'The Masked Singer' Creator Weighs in on Rudy Giuliani Controversy in Season 7
A controversial figure on the level of Rudy Giuliani would never appear on the original version of The Masked Singer, series creator Wonwoo Park said Wednesday. However, he understood Fox's decision to include President Donald Trump's lawyer on the show, noting how difficult it will be to have universally-beloved celebrities on every season. Giuliani was reportedly unmasked during the first day of Season 7 filming, although his episode has yet to air.
"It would be taboo [in Korea] to have someone controversial or political on the show," Park told Deadline. "But it can't always be pleasant when the mask comes off, and the more Masked Singer seasons [globally] we do, the more we realize you can't always have contestants that everybody loves."
In early February, Deadline leaked the news that Giuliani would be appearing in The Masked Singer Season 7. Panelist Ken Jeong reportedly stormed off in protest, with Robin Thicke following. Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg and Nicole Scherzinger never left the stage and reportedly "bantered" with the former New York City mayor. Jeong and Thicke both returned to the stage. Giuliani, who was at the center of Trump's legal efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election based on false claims, is the second Republican politician to appear on the show. Sarah Palin appeared on The Masked Singer Season 3.
In March, a Fox Entertainment spokesperson told Newsweek Giuliani will still appear in the show, even though he was not in the premiere episode. "The show's general format features three groups across the season, and like most productions, the groups are not necessarily taped sequentially, so we don't always know the order they will air," Jean Guerin, Fox Entertainment's vice president for publicity and corporate communications, said.
The Masked Singer kicked off with celebrity chef Duff Goldman being the first unmasked celebrity. Since then, sportscaster Joe Buck, actor Jorge Garcia, NFL player Jordan Mailata, model Christie Brinkley, and magicians Penn & Teller have been unmasked. New episodes air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
The franchise launched in 2015 and has expanded to include editions worldwide. The success of the U.S. version inspired Fox Alternative Entertainment to offer Park's DiTurn production company a first-look production deal. Lotto Singer, a show where viewers can win cash prizes by betting on contestants, is the first show Park developed for the U.S. under the deal.
"When I'm talking to U.S. networks, they are showing their confidence in our shows, and it's been amazing to meet Fox execs for the first time this week," Park told Deadline. "When I started The Masked Singer, I only thought it would travel to our neighboring country China and had no idea it would blow up after so many years. Now, Korean media companies are working hard to target the U.S. and U.K. with shows that are easily adaptable."