The Masked Singer’s Ken Jeong reveals how show changed reality TV forever: 'To have a...'
If there’s a show that combines singing with drama, it's undoubtedly ‘The Masked Singer.’ From its over-the-top and extravagant costumes to the unexpected twists and turns, the show has kept viewers hooked from Day 1. Another crucial element that makes it a sellout is the hilarious dynamics between the judges. Ken Jeong, who’s often deemed the fan favorite judge, has been on the show since its debut in 2019. The show, inspired by the hit South Korean series ‘King of Mask Singer’, became an instant hit and evolved into a cultural phenomenon. In an interview with Collider, Jeong revealed what makes the show stand out.
He explained, “You couldn’t script the twist that happened on the show. It happens organically.” He argued that the show manages to capture the beauty of such spontaneous moments in the most shocking ways. According to Jeong, the element of suspense also plays a part in the show thriving. Based on the voice alone, the judges and the audience keep guessing who the legendary person behind the mask could be. And the shock and excitement of the final reveal is a pure rush of adrenaline. “There’s something wonderfully addictive about trying to have a guessing game of who’s under the mask,” Jeong stressed.
Jeong believes that it’s a simple yet beautiful concept, as there are no stakes for the competition. “There’s no cash and prizes in this — it’s just celebrities under a mask singing, and it’s so novel, and it’s so simple,” he further gushed. The show was also a huge learning experience for Jeong who is a performer himself. As someone who has never done the unscripted format before, he learned the art of going with the flow through the show. “There is art in everything,” he added. The actor-comedian admitted that the show helped him improve and polish his craft. “It makes you look at a script in a different way,” he told the outlet.
View this post on Instagram
His ‘The Masked Singer’ experience makes him seek scripts that promise similar twists and turns, feel organic, and be unpredictable. “You want it to come wonderfully out of nowhere, which is what the unscripted world does so well,” he shared. The show thrives on the element of surprise through its mask reveals, which Jeong admits is a “gift that keeps on giving” to the audience. When the first season of the show was taped, ‘The Hangover’ actor was in between projects. “I was doing stand-up, I had a Netflix special [Ken Jeong: You Complete Me, Ho], working on that,” he recalled.
View this post on Instagram
Jeong admitted that he was looking for something 'different' but didn’t know which direction to head. “It was… I wouldn’t say an existential crisis, but it was an existential debate of, like, ‘Okay, what do I do? Where do I go?’” he shared. He ultimately realized that his calling was to have fun in whatever he does and ‘The Masked Singer’ came as a blessing in disguise. “Basically, I have a job where I get paid to ad-lib and improvise stupid thoughts of mine for a living,” he summed.
