Warning! The following contains spoilers from The Masked Singer's "Miley Cyrus Night." Stream the episode with a Hulu subscription and read at your own risk!

The Masked Singer Season 12 was back on track this week after eliminating a contestant the previous week who didn't know she'd be singing on the show. Another contestant was unmasked, and as sad as I was to see Ice King bouncing (after being revealed as actor Drake Bell), I couldn't get over the elephant in the room surrounding "Miley Cyrus Night." Panelist Robin Thicke has a big TV connection to the Grammy-winning singer that could've been further acknowledged, but I can understand why the show wasn't keen on bringing it up.

For those in the dark, I'm referring to the 2013 VMA performance where Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke shared the stage for a performance. Let's get into how the show acknowledged the moment and likely avoided giving it a better spotlight.

How The Masked Singer Briefly Acknowledged Robin Thicke's Performance With Miley Cyrus

Robin Thicke had a chance to take the spotlight on Miley Cyrus Night and maybe even make a moment bigger than when he and Ken Jeong walked off the stage in The Masked Singer Season 7. Much to my initial surprise, when Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg opened up the conversation for him to comment on the infamous VMAs performance, Thicke played it off and said the following:

The moment made for a big laugh from the crowd and the panel, but then it wasn't referenced for the rest of the episode. I initially found this strange, considering what a major zeitgeist spectacle it was, but after revisiting some of the aftermath of that performance, it's pretty clear why Robin Thicke and The Masked Singer didn't want to dwell on it.

Why It's For The Best The Masked Singer Left It Out Of The Episode

While the 2013 VMAs may feel like a moment that the world laughed at, it was a bad experience for Miley Cyrus. The singer has talked in past years about how it kept her from wearing shorts, and though she's reclaimed some of that confidence from the foam finger performance, she still seems to feel as if she was needlessly sexualized on the stage.

Despite any acceptance she may feel now, I can see why it would still be in bad taste for The Masked Singer to dwell too much on that moment with only half of the performing parties present to speak about it. And it's not like Robin Thicke didn't have other scandalous things happening surrounding the song "Blurred Lines."

Thicke wants to stay on TMS for a long time, so remaining as noncontroversial as possible in his opinions and career references can only help him remain on the panel.

The Masked Singer Season 12 continues on Fox on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. This season has been one where CinemaBlend has learned all sorts of wild stories from its contestants, and if that's of interest, be sure to check out Andy Richter telling us about the time he ran into Conan O'Brien's late-night rival Jay Leno.

For the last several weeks when celebrities and parties have come up in the same sentence, it’s been a discussion of the parties thrown by Sean “Diddy” Combs that are the subject of a federal indictment against the rapper and mogul. Considering all of that, it's extra sweet to hear about Leonardo DiCaprio’s 50th birthday party, which looks to have been quite the shindig. And it apparently had a guest list that would make the Governor’s Ball at the Academy Awards blush, as it truly featured a murderer's row of celebrities.

Leonardo DiCaprio turns 50 years old today, November 11, but he held his party over the weekend. The guest list was shared by deuxmoi on Instagram, and it's absolutely staggering. From DiCaprio’s fellow stars from his generation to some of the great directors that he's has worked with (and those he almost collaborated with), the guest list included:

• Brad Pitt & Ines de Ramon
• Mark Ruffalo
• Benicio del Toro
• Soleil Moon Frye
• Todd Phillips
• Kevin Connolly & Zulay Henao
• Chris Rock
• Jamie Foxx
• Guillermo del Toro
• Paris Hilton
• Lukas Haas
• Steven Spielberg
• Bill Maher
• Casey Affleck
• Emile Hirsch
• Katy Perry & Orlando Bloom
• Cara Delevingne
• Tobey Maguire
• Robin Thicke & April Love Geary
• Odell Beckham Jr.
• Teyana Taylor
• Edward Norton
• Chuck Lidell
• Dr. Dre

There may have been even more stars in attendance, but this list alone is truly a who’s who of Hollywood. Being there had to be an incredible experience. Leonardo DiCaprio's father and stepmother were the only non-celebrities reported to be in attendance. It must have been a pretty amazing night for them, I'd think.

