The Season 11 finale of “The Masked Singer” concluded on Wednesday, May 22, with a thrilling showdown between contestants Goldfish and Gumball. Host Nick Cannon unveiled that Goldfish clinched the victory after both performed fervently for panelists Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg, Ken Jeong, and Rita Ora.
Before the winner’s revelation, Gumball, who finished as the runner-up, was required to reveal his identity. To the surprise of many, he was award-winning actor Scott Porter, known for his roles in “Friday Night Lights” and “Ginny & Georgia.” When questioned by Nick about his unexpected musical talent, Porter shared, “Not even me until maybe tonight. I don’t have any legitimate training. I started singing on street corners in Orlando, Florida when I was going to high school. I auditioned for two straight years for Disney and couldn’t book a role. I didn’t know I could do this until tonight, but I’m so glad I did.”
Adding to the night’s surprises, Nick revealed that Porter is also his son’s baseball coach. Porter elaborated, “I play first base coach. On a Saturday I was sitting during the game and I saw Nick sitting there and I was like, ‘That’s crazy!’ And I’ve stood next to him this whole time.” He continued, “We’ve got three rules. Work hard, have fun, and be kind. I gotta say, I put everything I had into this because my family, my wife, and my kids are home. I had the most fun I could ever possibly have. Thank you so much, and you’ve been so kind to me.”
Before his final performance of “Latch” by Disclosure featuring Sam Smith, Porter shared his journey on the show, saying, “I’m in the finale? What?! This experience has been unreal, and it’s been wonderful to show what I am capable of musically. But I’ve fought for it, surviving two smackdowns and two battle royales. In my life, I’ve had to fight to be seen. Imagine trying to do something thousands of times and only being successful in a handful of them. And yet, in Hollywood, that’s considered a victory. I’ve been on TV for almost two decades nonstop, and yet being here I feel like I’ve finally gotten to show who I really am.”
Porter concluded with heartfelt gratitude toward the show and its impact on his life, “Tonight I’m up for the biggest fight of my life against Goldfish. So, I’m gonna pour my heart and my soul into these last two performances. Win or lose, this journey has changed everything. And I don’t want to stop doing this on the other side of this show because it brings me so much joy, so thank you ‘Masked Singer’ for this experience. I have truly felt like a kid in a candy store.”