David Ortiz Unmasked on ‘The Masked Singer’

Key Takeaways

• The Masked Singer season 14 premiere featured 10 new masks and a new twist called America’s Insider
• The episode paired the contestants into five groups of two, with the winner of each pair moving on and the loser going to the bottom five
• The panelists had no idea that Descendants star and singer Kylie Cantrall had revealed herself as the Cat Witch mask on social media before the season aired
• The first contestant to be eliminated was Googly Eyes, who was revealed to be Baseball Hall of Famer David Ortiz
• The Croissants were also eliminated, but their identities were not revealed and will be shown next week

Introduction to Season 14
The Masked Singer is back after its longest hiatus to date, and it’s bigger and better than ever. The season 14 premiere featured 10 new masks, including the most decorated star in the show’s history. The episode kicked off with a showy performance by Rita Ora, who sang "Golden" by KPop Demon Hunters. The panelists, including Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong, and Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, joined in on the performance, setting the tone for the rest of the episode.

The Format of the Episode
The episode paired the contestants into five groups of two, with the winner of each pair moving on to the next round and the loser going to the bottom five. The contestants sang a variety of songs, including "Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl" by Chappell Roan, "Shake Your Groove Thing" by Peaches & Herb, and "Don’t Rain on My Parade" by Barbra Streisand. The winners of each pair were Galaxy Girl, Pugcasso, Scarab, Stingray, and Cat Witch, who moved on to the next round.

The America’s Insider Twist
The season’s major twist, dubbed America’s Insider, was introduced in pre-taped offstage videos for the audience’s eyes only. Descendants star and singer Kylie Cantrall revealed herself as the Cat Witch mask on social media before the season aired, and will be taking viewers inside her journey on the show all season long. The panelists had no idea that Cantrall had revealed herself, making for an interesting dynamic throughout the episode.

The Eliminations
The first contestant to be eliminated was Googly Eyes, who sang "Turn Down for What" by DJ Snake and Lil Jon. The panelists guessed that Googly Eyes was a baseball player, with predictions including David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Pedro Martínez, and Manny Ramirez. In the end, Googly Eyes was revealed to be David Ortiz, also known as Big Papi, a Baseball Hall of Famer and legendary Boston Red Sox designated hitter.

The Croissants’ Elimination
The Croissants were also eliminated, but their identities were not revealed. The panelists guessed that the Croissants were a celebrity couple, with predictions including Jersey Shore stars Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, Todd and Julie Chrisley, and Spencer and Heidi Pratt. However, instead of revealing their identities, the show ended with a cliffhanger, showing two blurred-out faces with question marks over them. The audience will have to wait until next week to find out who the Croissants are.

Conclusion
The Masked Singer season 14 premiere was an exciting and unpredictable episode, with a new twist and a surprise elimination. The show will continue to air on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Fox, and fans can expect more surprises and revelations as the season progresses. With its unique format and entertaining performances, The Masked Singer is sure to keep viewers on the edge of their seats all season long.