‘The Masked Singer’s Thingamajig on His ‘Cozy Monster’ Costume
Q&A
Take It Off! Take It Off!
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One of the panelists guessed The Masked Singer‘s Thingamajig identity before he was unmasked, but Ken Jeong still couldn’t believe he was right.
Thingamajig himself, the Indiana Pacers’ Victor Oladipo, wasn’t surprised. “It was a giveaway” after the clues, he told TV Insider.
And it was also a giveaway to his mother. “[She] knows my mannerisms, my voice, the way I move,” he said. “She’s been watching me for 27 years.”
Here, Oladipo discusses his experience on the show, the song he’d planned on singing during the finals, and more.
You looked like you were having fun out there! What did you enjoy most about the experience?
Victor Oladipo: I enjoyed just the response from the fans, from the judges, everybody in general, just because it was a new space, a new experience for me. After stepping into this music world, getting into uncomfortable situations, having that response was fulfilling.
Speaking of new situations, you’re used to being in front of crowds, but this was different. What was the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge was singing with the mask on because it’s a little hot in there and you can’t really see. The mask is a little heavy. But after a while, once you do it a couple times, you get used to it.
(Michael Becker/FOX)
What appealed to you about the Thingamajig costume? What did it mean to you?
It was something fun. It was something that was unique, something that was different. It was a monster but a fun, warm, cozy monster with a monster mentality but not monster traits. That’s how I look at myself and my personality.
What did you think of the panelists’ guesses? Ken guessed correctly in the end.
I wasn’t that surprised that Ken guessed correctly because he’s a basketball fan. The Indiana Jones and the Indiana Pacers and I’m probably the only NBA player that sings that’s out right now. It was a giveaway after that.
And we saw how much Nicole [Scherzinger] loved you and your voice.
It was unbelievable, just her response, the way she connected with my voice and the Thingamajig. It was a great experience, and I had a lot of fun interacting with her on the show.
Is there a song you’d wished you’d gotten the chance to perform while under the mask?
There were a few songs that couldn’t get cleared or I wanted to perform. I was going to perform the Sam Smith song “Stay With Me,” but unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance because I was saving that for the final episode. It’s all good. Hopefully I get a chance to perform it another [time].
(Michael Becker/FOX)
Was there a performance that was especially meaningful for you?
I would say Kacey Musgraves and “Ordinary People” were my two favorites. Kacey Musgraves was a very unique song choice for me, and I didn’t know how it was going to turn out. I just went with the flow on that one, and it turned out great. Then “Ordinary People” was the complete opposite. I’ve always wanted to perform that onstage in front of people, and that turned out great, too.
What have you heard since you were unmasked? Did anyone say, “Oh, I knew it was you because…”?
There were plenty of people coming up to me saying, “I know it was you because you use feathery, the number four, had to go to rehab.” It all fit. I was in full denial about it, of course. At the end of the day, it was all fun and I had a great experience, great time, learned a lot about myself and a lot about my music. I just gotta keep getting better and keep putting out great music.
The Masked Singer, Season 2 Finale, Wednesday, December 18, 8/7c, Fox
