'The Masked Singer' Season 14 premiere delivers a triple exit, and the first unmasking leaves fans stunned
'The Masked Singer' wasted no time shaking things up in its Season 14 premiere. The opening episode, which aired on January 7, introduced viewers to a fresh batch of eccentric costumes, but one contestant immediately stood out above the rest. Googly Eyes, the tallest character of the night, caught the attention of both the audience and the judging panel the moment he stepped on stage. His sheer height had Jenny McCarthy convinced almost instantly that an athlete was hiding beneath the oversized costume. That suspicion only grew stronger during Googly Eyes' introductory video package.
Dropping clue after clue, the masked performer described himself as a "massive star" and a "born leader," as per E! News. The visual hints were just as playful, with references to Kevin Bacon, John Krasinski, and Chris Tucker woven into a skit involving a copy machine and a poppyseed bagel. Standing beside a bowl of cake batter, he confidently declared himself "perfect for the gig" and promised to be "clutch" in making the season a success. When it came time to perform, Googly Eyes leaned fully into spectacle. His energetic rendition of DJ Snake and Lil Jon's 'Turn Down for What' had the crowd laughing and cheering.
The performance was so outrageous that Rita Ora admitted, "How are we supposed to know who that is? I don't even know what just happened." Despite the memorable showing, Googly Eyes found himself facing stiff competition. He was pitted against Cat Witch, who delivered a performance of ‘Abracadabra’ inspired by Lady Gaga. Her vocals ultimately won over the judges and audience, securing her safety and leaving Googly Eyes vulnerable alongside the bottom contenders. With Googly Eyes facing elimination, the judges went into full detective mode.
All signs pointed toward a baseball player, from the contestant's stature to his unmistakable accent. McCarthy threw out Derek Jeter's name, while Robin Thicke initially guessed Manny Ramirez before switching his pick to Pedro Martinez. Ora followed the Manny Ramirez theory, but it was Ken Jeong who nailed it, correctly identifying the mystery singer as David Ortiz. As the mask came off, the crowd erupted when former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz, better known to fans as Big Papi, was revealed, according to Variety.
Ortiz, a key figure in the Red Sox's historic 2004 World Series win that ended the franchise's 86-year championship drought, took the early exit in good spirits. Laughing about the experience, Ortiz admitted the costume was no joke. Still, he said, "But it was so much fun, man." Ortiz wasn't the only contestant facing an abrupt goodbye during the premiere. The episode's closing moments teased even more surprises ahead, revealing that the duo known as The Croissants would also be eliminated as part of a triple exit. However, their identities were left a mystery, with their unmasking saved for the following episode.
