From the very first time it was announced, The Masked Singer sounded like a singing competition series unlike any other on American TV. The premise of a show that would put celebrities under elaborate masks to conceal their identities and let them belt their hearts out to a panel of judges seemed just bonkers enough to be a whole lot of fun. Well, the series premiere has aired, and one of the competitors was unmasked.
Prior to him surrendering his mask, however, he strutted out on stage in a hippo suit to sing some Bobby Brown. Check out the hippo-tastic rendition of "My Prerogative" from The Masked Singer!
The hippo-man unfortunately wound up in the bottom three of the 12 competitors on The Masked Singer, but he definitely made it to the top five of my heart based on enthusiasm alone. Was he somebody who should quit his day job and pursue singing as a career, with or without the suit? Definitely not. Still, his performance was a lot of fun. He was also only the second person to take the stage on The Masked Singer, and he followed a killer performance from a peacock-man. Good for the hippo!
I don't think we have to be concerned that the man in the hippo suit will quit his day job any time soon. As the singer who got the least votes of the competitors who made it to the bottom three, he was the first on the show to have to remove his mask and reveal his identity. By the end of the episode, the hippo was unmasked, and viewers learned that none other than Pittsburgh Steeler Antonio Brown had been behind the mask all along!
Antonio Brown is an NFL wide receiver with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and he's likely not going anywhere any time soon, even if the Steelers were already knocked out of the playoffs for a chance to reach the 2019 Super Bowl. I have to wonder about his teammates' reactions if and when they see his performance of "My Prerogative" as a hippo. Could The Masked Singer be the inspiration for a new touchdown dance when the next NFL season starts?
Okay, probably not, as these particular dance moves might not be quite as impactful without the hippo suit. All things considered, Antonio Brown would take his loss about as well as could be hoped, and he had a big smile on his face when he took off the mask. Watch the unmasking for yourself!
Tune in to Fox on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET for new episodes of The Masked Singer and discover the other celebrities who have been dressing up as animals to try and win the new show. For some additional (and somewhat less bizarre) viewing options, swing by our midseason TV premiere schedule.
