In a thrilling revelation on this week’s episode of “The Masked Singer,” renowned “MasterChef” judge Joe Bastianich emerged as the hidden talent behind the Spaghetti & Meatballs disguise in a Fox reality crossover event. The coincidence of Bastianich’s appearance coinciding with “Billy Joel Night” added an extra layer of excitement, given his personal connection to the Piano Man himself.
Reflecting on his experience, Bastianich shared with Variety, “I grew up on Long Island in the 70s and 80s. That was the soundtrack of that era. Some of the greatest songs ever written. I know Billy Joel, personally, from growing up and as a customer in all the restaurants. I hope he gets to see it!”
Despite the panelists’ best efforts, none of them managed to guess Bastianich’s true identity. Robin Thicke speculated Stanley Tucci, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg suggested Guy Fieri, Ken Jeong picked Bobby Flay, and newcomer Rita Ora came close by naming Bastianich’s “MasterChef” co-star Gordon Ramsay.
Describing his time in the Spaghetti & Meatballs costume, Bastianich humorously remarked, “It had a little bit of a wide spaghetti al dente head, so a little bit tough on my dance moves. But aside from that a pretty mobile costume. I was very comfortable… I am a singer-songwriter. You can check me out on Spotify, and I do play a lot of music. So being within the Fox family, when they asked me to come over and show my talent, I was excited to do it. This was a little bit intimidating, but an amazing experience.”
Following the night’s performances, Spaghetti & Meatballs and Lizard found themselves as the lowest vote-getters and went head-to-head in the smackdown, both delivering passionate renditions of Billy Joel’s “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).” Ultimately, Spaghetti & Meatballs bid farewell, leaving Lizard, Poodle Moth, and Clock to advance to the next round.
Joe Bastianich’s unmasking as Spaghetti & Meatballs adds to the list of celebrities revealed this season, including Savannah Chrisley as Afghan Hound and Kevin Hart as Book.
The episode also featured Robin Thicke opening the show with his rendition of Billy Joel’s “My Life,” setting the stage for a night of musical surprises.
Season 11 of “The Masked Singer” promises a lineup of themed episodes, including tributes to “The Wizard of Oz” for its 85th anniversary, a celebration of “Transformers'” 40th anniversary, and musical nods to “Billy Joel Night” and “Queen Night.” Additional themes include “Girl Groups,” “Soundtrack of My Life,” “TV Theme Night,” and “Shower Anthems.”
With sixteen celebrity singers, including three “wildcards,” Season 11 introduces new costumes such as “Gumball,” “Ugly Sweater,” “Goldfish,” “Starfish,” “Book,” “Miss Cleocatra,” “Beets,” and more. The contestants boast an impressive collective resume of 22 Grammy nominations, 11 platinum albums, 33 Teen Choice nominations, 108 million records sold, 326 film appearances, and 1.7 billion Spotify streams, making this season one of the most highly anticipated yet.
