Group B — Boogie Woogie, Griffin, Pearl and Space Ranger — returned to the stage to battle for a spot in next week’s finals, beginning with Pearl’s haunting take on Blue Oyster Cult’s “Don’t Fear the Reaper.” Could her performance have used more cowbell? Of course. But that’s hardly Pearl’s fault.
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Griffin was up next with a truly unexpected take on Rihanna’s “Disturbia,” followed by Space Ranger, who shouted his way through The Busboys’ “Cleaning Up the Town.” And the ever-positive Boogie Woogie took a walk on the wild side, closing out the night with Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive.”
Once the votes were tallied, Space Ranger was sent back to his home planet, but not before revealing himself to be hip-hop icon and reality TV superstar Flavor Flav. We’re not sure which is more surprising — that he managed to last this long, or that the judges didn’t immediately figure him out last week.
Were you at all surprised by Space Ranger’s unmasking? And which celebrities do you think are still masquerading as Boogie Woogie, Griffin and Pearl? Read on for a breakdown of everything we’ve learned about Season 13’s contestants, including an early peek at more contestants we’ll be meeting later on this season. When you’re finished, drop a comment with your own predictions. Who’s under those masks?
Bat Is… Scheana Shay!
Bat flew into the Masked Singer studio as part of Group B, only to be eliminated in the premiere and revealed to be Vanderpump Rules star Scheana Shay.
Boogie Woogie
EPISODE 4 CLUES | As a child, Boogie Woogie would do anything to be the center of attention. He grew up with big dreams of being a clown, so he taught himself to juggle, then move on to magic in high school. He later busked (aka performed on the street for donations), but it didn’t pay the bills. Visual clues included quarters and a copy of Boogie Woogie Magazine.
EPISODE 5 CLUES | Boogie Woogie is not into gossip, a trait he picked up from his parents at a young age. Speaking of his parents, they apparently made kids’ shows. He’s been told that he radiates positivity, and that his positive outlook has even saved lives. “Some people have called me sheltered, naive or fake,” he said, but if he continues to make people happy, he’ll have done his job. Visual clues included a disco ball, tap shoes and a telescope with a star.
OUR GUESS | True fans picked up on his voice in Episode 4, but it took me until a few key clues in Episode 5 to land on singer Andy Grammer as the celebrity bringing Boogie Woogie to life. For starters, his father, Robert “Red” Grammer, is best known for writing music for children. And guess who has a song called “Naive,” something Boogie Woogie has been called? As for that disco (or “mirror”) ball, Grammer competed in Season 7 of Dancing With the Stars.
Griffin
EPISODE 4 CLUES | “When you become a star, you’re treated like a god,” said Griffin, who “skyrocketed to overnight success” and was not “prepared for the fandom.” Little did he know, “the first hit” would immortalize him. A woman even took dirt off his car and brought it home for her kids. But Griffin is only human, which he was reminded recently. “The future I saw in the stars was being rewritten. Now I know this life is so precious. My resilience has gotten me through.” Visual clues included a sheriff’s badge, a bell that says “school’s out” and a VHS tape with a jack-o-lantern sticker on it. “The stage is my happy place,” Griffin teased.
EPISODE 5 CLUES | Griffin played the Ghostbusters soundtrack on repeat as a kid. He also sang along, because he loved to sing. He was a huge musical theater guy, complete with his own Playbill collection. But that got him teased, so he hid that part of himself. Visual clues included a record player and an old-school camcorder on a tripod. He’s doing this for anyone who was called “freaks or geeks.”
OUR GUESS | I was completely clueless about Griffin’s identity, until I saw someone online suggest James Van Der Beek. Suddenly, the pieces started coming together. The badge could be a nod to him playing an FBI agent on CSI: Cyber; the “school’s out” thing could be a reference to Dawson’s Creek, the teen drama that skyrocketed him to stardom; and the VHS tape might have to do with him appearing in Scary Movie, albeit uncredited, as Dawson. Unfortunately, Van Der Beek also recently went public with a colorectal cancer diagnosis, and Griffin alluded to not taking life for granted anymore.
Pearl
EPISODE 4 CLUES | Pearl got her namesake because, just like the undersea treasure, you have to crack through a tough exterior to find the beauty within. “I’ve always loved performing, but people like me weren’t promised a chance at a big break,” she said, adding that she sang at discount stores and dive bars — whoever would listen to her. She’s a softie at heart, but her hard outer shell has made life difficult, especially her love life. Visual clues included a baseball, a pink umbrella and a bowl of cherries. “I’ve never dressed this fancy before,” she said. “Usually when I’m on the red carpet and they ask me what I’m wearing, I just say I got it on sale.”
EPISODE 5 CLUES | As a kid, Pearl was stuck in a “tiny tide pool on the side of the highway no one’s ever heard of.” She ran away from a “rocky” home life and grew up quickly, tending bar when she was still a kid. Don’t worry, she always had a “double barrel at the ready” in case the clientele got uppity. One day she decided to swim into new waters, accidentally getting swept away by a tidal wave of success. Visual clues included a wanted poster, a football play, trash bags and a crescent moon.
