It all started with “American Idol.” Since then, America (and the rest of the world, for that matter) has become obsessed with singing competitions, and there’s no sign that our obsession is going to end anytime soon. These contests are a lot of fun, and in some cases, they’re a great way to discover new talent. They also serve to show just how talented human beings are. In 2019, Fox launched a new type of competition called “The Masked Singer.” Instead of featuring unknown talent, the show features celebrities from all walks of life, including politics, entertainment, sports, and music. In the show, the singers are disguised in outrageous full-body costumes that conceal their identities. Throughout the show, the television and live audiences are given subtle clues as to who the masked singer may actually be.
In “The Masked Singer,” every episode features four to six celebrities who sing a variety of different songs. When the performance is over, the audience and panelists vote for their favorite performers. Whichever celebrity has the fewest votes gets eliminated, and at the end of the show, they’re unmashed. The show’s concept came from a similar show in South Korea called “King of Mask Singer.” Craig Plestis, the show’s executive producer, explained that he discovered the idea when he was earing at a Thai restaurant, which was playing the Thai translated version of the South Korean show. Plestis noticed that the customers in the restaurant “were all just staring at this TV watching this crazy kangaroo in like a pleather outfit singing.” He further explained that he didn’t even finish his dinner.
An episode in March 2020 featured a giant cotton candy-colored bear who was unmasked at the end of the show. Who was behind the mask? None other than Sarah Palin, who served half a term as governor of Alaska before joining Sen. John McCain’s failed presidential campaign as the vice-presidential candidate. Since the 2008 presidential campaign, Palin and her family members have been mostly focused on TV reality shows, and “The Masked Singer” is only her latest appearance.
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To everyone’s surprise and delight, Palin performed Sir Mixalot’s hip hop anthem “Baby Got Back,” which was recorded and released in 1992. It’s surreal to watch the uber-conservative politician rapping, to say the least. In the video below, you can enjoy watching Sarah Palin “get jiggy with it.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDOMWK2spIw
