Rudy Giuliani caused quite a stir as he was unmasked during a taping of the first episode for season seven of Fox’s The Masked Singer last week, as reported by Deadline.
The 77-year-old politician’s shocking unmasking reportedly prompted a dramatic reaction from judges Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke.
The outlet reports that Ken and Robin ‘quickly left the stage in protest’ of Rudy’s involvement.
Unmasked: Rudy Giuliani caused quite a stir as he was unmasked during the first taping for season seven of Fox’s The Masked Singer last week, as reported by Deadline; Rudy pictured February 2
Remaining judges Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger remained onstage amid the uproar.
It was reported that McCarthy and Scherzinger ‘bantered’ with Rudy, who is a controversial figure in the political realm due to his ties to former President Donald J. Trump and for pressing that the 2020 election was ‘stolen’ from the 75-year-old.
A source close to the production said that Ken and Robin eventually returned to the judges panel.
Big drama: The 77-year-old politician’s shocking unmasking reportedly prompted a dramatic reaction from judges Ken Jeong (pictured) and Robin Thicke
Protest: The outlet reports that Ken and Robin (pictured) ‘quickly left the stage in protest’ of Rudy’s involvement
As part of the singing competition show, celebrity contestants don elaborate costumes and even have their voices altered in order to conceal their identities until elimination.
Deadline did not reveal any details about Rudy’s performance or his costume.
Season seven of The Masked Singer is centered on the theme ‘The Good, The Bad and The Cuddly.’
It is set to premiere on Wednesday, March 9 on Fox.
Controversial: Rudy is a controversial figure in the political realm due to his ties to former President Donald J. Trump and for backing the notion that the 2020 election was ‘stolen’ from the 75-year-old; pictured in 2020
This is not the first time that The Masked Singer has sparked controversy over its choice of contestants.
Republican politician and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin was unmasked after appearing on the show in 2020 as ‘Bear.’
She was eliminated after performing a rendition of Sir Mix-A-Lot’s Baby Got Back.
Though Palin, 57, described the experience as ‘the weirdest thing I’ve ever done,’ she praised the show for inviting a conservative contestant into the mix.
Coming soon! Season seven of The Masked Singer is centered on the theme ‘The Good, The Bad and The Cuddly.’ It is set to premiere on Wednesday, March 9 on Fox
‘It’s all about fun. It’s unity. This is all good. This something that our country needs right now,’ she explained to host Nick Cannon.
News of Rudy’s involvement in the upcoming season of The Masked Singer comes after former impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman filed a suit against him and Donald Trump. Jr. on Wednesday, charging them with having falsely attacked his loyalty to the U.S. and punishing him for his testimony.
Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, also lashed out at the defendants in an op-ed, where he cited his removal from the White House National Security Council and a delay in his Army promotion.
‘I was attacked in a way calculated to inflict maximum personal and professional damage likely in order to prevent me from testifying or to punish me for doing so. In this country, that violates the law,’ he writes.
Surprise! This is not the first time that The Masked Singer has sparked controversy over its choice of contestants. Republican politician and former Alaska governor Sarah Palin was unmasked after appearing on the show in 2020 as ‘Bear’
Unifying: Though Palin, 57, described the experience as ‘the weirdest thing I’ve ever done,’ she praised the show for inviting a conservative contestant into the mix
He is suing four officials for intimidation and retaliation, writing: ‘I wish I had done so sooner, both for my sake and for the other public servants who have been similarly tested.’
Vindman was on Trump’s infamous phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky when Trump asked for help digging up dirt on President Biden’s son, Hunter.
He was subpoenaed to testify in Trump’s impeachment after reporting the contents of the call.
His suit alleges the group carried out a ‘coordinated campaign’ based on ‘common understanding and agreement’ to target him for ‘intimidation and retaliation.’
Lawsuit: News of Rudy’s involvement in the upcoming season of The Masked Singer comes after former impeachment witness Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman filed a suit against him and Donald Trump. Jr. on Wednesday, charging t hem with having falsely attacked his loyalty to the U.S. and punishing him for his testimony
It says the attacks were to paint him as ‘disloyal’ to the U.S. and having ‘engaged in “espionage.”‘ He says they destroyed his ability to serve in a national security or foreign policy roleThe Ukraine-born Vindman served on the NSC along with his twin brother Yevgeny as an expert in Ukrainian affairs. He was director of European Affairs on the NSC.
He cites the Ku Klux Klan act of 1871, which is also cited in lawsuits by some lawmakers against Trump over Jan. 6th.
The suit says Don Jr. serves as Trump’s ’emissary to the media, names Giuliani as a longtime advisor, targets Scavino for overseeing Trump’s Twitter account, and names White House official Julia Hahn, who served as special assistant at the White House after working for TV host Laura Ingraham and Breitbart News.
Vindman immigrated to the U.S. in 1979 and was awarded the Purple Heart.
Trump fired Vindman and his brother following the impeachment effort, which resulted in his acquittal.
Lashing out: Vindman, a retired Army lieutenant colonel, also lashed out at the defendants in an op-ed, where he cited his removal from the White House National Security Council and a delay in his Army promotion; Vindman pictured in 2019
Another one: The suit names former White House aide Dan Scavino, who oversaw Trump’s Twitter account
Vindmans’ suit references an array of media figures as well as prior attacks Trump allies organized against former FBI official Andrew McCabe as it accuses the group of a conspiracy against him.
A long passage on Fox news commentator Laura Ingraham and her ties to the Trump White House recalls her report that Vindman ‘usually’ spoke English as part of an effort to ‘smear’ him.
It quotes a comment by John Yoo, a former Justice Department official who was a guest on her show, and responded to the comment: ‘I find that astounding, and in – you know, some people might call that espionage.’
The suit does not name either Ingraham or Yoo.
It includes a Giuliani tweet that Vindman has ‘reportedly been advising two gov’s,’ saying it implied he had ‘dual loyalties.’
DailyMail.com has reached out to the Trump Organization for comment.
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