The Masked Singer Season 14 Premiere Recap: Googly Eyes Revealed

SPOILER ALERT: Details follow for Season 14, Episode 1 of “The Masked Singer,” “Premiere,” which aired Jan. 7 on Fox.

“The Masked Singer” returned on Wednesday with a big swing: Big Papi, aka Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz, was the first to be eliminated as Season 14 of the hit Fox celebrity singing competition got underway.

Disguised in the “Googly Eyes,” costume, Ortiz performed “Turn Down for What,” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon. Panelist Ken Jeong guessed it right with Ortiz. Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg went with Derek Jeter. Robin Thicke thought it was Pedro Martinez. Rita Ora named Manny Ramirez.

As for the identity of the second elimination — a duo under two Croissant costumes — Thicke said he believed it was Snooki and the Situation from “Jersey Shore,” while Jeong guessed Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. McCarthy-Wahlberg named Todd and Julie Chrisley. Ora went with Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag. The Croissant will be revealed at the start of next week’s episode.

The two-hour premiere — which repped the first episode since May 2025, as “The Masked Singer” took the fall off — opened with Ora singing “Golden,” from “KPop Demon Hunters” (which features the voice of her fellow panelist Jeong). Later, Jeong and Thicke also joined in the vocals.

In a series of head-to-head competitions, Galaxy Girl faced off with Handyman; Pugcasso with Queen Corgi, Scarab with Croissants, Snow Cone with Stingray and Googly Eyes with Cat Witch. Winning those faceoffs: Galaxy Girl, Pugcasso, Scarab, Stingray and Cat Witch.

That meant Handyman, Queen Corgi, Croissants, Snow Cone and Googly Eyes were the bottom five. After one more vote, the bottom two were poised for elimination: Googly Eyes and Croissant.

David “Big Papi” Ortiz as Googly Eyes is the first celebrity unmasked on “The Masked Singer” Season 14.

Back for Season 14 are host Nick Cannon, alongside panelists McCarthy Wahlberg, Jeong, Ora and Thicke.

New this season is “America’s Insider,” in which singer, dancer and social media personality Kylie Cantrall will share behind-the-scenes hints and clues for viewers. The twist: Cantrall is in costume, but will unmask for viewers — so the audience knows who she is, but the panelists don’t.

“The Masked Singer” Season 14 themed episodes include a tribute to “Star Trek,” the ‘90s comedy “Clueless,” the comic franchise “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and the blockbuster “Twilight Saga” films. Also Fox’s new “Fear Factor” reboot will feature host Johnny Knoxville in a “Fear Factor: House of Fear Night,” and an “Ozzfest Night” honors late rocker Ozzy Osbourne, including a special tribute by “Masked Singer” alum Kelly Osbourne (Season 2’s Ladybug) saluting her father’s musical influence.

The 18 Masked contestants in Season 14 include Eggplant, Pugcasso, Queen Corgi, the Croissants, Owl, 14 Karat Carrot, Snow Cone, Galaxy Girl, High Voltage, Googly Eyes, Scarab, Handyman, Crane, Le Who Who, Pangolin, Stingray, Cat Witch and Calla Lily.

Per the show, the Season 14 contestants have sold a combined 94 million records, received 47 Teen Choice Award nominations, 12 Emmy nominations, two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one Tony Award win and one Academy Award nomination.

Here were the performances on Wednesday’s two-hour premiere episode.

Galaxy Girl

Song: “Super Graphic Ultra Modern Girl,” by Chappell Roan

Panel guesses: Lindsay Lohan, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Emma Stone

Galaxy Girl voiceover: “Star light, star bright. Heard you’re looking for stars tonight. Well, this girl’s the whole galaxy. From a young age I was on top of the world. Accepted in the best schools on scholarship. The youngest on stage, even before I could drive. But y’all, I’m human. And perfection was never my thing. So, I walked away. For years, I was lost in the background. But I knew there was something bigger in the world for me. So I worked my butt off. And boom, my rise was meteoric. Now I’m feeling another gravitational pull. Toward this stage. I’ll admit, I’ve been curious about doing ‘The Masked Singer’ for a while. And I’m ready for takeoff. But I don’t plan to take off this mask until I secure that trophy.”

Handyman

Song: “Shake Your Groove Thing,” by Peaches & Herb

Panel guesses: Idris Elba, Tone Loc, Vin Diesel

Handyman voiceover: “I’m your host, Handyman. And today I’m going to teach you how to flip your life upside down. I grew up on the west coast. And as a kid, I was scrappy. I was a tough guy. And I rode around with an interesting crew. It was fun. You want to see my wild guy face? I was never looking for trouble. So I used my image to shift gears. Suddenly, the crowd I was rolling with included everyone from DeNiro to Courtney Cox. Turns out, I could still be scrappy. But use that attitude for something good. My street cred has never been higher.”

Pugcasso

Song: “Ordinary,” by Alex Warren

Panel guesses: Dan Reynolds, Darren Criss, Ryan Tedder

Pugcasso voiceover: “Well hello there my furry friends. I’m Pugcasso. And welcome to the Joy of Panting. Today, we’re going to paint a happy little career change. See, I was supposed to take over the family business. But sometimes you’ve got to color outside the lines. Like the time I threw my name in the hat on something big. My life changed overnight. I joined an ensemble of dreamers just like me, and before you knew it I went from nobody to top dog. Something only a handful of artists have achieved. Just like that, we painted success. But as for me, I’m still that ordinary pup living in an extraordinary world.”

