Comedy icon inside Honey Pot on “The Masked Singer ”on how Kevin Hart, Anthony Anderson satisfied him to do it

Warning: This text comprises spoilers for The Masked Singer season 13, episode 1, "Fortunate Season 13."

Welcome again, armchair detectives — we hope you're feeling fortunate!

That's as a result of The Masked Singer returned Wednesday night time, and because the present identified at each alternative, the season as an entire is being dubbed the "Fortunate 13." To kick the festivities off, host Nick Cannon and panelists Rita Ora, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Robin Thicke starred in an intro by which all of them piled into an elevator, with increasingly costumes from previous seasons becoming a member of them the longer they rode it. Finally, they landed on the Masked Singer stage and Ora, Thicke and season 12's runner-up Wasp (a.ok.a. Mario) carried out “Get Fortunate” by Daft Punk.

From there, it was enterprise as ordinary as we met our first group of season 13, consisting of Honey Pot, Ant, Paparazzo, Fuzzy Peas, and Coral, who carried out “SexyBack” by Justin Timberlake, “Simply Give Me a Motive” by Pink, “The Door” by Teddy Swims, “La Bamba” by Ritchie Valens, and “Mad World” by Tears for Fears, respectively.

As at all times, somebody needed to go dwelling first, however not earlier than Cannon launched a brand new ingredient for the season. For the primary time ever, proper earlier than eradicated singers present their well-known faces, Cannon will reveal their “most private clue of all” with what the present is dubbing the Crack the Case Clue Circumstances (sure, actually). The case for Honey Pot — the primary singer to be eradicated this season — contained a golden star along with his identify on it, paying homage to the Hollywood Stroll of Fame stars.

Rita Ora previews 'really chaotic' Masked Singer season 13: 'It's how did you get this person-type of insane'

This led Thicke to guess Martin Lawrence, Ora to choose Eddie Murphy, and Jeong and McCarthy-Wahlberg to agree on Cedric the Entertainer. A lot to everybody's shock, Jeong (and McCarthy-Wahlberg) had his first win of the season, as a result of Honey Pot was certainly unmasked to disclose comedy icon, TV host, and actor Cedric the Entertainer.

Forward, Leisure Weekly talks to the comic about how lengthy he's been desirous to do the present, which of his well-known associates secretly satisfied him to do it, why he hates that he went dwelling first, and the thrilling TV initiatives he's bought arising subsequent.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How lengthy have you considered doing The Masked Singer?

CEDRIC THE ENTERTAINER: It was most likely, I wish to say a minimum of three seasons [ago] once they first introduced it to me, then I began watching the present. It's fairly loopy. When it first occurred, I didn't know what that present was all about. I used to be like, what’s going on? Individuals have been on the market dancing, singing as caterpillars and all types of stuff, however I had my guys — Kevin Hart did it one yr, after which my good buddy Anthony Anderson did it final yr — and that's what actually bought me motivated. I used to be like, okay, I see what it’s. That is enjoyable. And the timing labored out this yr for me to be on it, and so I used to be actually blissful that we bought an opportunity. I hate I bought kicked off so fast, however no matter.

Yeah, typically individuals are able to go shortly and typically folks inform me they have been excited to do a specific track subsequent and unhappy they didn't get to take action.

That's it. As a result of the factor is, you're pondering, all proper, I'm going to return out with this vitality, however I form of discover I'm good at being in ballads and actually easy, crooner songs, and in order that's what I wished to do, like a blues or a crooner track the primary time. And [the producers were] like, "Man, you want some vitality!" And so I used to be like, okay, okay. In order that's why I believed if I might've made it to that subsequent week, I may have hit 'em with one thing I felt would've been extra like, "Yeah, this is in my pocket proper right here."

Everything to know about The Masked Singer season 13: From a wild new character to a 'lucky' theme

You talked about connections with Kevin Hart and Anthony Anderson, however you even have a Vegas present with Toni Braxton, Love & Laughter, and Toni was also on The Masked Singer. Have you ever ever talked to her about her expertise on the present?

No, we didn't speak about it. I'm simply now discovering out she did it! I stored mine so secret till this second. We've by no means even talked about me being on The Masked Singer in any respect, as a result of I used to be actually enjoying the sport of maintaining it a secret and holding it down. So I haven't even revealed to those who I did it. It was imagined to be a shock for people.

So what do you hope folks's reactions are once they discover out tonight that you simply did the present?

I hope individuals are tremendous excited. I hope they're enthusiastic about me being on the present, after which they tune in and watch. That's the large factor. Individuals have heard me sing in Vegas, and I'll sing in my comedy reveals, do a humorous musical bit. So I believe that's the factor that hopefully the group will probably be actually enthusiastic about and that everyone will probably be writing in going, "Hey, let's have Cedric again."

You could possibly come again — many previous contestants have come again to be a visitor on the panel or to carry out once more.

Oh, see, visitor panelist could be enjoyable. I'd like to guage others.

What would your recommendation be for future contestants?

I believe that they should be ready to do much more work than they thought, however it’s a good time. And be ready to cover that secret. Maintain it, maintain it down.

Did your Vegas present put together you in any respect for The Masked Singer expertise?

The Masked Singer expertise was its personal factor. I believe being within the costume like that, I've by no means actually needed to do one thing like that with choreography, with dance, and also you've bought to file it. It was undoubtedly extra work in a brief time period, however once more, enjoyable due to the vitality. The judges are tremendous hyped, the group is overrated, and it's simply the shiny ground and the lights. It's a vibe once you get on the market. That's most likely, in all of the rehearsals and every part I did, probably the most enjoyable was when it was really go time after which it's like, all proper, let's do that.

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Now that you simply've achieved The Masked Singer, what's arising subsequent for you that you simply're enthusiastic about?

Properly, again in Vegas with Love & Laughter, and Toni and I, we're excited for folks to return see that. That's a very enjoyable present that has lots of these Masked Singer parts to it. We're engaged on the spinoff of The Neighborhood with my two sons that'll transfer to the seaside, and that's enjoyable. So simply producing there, and looking out ahead to coming again for season 8 of The Neighborhood. I've bought one other spinoff with Tracy Morgan for The Neighborhood known as Crutch. That'll be on Paramount+. And so we're simply actually having enjoyable increasing this universe and creating and simply bringing enjoyable household leisure reveals to folks.

What did you personally take away out of your time on The Masked Singer?

I believe it was the concept of attempting to expertise one thing new, getting out of your consolation zone in a approach, and simply going to have enjoyable with the viewers. I believe that was the most important factor — and perhaps it wouldn't have taken me so lengthy to even do the present — as a result of I used to be simply pondering, I don't wish to do this. That's not for me. However I ended up having a blast, and naturally having the ability to hold a secret, which isn’t my sturdy level both.

This interview has been edited for size and readability.

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