A few of these names are potentially surprising, but it’s very interesting to see who the Wolf of Wall Street star decided to invite to the event. He and Edward Norton have been friends for a long time. The same goes for DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire, who were part of the same real-life poker game that inspired the movie Molly’s Game.

It's also great that Leonardo DiCaprio invited his Catch Me If You Can director Steven Spielberg. The same goes for Guillermo del Toro, who almost directed DiCaprio, as he was originally attached to star in Nightmare Alley before he had to drop out and was replaced by Bradley Cooper. I would have loved to have seen those two meet up at the party. If there’s a chance they could work together down the road that’s a very exciting prospect that they probably talked about.

DiCaprio’s One Upon A Time…In Hollywood co-star Brad Pitt -- along with his serious girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, -- was there, as was his Shutter Island co-star Mark Ruffalo. The Revenant star also invited a couple of people who it looks like he may have gotten to know in his role as a producer. DiCaprio produced Out of the Furnace, which included Casey Affleck in its cast. He also produced Kid 90, the documentary film directed by former Punky Brewster star Soleil Moon Frye.

Needless to say, certainly looks like Leonardo DiCaprio’s birthday party was the hottest ticket in town. Now I just need to figure out how to become his friend before next year.

Spoiler alert! This story contains the celebrity who was unmasked on the October 9 episode of The Masked Singer’s 12th season. Episodes can be streamed the next day with a Hulu subscription if you need to catch up.

The Masked Singer has returned to the 2024 TV schedule for Season 12, just months after crowning Vanessa Hudgens (formerly known as the Goldfish) the winner of the 11th season. Five costumed celebrities took the stage for the season premiere as Group A, and already we’ve sadly begun to say goodbye to them. (More on that lower down.) Which famous faces and voices hide behind the other elaborate set pieces? Here we’ll break down all the clues and give you our best Group A guesses.

This season features a special clue each week to help the panel; for instance, the Week 1 Ambassador was someone who not only has been on The Masked Singer before but also has a close connection to the celeb they introduced. Let’s get into it:

Buffalos

We got quite a surprise when the Buffalo was actually revealed in Week 1 to be a trio of singers. The three beasts moved into the Season 12 quarterfinals as we all fell in love with the singers in their red vests, boots and cowboy hats. They have certainly brought the energy, dancing around as the panelists dissect the clues, and they seem to be having a great time.

• Songs: “Bitter Sweet Symphony” by The Verve (Week 3); “Waiting for a Girl Like You” by Foreigner (Week 2); [I Just] Died in Your Arms” by Cutting Crew (Week 1).
• Special clues: Performed a halftime show in front of one of the world’s biggest audiences; Ambassador Nick Lachey gave them a golden crown with fleur-de-lis embellishments; a miniature tractor with “Mo-Town” written on the front.
• Clues: Week 3: Bell, Lost their real MacGyver but had to keep the herd together, Dead End sign, umbrella. Week 2: Cactus; Playing poker/poker chips; Bottle of poison with crossbones. Week 1: Raised in “poor grasslands”; kneeling football player on bus stop sign; Betty White, Vanna White and a blank third spot; film reel; Walk of Fame; starred in two of the biggest sitcoms of all time.
• Panel's guesses: Boyz II Men (Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg); Bone Thugs-N-Harmony (Ken Jeong); Black Eyed Peas (Rita Ora).

Our Best Guess

The Buffalos are sounding more and more like Boyz II Men to me, and the clues back it up. As Jenny McCarthy Wahlberg pointed out, the bell could be the Liberty Bell, which is in Philadelphia, and that connects to the “Mo-Town” clue. The “Dead End” sign could be for the group’s song “End of the Road.” In 1992 their tour manager Khalil Rountree was murdered, which fits with the clues about losing their “MacGyver.”

