Ken Jeong Says He Will Win 'The Masked Singer' Golden Ear Trophy Despite Joel McHale's Trash Talk (Exclusive)
Jenny McCarthy might have won the coveted Golden Ear trophy for two back-to-back seasons on The Masked Singer, but judge Ken Jeong knows in his heart it's going to be his victory alone this year. While opening up about his journey with Dry Eye Disease (DED), a chronic medical condition that has plagued him for over 20 years, Jeong told PopCulture.com that he's going to take home the Golden Ear this year thanks to a "gut feeling." However, while Jeong feels he could truly win big this season, his friend and frequent co-star Joel McHale thinks otherwise.
In an exclusive with PopCulture this past spring, McHale shared that Jeong would never win the prize because, as he teased most candidly, his friend and frequent collaborator isn't "smart enough" and "can barely operate a vehicle." Upon hearing the comments from us first-hand while in conversation with Dr. Ashley Brissette to talk about DED on behalf of Novartis and Xiidra, Jeong had a clear message for McHale — one he wants him to hear loud and clear: "He can make fun of my career, my acting, my essence, but he talks about me not winning the Golden Ear — that is a line crossed, my friend. So next time you talk to Joel McHale, you tell him I will have the Golden Ear. I may have three Golden Ears because I'm crazy like that, yo. Wow. Wow."
Ignoring the haters — like his Community co-star, McHale — Jeong goes on to share how he will win this season over McCarthy, simply "because five years of failure leads to one year of success." Sharing how this is his "gut feeling," Jeong adds if America would only care to "notice," he's actually in the lead right now over his fellow judges, McCarthy, Robin Thicke and Nicole Scherzinger. "And you're welcome, America, you're welcome."
Going on to say how this season has been his favorite so far, Jeong credits the talent in the competition this time around being at an "all-time high" in comparison to previous years. "You have The Bull who is incredible. Every number The Bull has done so far has been great," he said. "You have Queen of Hearts, you have Banana Split, you have The Skunk. There's all these characters that are just — I feel like I'm watching a concert every week. I have the best seat in the house. It really is the most fun TV job I've ever had. I just get paid to watch these amazing performances and legends."
The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. For more on Ken Jeong (and Joel McHale), stay tuned to the latest from PopCulture.com!