Queen Corgi

Song: “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” by Barbra Streisand

Panel guesses: Nikki Blonsky, Maya Rudolph, Aidy Bryant

Queen Corgi voiceover: “OK lemme tell you something. College was not for me. So I’m hanging out at my dorm, just being myself. You know, doing what I love. And people started paying attention. A few at first. And then, like an actual audience. And it hit me, hey, maybe I can make a living off this. But everyone thought I was crazy. Friends, family, professors, they all said no. But I didn’t wait for permission, I didn’t follow the rules. And now they literally call me a trailblazer. Like, what? So don’t even think about raining on my parade. Because I’m hoping to be best in show.”

Scarab

Song: “Set Fire to the Rain,” by Adele

Panel guesses: Whoopi Goldberg, Viola Davis, Sheryl Lee Ralph

Scarab voiceover: “’This golden goddess, perhaps the most decorated we’ve ever seen, has risen as any star in the heavens.’ Yeah, everyone knows my story. I have done it all. Met presidents, dined with Brad. Even Prince knew my name. Just look at my trophy shelf. That’s a lot of gold, baby. I’m proud of what I’ve achieved. But I’ve been at this a long time now. While most people would be thinking about retirement, I’m looking for something new to inspire me. The Scarab is a symbol of rebirth. And this is the beginning of mine. Time to win a new kind of gold.”

Croissants

Song: “Jailhouse Rock,” by Elvis Presley

Panel guesses: The Situation and Snooki, Todd and Julie Chrisley, Spencer and Heidi Pratt

Croissants voiceover: “’They were upper crust socialites. Living at the top. And it all came crumbling down.’ So it’s true, life was good. And we were inseparable. Until we were torn apart. That’s right. We were canceled, separated. And we didn’t know when we’d see each other again. It was the darkest moments of our lives. And just when I thought all hope was lost, a miracle. Out of nowhere, we’re back. Back. And best of all, reunited. We feel everyone just had the wrong idea about us. So we’re here to change it. And rise again. Together.”

Snow Cone

Song: “When I Grow Up,” by the Pussycat Dolls

Panel guesses: Mischa Barton, Nicole Richie, Taylor Momsen

Snow Cone voiceover: “Hello everyone. My name is Snow Cone. And I’m here to clear the air. I’ve been misunderstood. Look, from day one I knew I was destined for stardom. Sure, I was just modeling snow boots for a kids catalog. But I was the whole package. And then wham, I finally got my big break. I landed a role on one of TV’s hottest shows. Until one moment spoiled everything. I was kicked to the curb. You should have seen what the headlines said about me. All lies. Hollywood completely iced me out. And ever since then, I’ve been trying to shake that image. Tonight, the nerves are real. But this song feels personal to me. I’m not what you think. And I’m going to prove those people wrong.”

Stingray

Song: “Stayin’ Alive,” by Bee Gees

Panel guesses: Lenny Kravitz, Jaden Smith, Lil Romeo

Stingray voiceover: “You know what? This Stingray is everywhere. From Michelin to Met Gala. I say yes to it all. And in my early days I might have been known to mix it up on Sunset Boulevard. I mean, who else parties on the roof of the Chateau Marmont? It all started when I was a kid and my mom hosted these amazing parties with legends like Michael, Luther, Stevie. Some of my earliest memories are sneaking out of bed to sit at the top of the stairs, desperate to catch a glimpse of the gold and the glamour. To this day, I don’t like to miss out on a good time. That’s why I’m here. I’ve had so many friends do this show and love it, so I wanted to see if the hype is real. Does that sound like a party?”

Googly Eyes

Song: “Turn Down for What,” by DJ Snake and Lil Jon

Panel guesses: David “Big Papi” Ortiz, Daddy Yankee, Wesley Snipes

Googly Eyes voiceover: “Heard you are hiring a new ‘Masked Singer’ winner. The name is Googly Eyes. Here’s my resume. Qualifications? I have tons. I am a massive star, a born leader who is known for getting businesses out of the red and into the black. And I am mostly housebroken. Need references? Bacon, Krasinski, Tucker, those guys have got my back. So I am perfect for the gig and will be clutch for making this season a smash. Reach out with any questions, and let’s get to work.”

Cat Witch

Song: “Abracadabra,” by Lady Gaga

Panel guesses: Charli D’Amelio, Addison Rae, Lisa from Blackpink

Cat Witch voiceover: “The best things are worth the wait. And don’t I know that’s true. I’m not used to being anonymous. But I’m thrilled to toy with you. Ever since I was a kitten, I longed for the stage. So I brewed myself a future. A dash of time, a little sage, grandiose merch, tours, albums. All that and more came from my cauldrons. And I’m living for it. This little kitten’s got her claws in every single pot. Because to live nine lives, you’ve got to grow and stretch a lot. I’m ready to shed my image. A more mature side you should find. And what I’m manifesting next, that gold mask is mine.”

Past “The Masked Singer” winners include T-Pain as Monster (Season 1), Wayne Brady as Fox (Season 2), Kandi Burruss as Night Angel (Season 3), LeAnn Rimes as Sun (Season 4), Nick Lachey as Piglet (Season 5), Jewel as Queen of Hearts (Season 6), Teyana Taylor as Firefly (Season 7), Amber Riley as Harp (Season 8), Bishop Briggs as Medusa (Season 9), Ne-Yo as Cow (Season 10), Vanessa Hudgens as Goldfish (Season 11), Boyz II Men as Buffalos (Season 12) and Gretchen Wilson as Pearl (Season 13).

“The Masked Singer” comes from Fox Alternative Entertainment. Rosie Seitchik, Craig Plestis and Cannon are executive producers, while Seitchik serves as showrunner. The series is based on the South Korean format created by Mun Hwa Broadcasting Corp.