When a garbage can sings on German television at prime time, you know: “The Masked Singer” is obviously back. The new season opens with a fiery loss. A hot chili has to go.
Cologne – Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is where the chilli speaks: “Tagesschau” head spokesman Jens Riewa was the first celebrity to be exposed on the music show “The Masked Singer”.
Chili with bulging eyes
The 58-year-old was in the costume of a huge chilli pepper. Since he received too few audience votes at the start of the new season of the ProSieben show, he had to take off his fiery mask, which also included two crazy googly eyes. The newscaster, who is only known to be very properly dressed, was happy nonetheless. “That’s the secret of this show: just let the little pig out,” said Riewa. “Or the hot chili.”
The fact that the native Brandenburg was under the colorful costume was a little surprise. Musician Rea Garvey (48) on the advice team dropped the name after the chilli performance with the song “Can You Feel It?” By the Weather Girls, but did not pursue the idea any further. In the end, he guessed comedian Michael Mittermeier (55). His colleague Ruth Moschner (45) believed she recognized a French accent. But then she guessed the German TV chef Horst Lichter (59), which was also wrong.
As a reminder: In “The Masked Singer” celebrities appear as singers, but hide their true identity behind elaborate costumes. The stars are exposed as soon as they don’t get enough votes or win at the very end. Now the fifth season of the ProSieben show has started – for the first time it will run on a Saturday. The prelude attracted 2.96 million viewers in front of the screens (market share 11.3 percent).
Riewa: Ten times more stage fright
“I had stage fright ten times more than before a 8 pm” daily news “, Riewa admitted. He had meticulously prepared the performances and, according to his own account, practiced 16 songs. In America he ordered a soundproof booth for $ 1200 so that he could sing undisturbed – and many other options were also exhausted. “I used all the night shifts of the” Tagesschau “to sing in storage rooms or anywhere else where no one ever comes,” reported Riewa. Admittedly: it was of no use. In the final vote, he lost to a teased skunk, a hammerhead shark and a frail teddy bear.
As Riewa admitted, the chilli costume didn’t really suit him well in his private life. “I am famous in my private life for the fact that I cannot eat spicy food,” he said. “For one simple reason: I get hiccups for hours.” For someone who is a speaker by profession, this is rather unfavorable. Slipping into the tight costume for the first time wasn’t easy either – for really serious reasons. “When I tried on the first time, I had a panic attack,” said Riewa. Years ago he had a car accident in which he was trapped. He briefly thought of canceling “Masked Singer” again.
Judith Rakers showed us how
In the staff of the ARD news program, the wealth of experience in undercover participation in the ProSieben show is growing again with him. Last season, “Tagesschau” spokeswoman Judith Rakers took part in a fluffy chick costume.
“We are of course a bit starved,” said Riewa about the desire for entertainment with him and his colleagues – who used to include Jan Hofer (69), who after leaving the “Tagesschau” in the RTL dance show “Let’s Dance ”. The news broadcast has a strict framework, said Riewa. But that is also their secret of success – the reliable, straightforward information. He did not ask for permission to participate in “Masked Singer”. “I wouldn’t have been forbidden to do so either.”
Singing axolotl and disco caterpillar
The eye-catchers of the new season now include a pug dressed like the love god Cupid, a singing axolotl – also known as the Mexican tailed amphibian – and a garbage can in which a furry creature called Mülli Müller lives. In addition, a disco caterpillar takes part, in which Ruth Moschner speculated that it could be music star Helene Fischer (37), who is mentioned in almost every season, but has never been there. “I think Helene is busy,” said Rea Garvey. “But you never know.” Dpa
