The reality TV star, who was involved in a cheating scandal, said he wanted to show the world that he was more than his mistakes.
The second episode of ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 10 saw the elimination of the Diver, a masked character with a scuba suit and high heels. The Diver had impressed the judges and the audience with his rendition of ‘Any Way You Want It’ by Journey in the first week, but failed to wow them with his second song, ‘I Ain’t Worried’ by OneRepublic.
The Diver also gave some revealing clues about his identity, such as being a model, an actor, and a singer who faced a lot of backlash for his mistakes. “I’ve been everyone’s favorite person to hate — and to be honest, I get it,” he said in his clue package, holding a newspaper with the headline “Extra! Extra! Read All About It.” He also said that being on the show was “a healing experience” for him and that he wanted to show the world that he was “more than my mistakes.”
One of his additional clues was a fan in the audience with a club painted on his chest. “I’m well-suited for the club,” the Diver explained. “I know how to get the club going. What’s up?”
The Judges’ Guesses
The judges had a hard time figuring out who the Diver was, as they threw out names like Pete Davidson, Pauly D, and Zac Efron. However, Ken Jeong correctly identified him as Tom Sandoval, a reality TV star known for his role on Bravo’s ‘Vanderpump Rules’. Jeong had previously guessed Sandoval based on his voice and his connection to Lisa Vanderpump, who owns the restaurant where ‘Vanderpump Rules’ is filmed.
Sandoval is an original cast member of the reality show, which follows the lives and dramas of a group of young servers and bartenders in Los Angeles. He recently made headlines for cheating on his longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix, who is currently competing on ‘Dancing With the Stars’, with their co-star Rachel Leviss. The affair, which lasted for several months, was exposed when Madix found a video of Leviss on Sandoval’s phone. The scandal, dubbed ‘The Scandoval’ by fans, was the main storyline of Season 10 of ‘Vanderpump Rules’.
The Diver’s Reaction
Sandoval seemed surprised and relieved when he took off his mask and revealed his identity to the audience. He thanked the judges and the host Nick Cannon for giving him a chance to perform on the show. He also admitted that he was nervous and scared to be on stage, but that he enjoyed the challenge.
“I modeled, I acted and, of course, sang. I was always waiting to become a household name. I just didn’t know it was everyone hating me. But I’m here to show the world that I’m more than my mistakes. Being here already feels like a healing experience,” he said.
He also joked that he was glad that he didn’t have to wear the scuba suit anymore, as it was very hot and uncomfortable. He said that he chose the Diver costume because he liked the idea of being underwater and exploring new depths.
The Other Contestants
The Diver was the second contestant to be eliminated from ‘The Masked Singer’ Season 10, following the unmasking of the Cow in the first episode. The Cow turned out to be Ne-Yo, an R&B singer known for songs like ‘So Sick’ and ‘Sexy Love’. Clues supporting this guess included references to his music videos, Grammy wins, and ties to Las Vegas.
The remaining contestants in Group A are the Butterfly, [the Dragon], [the Eagle], [the Flamingo], [the Giraffe], [the Hedgehog], [the Ice Cream], and [the Jellyfish]. They will compete again next week for a spot in the Super Six.
‘The Masked Singer’ Season 10 airs Wednesdays on FOX at 8 p.m. ET.
