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If you think The Masked Singer Australia is wild, you should see the US version.

 

Remember that time Lindsay Lohan propounded that Latoya Jackson had flown half way around the world to dress as a spider and sing in front of Dave Hughes?

Yes, well. The Masked Singer has been full of surprises.

But the most astonishing part of the new Channel 10 singing show has been… just how good it is.

Whilst Australian audiences have marvelled at the bizarre singing competition, based on the South Korea format, we’ve had a look at the American version. And holy Osher Günsberg, it is even more wild.

Here are just four ways the US version is even more outlandish than the Australian version.

1. The costumes.

HA. And we thought a nine-foot-tall, eye-patch-wearing prawn was eccentric.

In America they have a “thingamajig”, an ice cream man and a pineapple. Oh, and an egg. (They sound hungry.)

Other favourites include a skeleton and a very extravagant butterfly.

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This is "ice-cream". Image: Fox.
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the masked singer us
"Thingamajig". Image: Fox.
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Meet skeleton. Image: Fox.
the masked singer us
Pineapple. Image: Fox.
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Meet egg. Image: Fox.
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the masked singer us
Butterfly. Image: Fox.

2. Oh. Latoya Jackson actually was on it.

Well. Lindsay's guess perhaps wasn't so silly.

Latoya Jackson HAS been on the Masked Singer, competing in the first American season earlier this year as the alien.

Latoya Jackson was the alien on the Masked Singer. Image: Fox.
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Other notable celebrities who have been unmasked include singer and rapper T-Pain (who in fact won the first season), actress Tori Spelling, comedian Margaret Cho and actress Rumer Willis.

Not surprisingly the US version evidently has a bigger budget than our Network 10. But hey, we're not complaining: Nikki Webster is a national icon.

3. The ... drama.

America enjoys the drama.

The judges in America — Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger, Jenny McCarthy and Robin Thicke — are much more, um, hyperbolic in their reactions.

Exhibit A: this moment from the grand finale which seems fundamentally unnecessary.

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Ken Jeong, are you ok? Image: Fox.
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The Masked Singer US
"Pls stop. Like, right now." Image: Fox.
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Something tells me Dave Hughes and Lindsay Lohan won't be as theatrical.

4.  The equivalent of half of Australia tuned in to watch.

Yes. It would seem Americans are as delusional as us and also believe The Masked Singer is one of the greatest television shows of the decade.

You see, in America The Masked Singer achieved the biggest ratings debut for a non-scripted television series of all time.

And its viewership only grew over time, with a modest 11.4 million viewers tuning in to watch the February 2019 season finale, which is nearly half the population of Australia and goodness that is frightening. But also understandable.

They also are currently mid-way through the nation's second season, which according to my calculations, means they have had two seasons in one year.

Osher, please take the hint.


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