'The Masked Singer' Season 13 Episode 1 Recap: Lucky To Be Entertained!

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The Masked Singer

It's Season 13, so it's time to get lucky! With lucky number 13 here, The Masked Singer is leaning into the theme hardcore. And that's ok! We love being a little on the nose from time to time. Especially when the panel's guesses are anything but. But don't worry, we'll get to it. The hit FOX celebrity musical guessing game is back, and after all these years, there is still a menagerie of animals, creatures, and imaginary friends that the brilliant costume department can create to keep us coming back for more.

Speaking of coming back, Nicole Scherzinger is still a Broadway star playing a faded Hollywood star, so Rita Ora is occupying her seat. Which, if we're being completely honest, maybe should be hers full-time? Just saying! Her energy is just infectious. Anyway, to kick off the season, we get a hilarious cold opening celebrating the characters of Seasons 1 through 12. Then, the singing crew is joined by last season's runner-up for a performance of "Get Lucky." It's nice to see Mario sans Wasp. In any other season, he would have won, but c'mon, it was Boyz II Men in those Buffaloes! With five new characters to entertain us, let's see how lucky we are with this season's first celebrity unmasking! Dare I say, you WILL be entertained!

Season 13 Has Some Strong Talent

After host Nick Cannon reminds us that fifteen new celebrities are competing for the coveted Golden Mask, the evening's competition kicks off with five competitors filling up Group A. Let's begin our discussion a tad out of order with Ant. She is giving us picnic blanket realness. She has a lot of energy when she sashays onto the stage. This bug is fun, flirty, and full of life. She is Ant because, like ants, they are small, mighty, and can carry fifty times their body weight. She says just because you can carry a heavy burden doesn't mean you have to. So, whoever is bugging around the picnic has had some hardship in her life. She shares that she was forced to bare a deep, dark secret her entire career. With an image of a doll house and a tree with an "X", she says that powerful people tried to erase her and brush her off. Could this be someone who has appeared on a show that she was told no? She says that she recently made a decision that she can stay broken or be a warrior. She picks up a witch hat with a star as she is there to fight for her voice, be heard, and march toward real change. This star is here to take her power back.

In her debut performance, Ant sings "Just Give Me a Reason" by Pink and Nate Ruess. It's a beautiful and delicate performance, though the arrangement strays far from the original. She does play around vocally, showing off that she can engage in some vocal gymnastics. It's a very performative rendition, bringing a theatricality in her movement. The panel is on their feet, acknowledging her bravery. Rita is filled with emotions over the special moment. Ant responds that she is there for all the survivors, as no one will ever stomp them out. The panel believes that Ant might be Lea Michele, Lindsay Lohan, Kesha, or Ashanti. Vocally, none of those guesses are quite right. Before she leaves, she says that her past year has been traumatic and didn't know she could get on stage to do it. This hint may be someone who has seen headlines recently. We certainly need more clues before we can solidify our guess.

Our next competitor is ready to snap a close-up; it's Paparazzo. When he hits the stage, there's a showmanship to him. The classic camera mask is one of the coolest masks thus far. Those eyes are rad! Well done, costume team! Paparazzo tells us that he's perfect for this part as the lens has been pointed at him his entire life. While we've seen him do so many things in his career, the one thing we've never seen him do is sing on a big stage. His clue package has an older aura to it. Very reminiscent of someone who's been around the scene for decades. He reveals that he has worked with the greats, which include photos of Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, and Chris Farley. He took over the silver screen, which is accompanied by a photo of a racecar. And he says he took America's sweetheart to prom. This is outside of his comfort zone that he's freaking out, but he's willing to give it a try. He knows he won't be perfect, but he's putting his fears aside and hoping to capture our hearts. This actor could have been a part of the entertainment lexicon in the '80s and '90s based on the clues he dropped. Are we onto something?

He begins his run on The Masked Singer with "The Door" by Teddy Swims. Based on this performance, it's shocking that he's never sung on a big stage before! He's quite good! While he doesn't have much movement here, it's all about the vocals. This is one of the more intriguing performances of the night. That final note was quite impressive. An unexpected performance. Paparazzo tells the panel that if they keep him around, he might spill the tea on another friend of his: Steve Martin. Color me intrigued! The panel immediately falls into a trap of ridiculous guesses with Taron Egerton, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Kieran Culkin. I think any of those stars playing The Masked Singer are as likely as pigs flying. I think we need to lean further into the world of comedy to unveil Paparazzo's identity.

Expect the Unexpected in Season 13 of 'The Masked Singer'!

Who's ready to veg out? It's the debut of Fuzzy Peas. Don't let the name fool you. It's just a type of pea. This costume has three heads with some really fascinating facial hair. In his clue package, the music gives us a Latin flair as his clue package hints at a bit of an accent. He says that Fuzzy Peas is so him because he's silly, suave, and looks like a conqueror. He continues to reveal that he is third generation in his field and fights for what he believes in. He picks up a rubber chicken. Is it a red herring or is Fuzzy Peas a funny guy? He says that he's known for his hits, some of which are Grammy nominated and secured a gold record. Fuzzy Peas can also be seen playing with an XBOX controller. This clue package is all over the place. He's a very accomplished individual who never says no to a challenge. Or a fiesta. Let's just say that figuring out this star may be a challenge!

