‘The Masked Singer’ Upcoming Guests Include Deana Carter, Bill Engvall, Erik Estrada (EXCLUSIVE)

under Doll’s mask after being eliminated on the show’s “WB movie night” on Wednesday.The 68-year-old singer was dressed in a gray unitard with a sparkly purple dress over it while wearing equally sparkly high-heeled shoes. Prior to his unmasking, judges asked him to provide clues as to who he was.Snider made a comparison to Elvis Presley, a “Guys and Dolls” playbill, and a lollipop before he gave a stunning performance of “Jailhouse Rock.” Robin Thicke, 46, guessed that the singer was actually Gene Simmons from the rock and roll band Kiss while Ken Jeong, 53, guessed it was Austin Butler — who was nominated for an Oscar his portrayal of Elvis. Nicole Scherzinger, 44, guessed that Snider was David Lee Roth while Jenny McCarthy, 50, believed the singer was Iggy Pop.

It’s hard to believe we’re already more than halfway through the new season of The Masked Singer!

SPOILER ALERT – Do not read ahead if you have not watched the new episode of The Masked Singer!

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 9, episode 8 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired April 5 on Fox. We’re not gonna take it. No, we ain’t gonna take it. Dee Snider’s not gonna be on “The Masked Singer”… anymore! That’s right, the Twisted Sister frontman was the next celebrity to be revealed on Wednesday’s edition of “The Masked Singer,” as the Doll. Snider had won the previous week as Doll, but his journey ended here. For Doll, no one got it right. Panelist Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg thought it was Iggy Pop. Robin Thicke went with Gene Simmons, Nicole Scherzinger named David Lee Roth and Ken Jeong guessed Austin Butler.

The Masked Singer is back for season nine!

The Masked Singer is back for season nine!

The Masked Singer is back for season nine!

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Fox has partnered with McDonald’s to launch a “The Masked Singer”-themed Happy Meal at stores starting April 4. Dubbed the ‘Masknificent’ Happy Meal, the item will feature one of 12 plush toys inspired by one of the “Masked Singer” costumes that have been showcased over the series’ nine season. Kids (or adults who — shhh — can order a Happy Meal too) will also finding a guessing game to play before discovering which character is in the box. Each toy will be in opaque wrapping with a special clue as to which character is hiding within. The game, of course, mimics the unmasking seen on “The Masked Singer.” Characters from seasons past that will be included are T-Rex, Peacock, Thingamajig, Miss Teddy, White Tiger, Space Bunny and others. (One toy per box.) The Happy Meal boxes will also include a scannable code that directs customers to a ‘Masknificent’ AR experience in which they can use their phones or tablets to design their own “Masked Singer” stage featuring filters and music. Through the experience, their plush toy will take part in a virtual concert.

returned for the seventh week of season 9 on Wednesday, and the show went neon and pastel for a fun, retro '80s Night celebration.Helmed by host Nick Cannon and overseen by stalwart panelists Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger, Wednesday's «Country Night» episode saw three brand new costumed contestants -- The Doll, The Moose and Scorpio -- duke it out musically for a chance to move on in the competition.So who went home and who moved on? Each week, ET will be breaking down the biggest moments and most surprising unmaskings in each new episode of the hit reality singing competition series.Here's how Wednesday's "'80s Night" shook out, when all the songs were sung and votes were cast!No one is going to forget The Doll, who hit the stage decked out as a spooky, retro, haunted voodoo doll to perform a fun and captivating rendition of «Don't You (Forget About Me)» by Simple Minds.«Yeah, I love the song choice, and and I think there was such an elegance, [you're] a seasoned performer,» Robin marveled. «This person knows how to work a crowd.

K.J. Yossman Argonon CEO James Burstall was prompted to write his new crisis management book “The Flexible Method: Prepare to Prosper in the Next Global Crisis” by the COVID-19 pandemic, when the TV industry – like much of the world – came to a grinding halt almost exactly three years ago. Shows including “The Masked Singer U.K.,” which is produced by Argonon subsidiary Bandicoot and usually filmed in front of a live audience, found themselves jeopardy. But the seeds for the book were sown a decade or so earlier, during the 2008 “credit crunch.” Then, Burstall was the CEO of Leopard Films, which he had founded in 2001 following stints at Oxford University and Stanford and a transitory career in journalism working for Vanity Fair and London’s Evening Standard newspaper. Leopard was chugging along nicely, pumping out hits such as BBC daytime staple “Cash in the Attic,” when disaster struck for the first time. Fuelled by the sub-prime mortgage crisis, the economic downturn saw broadcasters tightening their belts and commissions trickled to a halt.

Erik Lomis died suddenly last week and the stars of Air honored the late MGM and Amazon Studios executive.

