In a dramatic television moment that left viewers stunned, fans of The Masked Singer discovered that the celebrity behind the Calla Lily costume was none other than Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi Mellencamp. The revelation came during the latest episode themed Red, White, and Clue, celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the United States.
Shocking Unmasking After Emotional Performance
Calla Lily performed John Mellencamp's classic track Jack & Diane during the episode, which featured five contestants including High Voltage, Eggplant, Owl, and wild card performer Pangolin. Despite her heartfelt rendition, Calla Lily received the fewest votes and was eliminated, leading to the dramatic unmasking that revealed Teddi Mellencamp to the panel and audience.
Judges' Guesses and Correct Prediction
Shortly before the unveiling, judge Jenny McCarthy correctly identified the celebrity as Mellencamp, while her fellow panelists offered different theories. Ken Jeong speculated it might be Christina Applegate, Rita Ora guessed Selma Blair, and Robin Thicke suggested Danielle Fishel as the possible identity behind the elaborate floral costume.
Personal Motivation and Family Connection
The television personality revealed that her decision to participate in the competition stemmed from her children's enthusiasm for the show. Mellencamp shares three children - Slate, 12, Cruz, 11, and Dove, 5 - with her estranged husband Edwin Arroyave.
'Well, I've been watching for a long time because it's my kids' favorite show,' she explained to Entertainment Weekly. 'It's something we can watch as a family, and every single season they think somebody's me. And so I was like, this has got to be something that I do. And then just completely shock them.'
Interestingly, while her children correctly identified her character within the first episode, her famous father, musician John Mellencamp, couldn't determine which contestant she was.
Health Journey and Performance Challenges
Mellencamp openly discussed how her health challenges affected her performance. The reality star was diagnosed with melanoma in 2022, which later progressed to stage four and metastasized to both her lungs and brain. After emergency surgery last year to remove multiple brain tumors, she revealed in October that her cancer had become undetectable.
'I admitted to being nervous during the competition while explaining that I now naturally shake a little bit since my surgery,' she shared, highlighting the physical effects of her medical treatment.
Family Reactions and Social Media Response
Mellencamp documented watching the episode with her family on Instagram Stories, capturing moments with her children and father. When she asked her father if he was excited about watching The Masked Singer, he humorously responded, 'About what?' before clarifying he had flown to join her for the viewing.
On social media platform X, fans expressed their reactions to the revelation:
- One viewer wrote: '#TheMaskedSinger Teddi girl, you did your thing'
- Another responded to McCarthy's correct guess: 'That was sooooooo sweet! She's amazing #TheMaskedSinger'
- Additional comments included 'CONGRATS TEDDI' and 'Loved #TheMaskedSinger it was good'
Clarifying Health Status
The unmasking comes after recent public discussion about Mellencamp's health. Her father appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience in January, stating his daughter was 'really sick' and 'suffering right now.' Mellencamp later addressed these comments on her Two T's In A Pod podcast, clarifying that while there's still no trace of cancer, she remains in immunotherapy treatment for stage four cancer.
'No, there's still no trace of cancer,' she confirmed. 'But I'm still considered stage four and I'm still in immunotherapy, so essentially nothing's changed. I would hope that I would be feeling better by now, but I really don't.'
Before her cancer metastasized, Mellencamp had 17 melanomas removed from her back, highlighting the severity of her health journey that she continues to navigate while participating in television projects like The Masked Singer.
