Big Papi Unmasked: David Ortiz Is the First Star Eliminated on The Masked Singer Season 14

The Masked Singer opened Season 14 with an immediate headline moment: “Googly Eyes,” the night’s towering, oversized costume, became the first contestant sent home — and the celebrity under the mask was revealed as Boston Red Sox legend David “Big Papi” Ortiz. The unmasking came during the two-hour premiere that aired January 7 on Fox, setting the tone for a season built around bigger themes, faster eliminations, and a few new format twists.

Ortiz performed DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down for What,” leaning into the character’s chaotic energy while the panel tried to decode the clues. Ken Jeong landed on the correct identity, while the other judges floated baseball names including Derek Jeter, Pedro Martínez, and Manny Ramírez. Once unmasked, Ortiz joked that wearing the costume was a full-body workout — the kind that makes you skip the gym for weeks.

The premiere was structured around a run of head-to-head matchups: Galaxy Girl vs. Handyman, Pugcasso vs. Queen Corgi, Scarab vs. The Croissants, Snow Cone vs. Stingray, and Googly Eyes vs. Cat Witch. The winners advanced, while the losing side made up the bottom group of the night. After a second round of voting, it came down to Googly Eyes and The Croissants for elimination — and Googly Eyes was the first to be officially unmasked.

The second exit was set up as a cliffhanger. The Croissants — a duo in matching pastry costumes — were also sent home, but the show held their identities for the start of next week’s episode, keeping viewers guessing while the judges tossed out wildly different theories about who’s inside the pair.

Season 14 brings back host Nick Cannon and the familiar judging panel of Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, Rita Ora, and Robin Thicke. A new wrinkle this year is “America’s Insider,” a behind-the-scenes clue-giver who appears in costume so the panel can’t identify them, even though viewers are meant to know who they are.

Fox is also leaning harder into themed nights this season, with episodes built around pop-culture franchises and nostalgia — including tributes tied to Star Trek, Clueless, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Twilight. The season slate also includes a “Fear Factor” crossover night and an “Ozzfest” themed episode featuring a tribute that brings back former contestant Kelly Osbourne.

With 18 new costumes in the mix — including Googly Eyes, Cat Witch, Galaxy Girl, Scarab, Stingray, Snow Cone, and more — the show’s opening move made one thing clear: even big names can be out early, and the guessing game is going to move fast.

Read more details from Variety’s recap of the Season 14 premiere and Fox’s official Season 14 theme preview via FoxFlash.

Written by Swikriti