OUR GUESS | I knew I recognized Pearl’s voice during her first performance, but I couldn’t quite place who she was. After one major clue in her second package, I’m confident that she’s country singer Gretchen Wilson. Look no further than this 2004 article about Wilson, detailing how she worked as a bartender at age 15 in Chicago.
Space Ranger Is… Flavor Flav!
Space Ranger managed to survive until the Group B semifinals, but he was eventually revealed to be… hip-hop legend and reality star supreme Flavor Flav. Yeeeeeeeah boiiiii!
Ant Is… Aubrey O’Day!
Our money was on Kesha being the Ant, but we were wrong — and we actually feel pretty foolish for not guessing this one. Ant made it all the way to the Group A Finals, ultimately placing third and revealing herself to be former Danity Kane songstress Aubrey O’Day. (In our defense, the music industry has been cruel to many women.)
Coral
EPISODE 1 CLUES | “Ever since I was young, I’ve dreamed of being a star,” Coral says. “I’d ask everyone, ‘Please please please, let me sing for you!’” After eight years of rejection, a small victory turned into Coral’s voice being heard across the globe. “All those no’s just made me stronger. And all it took was one yes to start a wave of success.” Visual clues included a white model house with an American flag, a broken heart on a TV (or computer) screen and a “live” TV sign.
EPISODE 2 CLUES | Like Donkey from Shrek, Coral has “zero filter.” She met a “leading man” she thought was cool — a “tall drink of swamp water,” if you will — and forced him to be her friend. Then they “accidentally” fell in love. Visual clues included a spider, a comic book and a werewolf. “With a little magic and a lot of hard work, you too can sing and dance on the silver screen,” she says.
EPISODE 3 CLUES | She grew up on the east coast and has a close relationship with her father. Visual clues included a high school ring, a ghost and a flying saucer. She also noted a “Z” on the bottom of her costume.
OUR GUESS | Disney Channel diehards recognized Zombies star Meg Donnelly from the moment she opened her mouth to sing, and the clues in Episode 1 certainly backed them up — particularly the American flag, a nod to ABC’s American Housewife, on which Donnelly got her first big break. The spider and comic book in Episode 2 were nods to her providing the voice of Scream on Marvel’s Spider-Man, and the werewolf was a nod to her role on The CW’s short-lived Supernatural prequel The Winchesters, which is where she met her current boyfriend Drake Rodger. The flying saucer and the “Z” on her costume are also both references to the Zombies movies, which also feature aliens.
Fuzzy Peas Is… Oscar De La Hoya!
This was the first Season 13 contestant we figured out, so we were sad to see him eliminated in Episode 2 — but also thrilled that we were right! Fuzzy Peas was revealed on Shrek Night to be professional boxer Oscar De La Hoya.
Honey Pot Is… Cedric the Entertainer!
Oh, honey! The Masked Singer’s Season 13 premiere revealed Honey Pot to be none other than Cedric the Entertainer — which is ironic, considering we were (briefly) convinced that Cedric and his fellow Kings of Comedy were last season’s Buffalos. Hey, maybe The Neighborhood star saw our guesses and became inspired to compete! It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve influenced TV.
Paparazzo
EPISODE 1 CLUES | “Becoming Paparazzo is perfect for me — let’s face it, the lens has been pointed at my direction my entire life,” he says. “I worked with the greats [including Chris Farley, Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler], I took over the silver screen [possibly in a movie about race cars], and I even took America’s sweetheart to prom. … If you guys keep me around, I might spill the tea on yet another friend of mine — Steve Martin.” Visual clues included a “home sweet home” doormat and a brown dog.
EPISODE 2 CLUES | Paparazzo is proud to have worked with “the robin of all robins,” Robin Williams, whose tragic tale taught him that you never really know what someone might be going through. Visual clues included a witch on a broomstick and a cowboy riding a horse. “Adults know me for my acting, but the kids know me for my voice,” he says.
EPISODE 3 CLUES | Paparazzo, as his name suggests, is Italian. But when he was coming up in the biz, agents couldn’t pronounce his Italian last name, so he changed it — something he still regrets to this day. Visual clues included a sailboat, mistletoe and a band (drums and guitars).
OUR GUESS | We wouldn’t have reached this conclusion without the internet’s help, but we’re now fully sold on Paparazzo being Matthew Lawrence. Not only did he appear in the 1987 Steve Martin movie Planes, Trains and Automobiles, but guess who he took to prom? None other than his Boy Meets World co-star Danielle “Topanga” Fishel (aka America’s Sweetheart). He also starred in 2002’s The Hot Chick, which was produced by Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions. Most famously, Lawrence starred opposite Robin Williams in 1993’s Mrs. Doubtfire. And here’s another fun fact: Lawrence’s full legal name is actually — wait for it — Matthew William Mignogna. Mamma mia!
Cherry Blossom
Cherry Blossom has not yet appeared, as of Episode 5.
Mad Scientist
Mad Scientist has not yet appeared, as of Episode 5.
Nessy
Nessy has not yet appeared, as of Episode 5.
Stud Muffin
Stud Muffin has not yet appeared, as of Episode 5.
Yorkie
Yorkie has not yet appeared, as of Episode 5.
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