In early February, the word spread that Rudy Giuliani had been unmasked as a performer on Fox’s The Masked Singer—and that not everyone involved with the hit reality series had taken the reveal very well. Reports surfaced that judges Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke in particular were so incensed by the cheap ratings grab that both walked off the stage in protest, leaving many to wonder whether Giuliani would be cut out of the season altogether.
On Thursday night, viewers got their answer when the disgraced former New York City mayor was unmasked as a jackass-in-the-box. While The Masked Singer creator Wonwoo Park has very publicly stuck by his decision to both invite Giuliani onto the show and to leave the episode (mostly) intact, Jeong and Thicke did not agree. And while Thicke’s walk offstage did not make it onto the final broadcast, Jeong’s did—and many people are praising the doctor-turned-comedian for his decision to declare “I’m done” once Rudy began belting out the world’s worst rendition of “Bad to the Bone” and extricate himself from the situation.
While Jeong’s quiet protest received both positive and negative buzz online, the majority of people seemed to agree with the judge’s decision to not celebrate a man who has been the loudest champion of overturning the 2020 election. You can see just a smattering of those pro-Jeong reactions below.
Ken Jeong is America. https://t.co/2fD4zVvbjh
— Rex Chapman🏇🏼 (@RexChapman) April 21, 2022
Why am I not surprised that Ken Jeong, an actual doctor who went to Duke for undergrad and UNC Med who tries to push back on medical misinformation, walked off while Jenny McCarthy, who is responsible for spreading mountains of vaccine bullshit, is totally ok with this? https://t.co/HTeOpkjbZu
— Eric Michael Garcia (@EricMGarcia) April 21, 2022
KEN LEAVING ??? OH MY GOD. ken jeong realest bitch in this place #TheMaskedSinger
— uncle o’grimacey 🦦 (@britellfilms) April 21, 2022
Basically Ken Jeong has higher standards than much of the US political and legal system https://t.co/jQd9z5GnQ7
— Don Moynihan (@donmoyn) April 21, 2022
We love Ken Jeong
Yes we do do do do do pic.twitter.com/EyqDv3W77G
— Muppet History (@HistoryMuppet) April 21, 2022
This is obviously disgusting, but Ken Jeong's deadpan "No, that's not Robert Duvall" is the funniest line delivery of his entire career to date, no contest. https://t.co/XQhXgnWLBg
— Lon Harris (@Lons) April 21, 2022
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 @MaskedSingerFOX https://t.co/oNF78P6M1x
— Cynthia Payne (@cyntiap) April 21, 2022
https://twitter.com/eneiman/status/1516947539211210753?s=20&t=RTRfL3yMGJB-ftzriRmLzg
I have renewed respect for Ken Jeong after this. We cannot rehabilitate genuine tyrants. #TheMaskedSinger
— Ant 💀 Waiting on Edits For My Novel (@AGramuglia) April 21, 2022
Look at Ken Jeong’s reaction!!! I LOVE his outright disdain for this horrible man #TheMaskedSinger
— Kate Sally O’Malley 🏳️🌈🤷🏼♀️ (@BmoreSparrow) April 21, 2022
Damn. He has never been more the Penguin… only he *started* as mayor. Respect to Ken Jeong. https://t.co/DWX1yWTAd6
— Francesca Fiorentini (@franifio) April 21, 2022
Ken Jeong walked.
Respect. https://t.co/8GaizP0Pya— Marmel (@Marmel) April 21, 2022
