Joe Bastianich Talks Revealing His Musical Passion on 'The Masked Singer'
Joe Bastianich is unmasked on 'The Masked Singer' next to host Nick Cannon
WARNING: This article contains spoilers for The Masked Singer, Season 11 Episode 3, "Billy Joel Night."
A good performance onstage is like creating a good plate of food. It takes technique and training, seasonings and stylings, and a smidge of that special enigmatic talent. Joe Bastianich knows this metaphor the best. The restauranteur has made a name for himself as a judge on MasterChef before getting the call to appear on another FOX reality show, The Masked Singer. Eager to show off his surpising musical talents, he donned a pasta-filled head to make his mark on the season. But, as he sing, "Only the Good Die Young," and despite his commendable vocals, he was not long for the game.
The day after his reveal, Joe spoke to Parade.com about why he chose to do The Masked Singer, his first choice for a food-based costume, and what to expect from the upcoming season of MasterChef.
Related: Everything to Know About The Masked Singer Season 11
How did you get involved with The Masked Singer? Was it due in part to being in the FOX reality rolodex?
I am a singer and songwriter by trade. So it's something that I've done. So that the when they approached me about Masked Singer of course, I said yes. Because singers want to sing. And it's a great stage and a great venue to get the word out about what I do and very synergistic with my long running FOX relationship with MasterChef. So it all worked out. It was really amazing.
On that note, people don't really know that you do make music. And I hear you're actually touring Europe this summer.
I mean, if you go to Spotify, I'm a bit of a singer/songwriter. I release stuff. We have a tour coming up. I do kind of country, folk, bluegrass stuff. It's always been a part of my life, so I do it a lot. And this opportunity to be able to share that passion on The Masked Singer in the FOX family is great.
You had one of the most on-the-nose costumes I can remember with Spaghetti & Meatballs. How did that end up coming about?
It was negotiated. I wanted to be a slice of pizza, because I've been a slice of pizza before. It was a little bit technically challenged. So we worked in the spaghetti and meatball theme, and it worked out perfectly. Great costume.
How were you able to operate the head? Because I'm sure you weren't looking out of those big meatball eyes.
No, it's challenging. It weighs 20 pounds, made out of plaster. It's about three feet wide. So to be able to sing and dance in the costume well had its challenges. But you make the most of it. And you seize the moment. As they say, caveat emptor.
When did the choice to do an accent come into the picture?
Well, I can do the accent anytime. [In an Italian accent.] You want, I can talk Italian. Because I grew up in Queens. That kind of came with a part. It felt very natural when I was donning the spaghetti head.
The good news is you get two times this past episode to wow us. The bad news is it's because you're sent into the Smackdown and eliminated. Were you surprised to get the boot over Lizard?
I did. I'm very ambitious person. I wanted to win. The lizard had an edge on me with the audience vote. But it is what it is. I'm proud of my performance. And it was magical.
What was your reaction to the judges' guesses for you? Rita got super close with Gordon Ramsay!
I mean, look, they don't have a lot to work with. So they probably figured out the chef thing. And those are the most famous chefs in the TV world. So it made sense. I don't know if you actually want to hear Gordon sing. But it did make sense.
Are you gonna try to convince the other MasterChef judges to go on the show now?
Aarón Sanchez could be like a Spanish serenader. You never know.
What's it been like the past 12 hours or so, as everyone has gotten to know this musical career you have outside of MasterChef?
It was amazing. Amazing to get the word out about what I do, a lot of incredibly encouraging text messages. So I'm still digesting it all. It's very exciting.
Finally, I can't let you go without having you tease the upcoming season of MasterChef in a couple of months. What should we expect from season 14?
Amazing season. Generations, really one of the best. We divide up the contestants into millennials, Gen X, Gen Z, and baby boomers. And it really kind of puts a timeline on the 50 years of "foodieism" that we've had that I experienced in this country. You really see what the trends are, what the differences are, the ingredients, and the styles of food. So an amazingly smart and entertaining season of MasterChef coming at you on FOX this May.
