“I was freaked out to do the show because it’s a singing competition, you know?
Warning: This article contains spoilers about Wednesday’s episode ofThe Masked Singer.
The Orca has migrated to calmer waters.
Mark McGrath.Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
The shiny marine mammal and first-everMasked Singerwildcard!
wasunmasked Wednesday nightto reveal Sugar Ray rockerMark McGrath.
MARK MCGRATH:Of course not!
Orca on ‘The Masked Singer’.Michael Becker/FOX
I thought, “Oh my God, I think I can do this wildcard stuff.”
They gave me a lot of production to really justify being the wildcard, so it worked out.
So at what point did you find out you were a wildcard?
When I was walking to my first rehearsal with the costume on.
[The producers were] like, “Oh yeah, you’re gonna be a wildcard.
We have to change the format up.
It’s what we do.
Every season we need to spice things up.”
Like I said, they keep it moving.
They don’t really give you a chance to ask too many questions.
The show just wants to make you look good.
So they just gave me a production that was over the top.
During tonight’s episode, you mentioned your kids not having any clue you were doing the show.
Were you and your family fans ofThe Masked Singerbefore doing this?
Yeah, they still don’t know.
I’ve been able to keep it from them all this time.
It’s funny, too.
And so Orca came out [on the show].
And my son goes, “Orca is kind of cool, dad.”
I’m like, “He’s all right.”
So I thought that was great.
So their minds are gonna be blown to bits when they see it tonight.
It’ll be fun.
In recent years there’ve been reports of you dealing with hearing loss.
Did that impact your experience on the show at all?
The hearing loss thing I kind of have to qualify every now and then.
I was doing a red carpet once.
I was kind of throwing it away as an aside.
And then he asked the question, I answered the question, and that was it.
It was so awkward.
It’s not anything that impairs me from doing anything.
So it’s not something that was ever a concern of mine being in the costume.
And they get some wonderful sound.
So they’ve got real pros working the mics and working in the sound department.
It was never a problem at all.
So your son thought the Orca was cool, but what did you think of the costume?
You have some anxiety about it.
The first thing they showed me was Orca.
And my heart just went, “Yes.”
Because I’m a Pisces, you know?
I grew up in Newport Beach, California.
I feel comfortable around the ocean.
Yes, that’s one hurdle down.
I was a little worried that the costume could be this gigantic, cumbersome thing.
I could kind of move my arms and legs.
I felt completely at home in the costume.
You get really close to the mask.
What did you take away from this experience?
I wasn’t there that long, but I feel like I’m part ofThe Masked Singerfamily forever.
I mean they ingratiate you so quickly, they make you feel so warm and welcome.
I would encourage anybody who is ever lucky enough to get the opportunity, to jump on this thing.
Also, I’m taking a professional part away.
I’m gonna start using vocal coaches with Sugar Ray.
Vocal coaches just want to get the best out of what you have.
And I learned that onThe Masked Singer, so I’m gonna take that away.
It’s beautiful, the way they put it together.
And I never counted on that.
That’s why it’s the biggest show on TV.
But the singing is almost secondary to the characters at this point, you know.
