The Masked Singer season 13 episode 1 recap: Honey pot revealed as first unmasked celebrity

The Masked Singer returned for season 13 on February 12, 2025, with a new lineup of disguised celebrities competing in elaborate costumes. The premiere episode, titled Lucky Season 13, featured the first round of performances, where panelists Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Rita Ora, and Robin Thicke attempted to guess the identities of the masked contestants.

Nick Cannon returned as host, leading the panel through the clues and performances. The episode opened with Rita Ora and Robin Thicke performing Get Lucky alongside Mario, who was the Wasp in season 12. The night introduced several new contestants, including Honey Pot, Ant, Paparazzo, Fuzzy Peas, and Coral.

Each contestant gave a performance, followed by a series of panel guesses. After the audience votes were counted, Honey Pot was the first to be eliminated and unmasked. The contestant performed S*xyBack by Justin Timberlake and shared clues about their comedy and entertainment career.

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The Masked Singer introduces Honey Pot and their clues

Before taking the stage of The Masked Singer, Honey Pot introduced their persona with a clue package. The voiceover began with the contestant saying, "Hello."

The voiceover continued,

"You got the swagger with the bowtie, I like this. I’m becoming the Honey Pot, because I always say, you can catch flies with honey, but you can catch even more honeys being fly!"

The clues included references to comedy, box office success, and a Hollywood Walk of Fame star. The contestant described their career, saying,

"Who is one of the founding fathers of modern-day comedy? Here’s the answer: It’s me! Next, who’s sold more than two billion bucks at the box office? The answer? It’s me!"

During the performance, Honey Pot brought energy to the stage, though they later admitted to facing some challenges in the costume. During rehearsals, Honey Pot mentioned facing difficulties with visibility in the costume, which led to a few stumbles. They explained that it was challenging to see their feet and maintain balance, requiring extra effort to stay steady on stage.

After the performance, the panelists shared their guesses. Ken Jeong correctly identified the celebrity, saying, "I know that voice!" Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg agreed, while Robin Thicke and Rita Ora suggested different comedians and actors.

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Unmasking and post-show reflections

After audience votes were counted, Honey Pot received the fewest votes and was eliminated in the premiere of The Masked Singer. When the mask came off, the celebrity was revealed as comedian and actor Cedric the Entertainer. He shared his experience on the show, reflecting on the decision to participate and what he had planned for the next round.

"It was a great experience. I do wish I would have had an opportunity to do another song, at least one more. If I could have stayed around and did one more, I could have built a cool audience," Cedric said.

He also revealed his song choice for a potential second performance. He admitted that he was planning to sing a "Luther Vandross tune."

This season introduced new elements, including a masked character named 'Detective Lucky Duck,' who provides additional clues throughout the competition. Another new addition, "Crack the Case" clue cases, offers more hints about eliminated contestants. Honey Pot’s clue case featured a Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

As The Masked Singer competition continues, more masked celebrities will take the stage, with upcoming themed episodes paying tribute to 'Shrek,' 'Ghostbusters,' and the Grand Ole Opry’s 100th anniversary.

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New episodes of The Masked Singer season 13 air every Wednesday at 8 pm ET on Fox.