‘The Masked Singer’ Panelists Sneak Preview ‘Peanuts Night’: Why Robin Thicke Relates to Pig Pen and Rita Ora Loves Lucy (EXCLUSIVE)
Good grief! “The Masked Singer” pays tribute to Charlie Brown, Snoopy and friends next week with “Peanuts Night.” The event will also air one day later than usual, Thursday, Nov. 28, as a Thanksgiving special.
Variety has a first look at the Thanksgiving “Peanuts Night” edition of “The Masked Singer,” which kicks off with panelists Rita Ora and Robin Thicke performing “You Make My Dreams Come True.” Then, the Group C finals take place, with Sherlock Hound, Royal Knight and Strawberry Shortcake giving out “Thanksgiving-themed clues” and singing songs “I Hope You Dance,” “Holiday” and “Ho Hey.” The episode, which airs 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, will end with a battle royale and double elimination.
More from Variety
To celebrate “Peanuts Night,” the show’s panelists also shared their favorite characters from the long-running comic strip (which marks its 75th anniversary in 2025). For Robin Thicke, he quips, “I kind of always related to Pig Pen, he just always needed a shower and I always wondered why he wouldn’t take a shower!”
Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg says she connected most to the Halloween “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” special. “I love Charlie Brown. I love rooting for him, but I also love Lucy. If you go back to look at all of my school books, all I have—and I’m not joking—are pictures of Lucy. I drew Lucy, Lucy, Lucy everywhere. And then there’s a sweet connection to Donnie’s [Wahlberg] fans. Every band, or artist, has a fan group. You have Swifties, Beyonce’s BeyHive…well, the Blockheads come from Charlie Brown. They come from Peanuts. When you go to the concerts, the fans are always bringing Peanuts merch. Donnie has a ton of Peanuts stuff around the house. The Blockheads actually come from Peanuts.”
Rita Ora says she also gravitates to Lucy, especially “with her psychiatric booth is my go-to because I always feel like I have these instincts personally so I’ve genuinely always related to her.”
As for Ken Jeong, he feels a kinship with Charlie Brown: “Honestly my favorite thing ever in the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, my favorite line is, ‘All I got was a rock.’ I just love that and it just keeps making me laugh to this day.”
Here’s the first look:
Drake Bell as Ice King, Bethany Hamilton as Macaron, Natalie Imbruglia as Bluebell, Laverne Cox as Chess Piece, Andy Richter as Dusty Bunny, Paula Cole as Ship, Marsai Martin as Woodpecker, Yvette Nicole Brown as Showbird and John Elway as Leaf Sheep are the celebrities who have been unmasked so far on “The Masked Singer” Season 12.
Besides “Peanuts,” Masked Singer” Season 12 themed episodes include tributes to Mattel’s Barbie as it hits its 65th anniversary, and the film “Footloose” as it marks its 40th anniversary. Miley Cyrus was also honored this week with an episode devoted to her music catalog, while also new was a “Who Are You Fest,” featuring music from “memorable festival lineups,” as well as a “Sports Night” and a “60’s Night.” Tentpole themes that are back have included “Soundtrack of My Life.”
“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.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Solve the daily Crossword
