Well, America, we have reached the end of the strangest reality show of our time — no longer will you flip channels and assume you are hallucinating because a terrifying pineapple is belting out I Will Survive.
That’s right, The Masked Singer has come to an end. But don’t worry, that’s just Season 1! Obviously, given that the show has become a hit for Fox, the network excitedly renewed it for a second season, so it can haunt your dreams next year.
Wednesday’s two-hour finale not only revealed the winner, but showcased one of the most deeply strange and beautiful moments we’ve seen on reality TV in a while. Rapper T-Pain was crowned Masked Singer champion; dressed as a monster, he was thrilled to claim the victory and prove that he has a fantastic voice.
But the most moving moment of the finale belonged to Gladys Knight.
Halfway through, host Nick Cannon announced that the final three singers — the monster, the peacock (Donny Osmond) and the bee — would be unmasked. And, he announced, third place went to … the bee!
As usual, Cannon made all the judges — Ken Jeong, Robin Thicke, Nicole Scherzinger, Jenny McCarthy and special guest Kenan Thompson — guess who was behind the bee mask. This time, that iconic voice was obvious.
“With a voice like that, it’s pretty hard not to hear who it is,” McCarthy said.
“Yeah, it’s a voice from God,” Thicke added.
“When I heard you sing, I knew within a half of a second who you were,” Thompson added.
Cannon made them all guess at once: “Gladys Knight!” they said. (Except Jeong, who insisted it could be Anita Baker.) So the bee started to undo the mask. “Somebody needs to help her, it’s Gladys Knight!” Scherzinger fretted. Eventually the costume came undone.
“The legendary Gladys Knight!” Cannon roared. Knight beamed toward the screaming crowd. The judges’ awed expressions were highly entertaining, as the whole panel started chanting her name.
“Wow! It is such an honor, such a pleasure,” Cannon gushed. “You may not remember this, you are the first entertainer celebrity superstar that I ever met. I was a kid in North Carolina. You took the time out to tell me how special I was and that I could make it. And to be standing next to you right here is insane. I love you so much.”
“I remember you,” Knight insisted.
Cannon followed up with the million-dollar question: “We all have to know … why would you do a show like this?!”
Indeed, Gladys: Why? “Because we should always strive to do different kinds of things because they elevate us eventually,” she answered confidently. Cannon asked what she learned being inside the bee costume, and she confessed it’s a lot more difficult to sing when you can’t see the audience. “The eyes are so important. You know, just seeing you guys here … That’s what gives me courage.”
Thompson took his turn. “Well, as the resident black judge,” he said, and briefly paused for the crowd’s laughter before continuing, “You know good and well how heavy you are in the culture, you know? Because that voice has graced my life, my parents’ life, and, like, every single family member I’ve ever had. And I think it’s an unbelievable feeling to be able to have witnessed this. I can’t thank you guys enough for having me on the show. It’s been incredible.”
With that, Knight sang one more time, as she launched into Bonnie Raitt’s I Can’t Make You Love Me. All of the judges got choked up, as the camera panned on Thompson looking emotional, as Scherzinger started weeping and Thicke wiped his eyes.
“We’ll be back to see who takes home the golden mask, the peacock or the monster!” Cannon eventually interrupted. Yet it didn’t take away from the bizarre magic of the moment. Sure, this show was ridiculous. And kind of frightening if you stared at the costumes for too long. But in the end, millions of viewers were treated to one of the greatest artists of all time singing a beautiful song. And even though she was dressed in a bee costume, it still made everyone cry.