Tying back into his clue package, Fuzzy Peas takes on the classic track, "La Bamba" by Ritchie Valens. Now, if you were not out of your seat dancing, I don't know what you were doing! Fuzzy Peas has a unique intonation that pairs perfectly with the song. He may not be dancing around much, but his strong rendition of the Mexican classic showcased his ability to sing. After his performance, he reveals that he was nominated with Shakira and Christina Aguilera. Who is Fuzzy Peas! Well, the panel believes that this vegetable might be Mario Lopez, George Lopez, or John Leguizamo. Based on the celebrated records revealed in the clue package, they're not the most outlandish of guesses! Could the panel actually be onto something?

Here to raise the reef, it's Coral! Another stunning costume that's stoned for filth. She stomps onto the stage like it's her own personal runway. Like the inspiration, Coral says that she is so majestic but also has these hard and rough edges. She relates to her as she is strong and resilient. We learn that Coral has dreamed of being a star since she was young. She is seen hammering a model home with an American flag in front. She says that she used to beg everyone to let her sing for them, but was rejected for eight years. She says that she was a little girl struggling through the madness of the industry. Just as she was about to give up, a small victory allowed her voice to be heard across the globe. As she says this, a "Live" sign lights up. The madness has led her to The Masked Singer, and she has a goal of securing that trophy. Her clue package feels very generic. Is there a clue hiding in plain sight?

For her first performance, Coral takes on "Mad World" by Tears for Fears. It's a beautiful and haunting performance. Her strength is in her voice. But don't worry if you were distracted by the Cirque du Soleil performance around her. Is it possible that Coral is a pop star? A "yes" led her to success, but it's very likely that the panel is not going to be successful quite yet when they try to identify who she really is. They believe she might be Bebe Rexha, Carly Rae Jepsen, Halsey, or Sabrina Carpenter. Ken Jeong: please, please, please stop!

Honey Pot Is Bringing Funny Back With His Performance

Honey Pot in the premiere of 'The Masked Singer' Season 13.

Let's discuss the debut of someone willing to stir the pot. It's Honey Pot! As he waddles on stage, Honey Pot has swag! Is he tall? Is he short? Is he an athlete? As Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg and Ken Jeong muse, it could be anybody! To kick off the clue package, we get a glimpse of our celebrity slapping hands with his costume while decked out in the signature "Don't Talk To Me" hoodie. Based on stature alone, let's just say that an athlete he is not. This celebrity is transforming into Honey Pot because, as he says, "You can catch flies with honey, but you be catch honeys being fly." He will do anything for a laugh, so he's game. We are immediately transported to a game show called "What's the Buzz," as Honey Pot delivers the remainder of his clues. Honey Pot poses the first question as, "Who is one of the founding fathers of modern-day comedy?" Him! Next, "Who's sold more than two billion bucks at the box office? Him! This clue was accompanied by a stuffed lion. Could this celebrity been in a movie with a lion? Well, the obvious answer would be The Lion King, but there certainly have been other animated films featuring lions. Finally, he asks, "Who do the ladies consider the sexiest man on the planet?" He says, Brad Pitt, but he was a close second. Then, Honey Pot is seen trimming a wig. Could he have played a role that involved haircuts? Whoever is in the Honey Pot costume has experience making audiences laugh, hosting a game show, and has been in blockbusters.

For his performance, Honey Pot gives a swagger-filled rendition of "SexyBack" by Justin Timberlake. At the top, he has a strong upper register, but when he is forced into lower notes, it's clear this comedian is not a trained singer. But, if that silhouette in the hoodie earlier was any indication, it is quite clear who this is. The only thing not giving it all away is the lack of hat on his head. Though, the top of the honey pot sure did look like his signature headpiece. Anyway, after the energetic performance, the panel picks up the clues and throws down guesses ranging from Steve Harvey, Cedric the Entertainer, and Keegan-Michael Key. Are any of the panelists right? Put a pin on it for now.

After the audience and panel was given a chance to vote for their favorites, sadly, the first singer to unmask is Honey Pot. Sadly, he will not be joining the other celebrities for Shrek night. Yes, an entire evening dedicated to the animated film series. Nevertheless, it's time to reveal who Honey Pot is. But first, the first twist of the season: The Crack the Clue Clue Cases. This season, right before the famous face is revealed, Nick Cannon will reveal the most personal clue of all. For Honey Pot, hidden inside is a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. Now, to the final guesses. Robin Thicke believes it's Martin Lawrence. Rita Ora says Eddie Murphy. Ken Jeong picks Cedric the Entertainer. Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg cosigns. In the end, the funny man behind Honey Pot is officially Cedric the Entertainer! We certainly were lucky to have him play along! It was very easy to pick up on, but it's a thrill to see this comedy legend kick off Season 13!