“Biggest secret on TV”— When Wayne Brady was unmasked as Fox on The Masked Singer

Over the years, The Masked Singer has become famous for its astonishing reveals. In the show, celebrities are covered behind elaborate costumes while dancing and singing in front of a panel of judges and viewers. One of the unforgettable moments was when Wayne Brady was eventually unmasked as the Fox in winning season 2.

In an interview with Variety on December 18, 2019, he said it was tough to keep this secret.

"To be doing something that’s the biggest secret on TV right now and then to listen to people speculate and see the internet chatter each week... and your friends and family guessing that you’re on it, I’ve had to lie to people straight to their faces," he shared.

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Behind the Mask: Wayne Brady reveals the challenges of competing as Fox on The Masked Singer

Keeping the secret

The most significant challenge for Wayne Brady during his time on The Masked Singer was keeping his identity hidden. In his interview with Variety, Brady explained the difficulty of performing in the competition while not being able to talk about it publicly.

"The nature of [being] a performer is you always want to be lauded for what you do, and the fact that you’ve done something that you can’t talk about at all, it’s funny," he said.

As he continued on The Masked Singer, Brady was forced to endure growing speculation from the audience and his friends and family. He recalled that his ex-wife and daughter would share fan theories about how close the public was to guessing his identity.

"I’ve had to lie to people straight to their faces," Brady said, reflecting on how hard it was to keep the secret.

Brady also revealed that many fans could identify him by his voice, something he hadn’t anticipated.

"The thing I didn’t count on is that more people knew my voice than I thought they did," he said.

Despite the frequent guesses, including some incorrect ones, Brady didn’t express frustration but acknowledged the challenge of maintaining the secrecy. He also mentioned that, at times, the growing number of correct guesses made the experience even more intense.

"It was so cool that people on Twitter knew more than the judges," he said, further emphasizing the public's accuracy.

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Family and personal involvement

Wayne Brady’s immediate family was among the few people who knew he was participating in the show. His daughter, Maile, and ex-wife, Mandie, were the first to learn of his involvement.

"The very first people that I told immediately was my daughter, Maile, and my best friend, who is my ex-wife, Mandie," Brady said.

He shared that his daughter initially had reservations about reality competitions but eventually supported him as she saw how committed he was to the show.

"She was both feet in by the first episode," he recalled.

Brady’s daughter also had to navigate the experience of keeping the secret as her friends at school began to make guesses about her father's identity.

"Some kids at her school will say, 'Hi, Little Fox.' And she’ll say, 'I don’t know what you’re talking about,'" Brady shared.

Despite these challenges, The Masked Singer star's daughter was proud of her father's participation and enjoyed seeing him perform.

"She is 100% behind me and she is my biggest fan," Brady concluded.

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The Fox character and performance challenges

Wayne Brady’s involvement in creating the Fox character was a significant aspect of his experience on the show. Brady expressed how he was directly involved in designing the Fox costume, which ultimately reflected his personality.

"A fox is a wily creature who’s underestimated, and sometimes, when you underestimate a fox, a fox can take your hand off," he said.

He saw the Fox as a symbol of intelligence and resilience, qualities that aligned with his own life and career. Initially, Brady had considered other characters, but the Fox resonated with him the most.

Performing in the Fox costume presented unique challenges, especially when it came to movement and breath control. The Masked Singer star’s previous experience portraying a character at Walt Disney World helped him adjust to the costume's demands.

"I had a slight advantage over everyone else because I was a character at Walt Disney World when I was a kid," he explained.

This background allowed him to move more freely in the suit, although he still had to manage the limitations of the mask and tail. The Masked Singer star also received advice from fellow contestants like Joey Fatone, who offered practical tips on how to manage the physicality of the performances.

"Joey Fatone gave me great tips. He said, 'Breathe!'" Brady laughed, recalling the helpful guidance.

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Fans can watch previous seasons of The Masked Singer on Hulu and catch all the exciting reveals and performances!