Hayley Williams of Paramore performed a cover of Deana Carter’s ‘Did I Shave My Legs For This?’ at Love Rising, a Nashville fundraiser for LGBTQIA+ organisations.The show saw Willams team up with singer-songwriter Becca Mancari on guitar to perform ‘Inordinary’ taken from her solo album ‘Flowers for Vases / descansos‘. She then welcomed her best friend and business partner Brian O’Connor who came out dressed in full drag ready to sing ‘Did I Shave My Legs For This?’.The event was created by members of Tennessee’s music community after responding to the series of bills Tennessee recently passed targeting the state’s LGBT population – attempting to pose restrictions on things like drag shows and transgender treatment and surgery for minors.“What they’re doing with this anti-drag bill… is actually just a distraction from all these other horrible things that they’re trying to pass here — it feels like we’re in a relationship with our city and our state that’s all give, no get,” Williams told the crowd.Last month, Williams spoke out to decry the legislation.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large SPOILER ALERT: Do not read ahead if you have not watched the Season 9, episode 6 of “The Masked Singer,” which aired March 22 on Fox. You’d better be ready to, be ready to… Jump! Off of “The Masked Singer.” Actor Holly Robinson Peete, known for “21 Jump Street” among other things, was one of the two more celebrities who unmasked on Wednesday’s edition of “The Masked Singer.” Also out: WWE star Alexa Bliss, who just made headlines this week for revealing that she had been diagnosed with skin cancer, and recently underwent a procedure for it. For Axolotl, panelist Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg got it right, naming Alexa Bliss (real names Alexis Kaufman and Alexis “Lexi” Cabrera). Robin Thicke guessed Nikki Bella. Ken Jeong thought it was Brie Bella. Nicole Scherzinger picked McKayla Maroney.

returned for the sixth week of season 9 on Wednesday, and the show embraced the fun twang and lonesome romance of country music.Helmed by host Nick Cannon and overseen by stalwart panelists Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger, Wednesday's «Country Night» episode saw two new contestants — The Macaw and The Axolotl -- duke it out against returning singer The Fairy for their shot at moving on in the competition.So who went home and who moved on? Each week, ET will be breaking down the biggest moments and most surprising unmaskings in each new episode of the hit reality singing competition series.Here's how Wednesday's «Country Night» shook out, when all the songs were sung and votes were cast!The Fairy kicked things off in cowboy boot style with a stunning and beautiful rendition of Bonnie Raitt's «Angel From Montgomery» that left the panel in awe of her talent and vocal styling. It was a performance befitting a reigning champ and set the bar high for the night.The character with possibly the cutest costume of the entire season hit the stage next, The Axolotl, and the pink, frilled amphibian delivered a sweet cover pf «Can't Fight the Moonlight» by LeAnn Rimes — who also happens to be a Golden Mask winner, from back in Season 4.Finally, The Macaw flew out for a powerful performance of «Live Like You Were Dying» by Tim McGraw that won over the audience and left the panel very impressed.After all the votes were counted, the adorable Axolotl was, sadly, the first to get kicked off.

SPOILER ALERT – Do not read ahead if you have not watched the new episode of The Masked Singer!

The Masked Singer is back for season nine!

The Masked Singer is back for season nine!

The Masked Singer is back for season nine!

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at Large Amazon Freevee has landed the exclusive first-run U.S. rights to “Casa Grande,” a bilingual limited series that follows the tales of California’s hardworking, often undocumented migrant workforce, as well as the wealthy landowners in Northern California. The series, which consists of five one-hour episodes, premieres May 1 on Freevee. Lauren Swickard (“A California Christmas”) and Ali Afshar created “Casa Grande,” which comes from Afshar’s ESX Entertainment shingle. Series stars include John Pyper-Ferguson (“The 100,” “Suits”), Christina Moore (“That ‘70s Show,” “90210”), Madison Lawlor (“Juniper”), Karen Bethzabe (“Babylon”), Javier Bolaños (“All American”), Raquel Dominguez (“Chicago Med”), James Marsters (“Buffy The Vampire Slayer”), Kate Mansi (“Days of Our Lives”), Daniel Edward Mora (“Coco”), Loren Escandon (“The Baxters”) and Ali Afshar (“He’s Just Not That Into You”).

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hollywood producer Scott M. Rosenfelt has joined Filipino TV crime-action series, “Sellblock,” as U.S.-based Blue Fox Entertainment joins as the show’s sales and distribution representative. Planned as a three-season series, “Sellblock” chronicles the activities of one of Asia’s biggest drug empires which is operating from inside a Philippines maximum-security prison. Production is scheduled to start in May. The cast is headlined by Jericho Rosales (“Basurero,” “Siargao,” “Pacquiao: The Movie”) alongside actors Empoy Marquez, Ronnie Lazaro, Mon Confiado, Sylvia Sanchez, and Ria Atayde.