Shuvrajit Das Biswas
‘The Masked Singer‘ is a mainstay on Fox, which has only grown popular over the seasons. It is quite an international phenomenon, with the American version cementing its place thanks to Nick Cannon’s antics and a spectacular panel of judges. The premise is simple – celebrities dress up in elaborate outfits and masks to become unrecognizable. They perform on stage and give clues throughout the competition. Based on these, the judges must try to guess who’s behind the mask. Irrespective of whether the guess is right or wrong, the celebrity doesn’t take the mask off until it is time for them to be eliminated.
The process takes place via audience votes. Before walking off for the final time, the judges are allowed one last chance to guess, after which the mask is taken off, and the celebrity is revealed. Combining singing with a guessing game, the exciting format has won the show enough popularity that a new season has been released amidst the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the favored position ‘The Masked Singer’ holds in many hearts, some individuals have questioned whether the series is real or scripted. We have got you covered.
How Much of The Masked Singer is Scripted?
Since ‘The Masked Singer’ is a reality singing competition, some believe that the show is scripted. In fact, in some seasons, the game seems to be a bit rigged to favor weaker performers who make it through just because fans love them. Take, for example, White Tiger from Season 3. The performer sticks to rap but can’t do that well either. Nonetheless, White Tiger goes past the group stages, which is no small feat. Some have used the example to point out discrepancies in the process, but the truth is that ‘The Masked Singer’ is about vocal chops and stage presence. What White Tiger lacks in the former, he more than makes up for in the latter.
Producers intervene in the series, so the audience is often instructed on how to act. Those who’ve attended the filming have commented on how producers control the show’s flow. Since they like dramatic moments, the interactions between the panelists are highlighted – especially if the antics of Ken Jeong are involved. While this is an innocuous enough embellishment, some fans have levied the charge that panelists deliberately make wrong guesses about the performers, though the clues are obvious. For starters, the clues are progressively more difficult each season. Moreover, the judges don’t have access to the internet while making the guesses, so being way off mark might be excused.
Now, coming to the more serious aspects – ‘The Masked Singer’ isn’t actually filmed live. It is pre-taped, and interested viewers can attend the taping session. There are several rules to be followed to maintain the secrecy of who’s behind the mask. The discretion extends to the actual unmasking event. The creative editing of the show makes it seem that the celebrity takes the mask off in front of the audience, but that is not the case. The singer only pretends to take it off, and then goes away with the host. An individual comes on stage and mimics the unmasking so audiences can react in front of the cameras.
It is carefully pieced together to portray an event that never takes place. The real unmasking happens in front of a very close group – with immediate friends and family present, along with a skeletal crew. It is done to ensure that the secret of who’s wearing the outfit remains on set. Thus, ‘The Masked Singer’ might not tell us the complete truth, but the series does it to protect its core principle – which is something admirable. No, the show is not scripted, beyond the bare minimum and we’ve come to expect from reality television.
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