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Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani was unmasked on the April 20 episode of The Masked Singer, months after news outlets reported two judges walked off during the taping of the episode after Giuliani was unmasked.
The Masked Singer, a reality singing competition that features celebrities singing songs while wearing head-to-toe costumes and face masks concealing their identities, is not known for making political statements but Giuliani's appearance nonetheless sparked outrage from some members of the judges' panel who did not want to look past Giuliani's involvement in the Capitol riot.
Giuliani, who has worked as former President Donald Trump's personal attorney, joined Trump on January 6, 2021 in urging Trump's supporters to march on the United States Capitol and stop the certification of the 2020 general election results that showed then-candidate Joe Biden, a Democrat, was the rightful winner.
Giuliani's participation on The Masked Singer prompted judge Ken Jeong to declare, "I'm done" before walking off set.
You can see what happened in the footage below.
Rudy Giuliani sings "Bad to the Bone" on Masked Singer as host @kenjeong leaves saying, "I'm done."pic.twitter.com/nPmcTBye4m— andrew kaczynski (@andrew kaczynski) 1650503061
After singing a rendition of George Thorogood And The Destroyers' "Bad to the Bone," Giuliani was asked why he'd chosen to appear on the program despite the controversy surrounding him.
Giualini replied that he'd come for his granddaughter, Grace, saying that he wants her "to know that you should try everything, even things that are completely unlike you and unlikely."
Giuliani's appearance did not resonate with viewers who criticized The Masked Singer's production team for inviting Giuliani to participate given that he has played a vital role in the effort to overturn an election that multiple sources have determined was both free and fair.
But Jeong's walkout in fact did and many have praised him while criticizing the program–and media outlets–for normalizing Giuliani's actions and giving him an opportunity to rehabilitate his image.
The only reaction a human being should have when faced with that Rudy ghoul...https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— Michael Malone \ud83c\udf08 (he/him) (@Michael Malone \ud83c\udf08 (he/him)) 1650546417
We are all @kenjeong right now. MSM stop normalizing these criminals like @RudyGiuliani who tried to overturn the election, in Donald Trump\u2019s favor, to redeem themselves on national tv . Utterly disgusting and stupid, all for ratings dumb! #MaskSingerBigFailhttps://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— Angela T. Coleman (@Angela T. Coleman) 1650552414
Thank you for walking off the set, @kenjeong \u2014 and shame on the brainless twits who thought the appearance of the despicable traitor Rudy Giuliani was all in good fun.https://twitter.com/kfile/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— Jon Cooper (@Jon Cooper) 1650539171
Couldn\u2019t have written a better parable for how screwed American democracy is than this: try to destroy democracy on behalf of a would-be despot, then get rehabilitated as a goofy celebrity on a singing game show. Authoritarian politics are not sideshow entertainment.https://twitter.com/kfile/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— Brian Klaas (@Brian Klaas) 1650530802
Props to @Kenjeong - they need to stop trying to rehabilitate seditious scumbags via media, especially a disgraced, disbarred, lying f-wad like ghouliani.https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— Justin Kase \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@Justin Kase \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1650557627
I\u2019m with @kenjeong on this. I\u2019m out too. Rehabilitating Giuliani is a step too far. #MaskedSingerFoxhttps://twitter.com/kfile/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— Socratosaurus \ud83c\udf39\ud83e\udd96 (@Socratosaurus \ud83c\udf39\ud83e\udd96) 1650516636
There is no shame, no bottom. Giving a lying traitorous piece of lickspittle like Rudy Giuliani a forum of any sort after his illegal machinations to subvert the will of the American people is beyond disgusting. Ken Jeong is a hero. #boycottFox @kenjeong @MaskedSingerFOXhttps://twitter.com/kfile/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— Cynthia Payne (@Cynthia Payne) 1650511962
And this is why @kenjeong is my brother from another mother. He\u2019s always been true to himself. What you see is what you get. He\u2019s always done it his way, not to please others. Ken, thanks for the integrity you showed and for setting this example for my kids. https://twitter.com/kfile/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— Julius Kim (@Julius Kim) 1650514492
I gained a whole lotta respect for @kenjeong last night!https://twitter.com/KFILE/status/1516945903327891460\u00a0\u2026— NJ's Republican Guy (@NJ's Republican Guy) 1650539184
Giuliani's appearance on The Masked Singer comes after more than a year of him garnering unsavory headlines for filing lawsuits in an effort to overturn the election results and for sharing debunked conspiracy theories about voting irregularities.
His efforts have not been without consequences.
In July 2021, Giuliani claimed he is the victim of “political persecution” after his law license was suspended in Washington, D.C. The suspension was triggered automatically by Giuliani’s suspension the previous month from practicing law in the state of New York.
A New York appellate court officially suspended Giuliani’s law license, writing in a 33-page decision that he made “demonstrably false and misleading” statements about the 2020 election while working as Trump’s personal attorney.