The Masked Singer returns for season 7 on March 9, and it’s already shaping up to be the most dramatic season yet. Rudy Giuliani — Donald Trump’s former lawyer who made efforts to overturn the 2020 election and was recently subpoenaed by the Jan. 6 committee — was reportedly unmasked during a taping of the first season 7 episode, according to Deadline. As soon as Rudy was revealed, panelists Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke reportedly “left the stage in protest.”
Ken and Robin “eventually returned” to set after walking off, according to the report. Fellow panelists Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger remained on stage and reportedly “bantered with Giuliani.” HollywoodLife reached out for comment, and FOX is not commenting on the report. The network never confirms contestants until they reveal themselves on the show.
The report sparked outrage on social media, considering the 77-year-old’s baseless claims that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump. Rudy, once “America’s Mayor,” has been a key figure in Trump’s attempt to spread unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud. Just hours before the Jan. 6 Capitol attack that left 5 dead and over 100 police officers injured, Rudy called for a “trial by combat” during his speech to Trump supporters. He later claimed that his words were not a call to violence but a reference to Game of Thrones.
In June 2021, a New York appellate court temporarily barred Rudy from practicing law in New York because of his false claims about the 2020 election. The court said that Rudy’s actions were an “immediate threat” to the public and that he had “directly inflamed” the tensions that led to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, The New York Times reported.
This isn’t the first time The Masked Singer has had a polarizing contestant. Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin was revealed as the Bear in season 3. She performed “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot. (Yes, really.)
In the upcoming seventh season, the competing celebrities will be facing off as The Good, The Bad, or The Cuddly. The show usually split the contestants into Groups A, B, and even C. Season 7 will air Wednesdays on FOX.