A Yeti, a leopard and a seahorse walk into a room…
It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it’s “The Masked Singer” exhibit at The Paley Center For Media NYC.
Running through May 19, the exhibit (called “The Masked Singer: Behind the Mask! Spotlighting the Show and the Costumes That Captivated America”) features 11 costumes from the hit Fox reality competition series.
“11 costumes for 11 seasons. It’s not 1 to 1; there’s not one costume from every season. But….the idea was to have an array of costumes that cover the scope of the entire run of the show,” curator Jason Lynch told The Post.
The Fox show (Wednesdays at 8 p.m.) is hosted by Nick Cannon, and follows celebs who don elaborate costume disguises that obscure their identities as they perform songs.
The audience and panelists – including Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Nicole Scherzinger, Ken Jeong, Robin Thicke, and Rita Ora – try to guess who’s beneath the mask.
Among the 11 costumes in the exhibit, there’s Miss Monster (worn by Chaka Khan in Season 3); Yeti (worn by Omarion in Season 5); Mummy (worn by The Brady Bunch Brothers Barry Williams, Christopher Knight, and Mike Lookinland in Season 8); Gazelle (worn by Janelle Parish in Season 10); Flamingo (worn by Adrienne Bailon-Houghton in Season 2); Gumball (currently unknown, as it’s part of Season 11, currently airing); Leopard (worn by Seal in Season 2); Rottweiler (worn by Chris Daughtry in Season 2); Mushroom (worn by Aloe Blacc in Season 4); Seahorse (worn by Tori Kelly in Season 4); and Chameleon (worn by Wiz Khalifa in Season 5).
“There were a lot of factors that went into determining what [costumes are featured]. A big one was that some of the costuming was so elaborate and so big, they wouldn’t actually fit into the museum doors,” Lynch explained.
“There were a few that were immediately off the table. Hydra was one of them,” he said, citing the costume worn by celeb magician duo Penn and Teller in Season 7.
“There was a Hawk costume in Season 10 that has wings. The wingspan literally would not have fit through the door,” he added, referring to the costume worn by “Teen Wolf” star Tyler Posey.
“Certainly what is most striking – seeing them in person – is how elaborate they are. So, we did lean a little bit more toward [selecting them for visuals]. Because when you see the show, yes, the customers are interesting. But, you’re more preoccupied by figuring out who’s underneath the costume, and the [song and dance] numbers.”
He cited the Leopard, worn by Seal, as a favorite.
“That one is very elaborate, it’s got this Elizabethan elegance to it, and these piercing green eyes. It’s one of those things that you don’t appreciate until you really see it in person. Also Gazelle has this cape with hundreds of delicate flowers. It’s just something you really need to appreciate in person. So those, to me, are the standouts. But every one in their own way is really interesting. Some of these… I can’t even imagine getting into them to try them on, much less singing and dancing.”
He added, “They really have to be seen to be believed.”
Lynch noted that the Yeti costume – worn by Omarion in Season 5 – is a show-stopping part of the exhibit.
“It’s definitely over six feet tall. Also, it’s not just the height but its overall stature. …These things are so big and cumbersome that it’s not possible for a celebrity to take them off themselves. So, something like the Yeti…it’s hard to even fathom one person getting into that and operating it.”
He cited the Yeti costume as one that couldn’t be transported into the exhibit by one person because of its “sheer size.”
“That one was a multiple person affair.”
The Gumball costume is part of the currently airing Season 11 – so, the celeb under the mask has yet to be revealed.
But, he said, “That is pretty hefty.” He noted that the exhibit, “Actually had to switch to a different mannequin whose legs were made out of more rigid material” to display it, “Because that costume is so heavy, it’s harder to support it.”
Seeing the costumes in person also gives visitors a sense of how tall or short some celebs are, he said.
“Size wise, they’re tailored to whoever the celebrity is…One example is Miss Monster. That is incredibly elaborate, but it’s also on the shorter side. On camera, everybody looks enormous. And it’s not until you see these things up close, you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s interesting, [this celebrity] is so much shorter or taller than I am.”
He also noted that “The Masked Singer” costumes are singular because TV costumes generally have backups, and different versions of each outfit. But, not for this show.
“These are truly one-of-a kind creations. You’re not walking in and seeing multiple versions of Gumball. So these are more special and more unique, because each one is so individually crafted.”
The exhibit, he said, is “Really [about] appreciating the detail that goes into a show like this. You go into it and you’re thinking, ‘Well, I was trying to figure out which celebrities are under this, and deciphering the clues.’ But there is really an incredible production around all of these costumes. And I think that our exhibit really gives you new appreciation for all the work that goes into making the show so successful.”
“The Masked Singer” exhibit is currently running through May 19 at the Paley Center for Media NYC, open Wednesdays to Sundays, 12:00 to 6:00 p.m.
