Jimmy Kimmel has torn into Fox’s decision to reportedly feature Rudy Giuliani on a forthcoming episode of The Masked Singer.
The former mayor of New York, who has become an especially polarising figure in recent years through his ties to former US president Donald Trump, is said to have been unmasked as a contestant on a new episode of the hit reality show.
After Giuliani’s identity was revealed, judges Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke reportedly walked off stage, though, as Deadline reported, fellow judges Nicole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy remained on stage and “bantered” with the controversial Republican politician.
Joking about the incident on his popular late night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel expressed genuine annoyance at the network’s decision to give Giuliani the spot.
“Speaking of garbage, you know the show The Masked Singer?” Kimmel asked his audience. “Okay, well, the new season doesn’t premiere until next month, but the identity of one of the singers has been revealed. And his name is Rudy Giuliani. The guy who’s trying to destroy our country? He’s singing on a show.
“The only people who should be unmasking Rudy Giuliani is the gang from Scooby Doo, you know? ‘Now let’s find out who the real traitor is!’”
Giuliani faced heavy criticism in the wake of the 2020 election after speaking out in support of Trump’s false claims that the election had been “stolen” from him illegitimately.
“How does this even happen?” Kimmel added. “I mean, a lot of people at Fox had to sign off on this. Not one of them was like, ‘Hey, maybe we shouldn’t have the guy who is under investigation for helping to plot an insurrection signing on our show?’
“Fox network really should be ashamed of themselves. They should have another show called ‘The Masked Executives.’ All the Fox executives come out in costumes; the one who greenlit this idea takes off the mask and gets voted out of television forever.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs in the US on ABC.
