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Nick Cannon gets pranked on ‘The Masked Singer’ by the last person he ever expected

"That was the worst performance ever in the history of this show," said Nick Cannon while criticizing Kevin Hart's performance on 'The Masked Singer'

The reveal on 'The Masked Singer' always brings a sense of surprise and excitement. Centered around uncovering the true identities of singers hidden beneath extravagant costumes, the show has been captivating audiences since its debut in 2019. Despite being accustomed to the surprising reveal of the real identity of the singers, host Nick Cannon was in for a surprise when his friend Kevin Hart appeared on 'The Masked Singer.' The reveal shocked Canon so much that he couldn't help but get frustrated.

On 'The Masked Singer' Season 11 premiere, after a night of performances by Goldfish, Starfish, Ugly Sweater, and Lovebird, a final surprise contestant, 'Book,' took the stage and delivered a heartfelt rendition of Ne-Yo's 'So Sick,' as per E! Online. "One of the most charming performances I've ever seen," Cannon remarked, clearly impressed. The masked singer responded cryptically, calling it their "most novel experience yet."

However, when it came time for the unmasking, Cannon was left surprised as it wasn't a celebrity contestant vying for the title at all. It was none other than his best friend and prank partner, Hart. Robin Thicke correctly guessed the identity, and the judges were stunned as Hart dramatically removed the Book costume, pulling off an epic prank on Cannon. Cannon also was visibly frustrated.

"Don't cheer for him! No! You're breaking the rules!" Cannon shouted at the audience, clearly stunned. Hart, laughing, hugged him and admitted, "This is a prank. You had no idea!" Cannon, roasting his friend, snapped back, "That was the worst performance ever in the history of this show, how about that! You ruined the freaking show!" But Hart, unfazed, delivered his signature comeback, saying, "Let me see if I have in my hands a little bit of care. That's not my problem. Kevin Hart, 1. You, nothing."

For the uninformed, both Cannon and Hart are known to be best of friends who often pull pranks on each other. Hart took his prank war with Cannon to a savage new level by putting the television presenter's real phone number on billboards in LA, Atlanta, and New York, inviting people to call him "for any advice on fatherhood," as per The Hollywood Reporter.  In an Instagram post, Hart explained the revenge move, writing, “Since my brother @nickcannon decided to buy me a llama for my birthday, I decided to do something nice for him as well…. Here is a digital billboard in Los Angeles.”

The billboard, placed above a Courtyard by Marriott, reads, "For any advice on fatherhood? Call my best friend Nick Cannon." The joke clearly referenced Cannon’s much-talked-about fatherhood, having seven children with four different women at the time. Cannon later appeared to confirm the number was real. In an Instagram story video, he showed himself answering FaceTime calls from fans, captioning it, “I hate @kevinhart4real.” Eventually, Cannon set up a voicemail greeting that encouraged callers to "be part of his next prank," leaning into the chaos. This prank followed earlier stunts between the two, like when Cannon gifted Hart a vending machine full of condoms, and Hart retaliated with the llama.