Boyz II Men also performed in the Super Bowl halftime show in 1998, and the kneeling man at the bus stop was “Down on Bended Knee”; but you’d think if it is Boyz II Men, Robin Thicke would know it, since he was a special guest at their four-night stint in Las Vegas this summer (and remember the clue about poker?).

Unmasked: Woodpecker

The Masked Singer has seen some wonderful avian costumes over the years, and the Woodpecker, aka actress Marsai Martin, can add itself to that list. The beautiful, red-and-black-feathered friend was unmasked in the Group A finals.

• Songs: “Put Your Records On” by Corinne Bailey Rae (Week 3); “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler (Week 2); “Flowers” by Miley Cyrus (Week 1).
• Special clues: Pair of glasses that remind her of how she got her start. Ambassador Jenifer Lewis gave her a World Record; Kevin Bacon’s sneaker from Footloose, which Woodpecker said alludes to someone in The Masked Singer family sharing her shoe obsession.
• Clues: Week 3: Comes from a long line of strong women, Regina Hall, hamburger, globe. Week 2: Director’s chair; started Hollywood career young; crates of peppers, carrots and other vegetables; Rubber Duck; small brown briefcase. Week 1: A mogul; friends with Beyoncé; red sports tape with the word “NEXT” on it; framed photo of the word “Family” on a gated entrance; striving to be the youngest billionaire; SAT test sheet.
• Panel's guesses: Quinta Brunson (Ken), Keke Palmer (Rita); Tatiana Ali (Jenny); Liza Koshy (Robin).

Connecting The Clues

The panel was stumped with this one, but Nick Cannon knew. He pointed out that Marsai Martin became the youngest executive producer in Hollywood at 14, which speaks to many of the clues about her career and the world record. The glasses are obviously a nod to her role on black-ish, as was the SAT test, and speaking of the beloved ABC sitcom, she gave us a big clue when talking about her love for shoes and someone sharing her “style-ish” obsession.

The sports tape clue was likely a reference to her boyfriend Rajah Caruth, who is a NASCAR driver, and her Ambassador was Jenifer Lewis — another actress from black-ish.

Unmasked: Ship

This was my favorite costume of The Masked Singer Group A, because who doesn’t love an inanimate object come to life? Unfortunately we said goodbye to The Ship, as Paula Cole was unmasked on October 9.

• Songs: “Because the Night” by Patti Smith (Week 3); “Almost Paradise” by Mike Reno and Ann Wilson (Week 2); “Pompeii” by Bastille (Week 1).
• Special clue: Letter from LeAnn Rimes congratulating her on Best New Artist win in 1998; Ambassador Jewel gave her a sparkling silver cowboy hat, and referenced working together many years prior; she’s worked with Melissa Etheridge.
• Clues: Week 3: Sang backup for an international singer, rowboat, John Wayne. Week 2: Medical boot; prom queen; class president; white cowboy boots; raven on a piano; shipwreck/aquarium. Week 1: Silver chalice; career set sail rapidly; she’s had massive hits; white toy plane with a clock on the front set at 11:36; Wanted poster with $15,000 reward; small old-fashioned TV set with rabbit ears that she moved into the shape of an X.
• Panel's guesses: Sarah McLachlan (Rita), Paula Cole (Jenny), Amy Lee (Robin); Alanis Morissette (Ken).

Connecting The Clues

The clues in the Group A finals further confirmed even before her unmasking that we were right about Paula Cole. She sang backup on Peter Gabriel’s world tour in 1993-94 and won the Grammy for Best New Artist in 1998. We got another cowboy clue in John Wayne following previous weeks’ references to “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?” and the rowboat was a nod to Dawson’s Creek, which she provided the theme song for.

Our reasoning in previous weeks stemmed from Paul Cole being prom queen and president of her senior class in high school. She broke her foot, which is when she turned her focus to music. The title of her sixth studio album is Raven, and Cole dueted with Melissa Etheridge on VH1. As was pointed out by Jenny McCarthy Wahlbert, Paula Cole and Jewel were both main-stage performers for the inaugural year of Lilith Fair.

Unmasked: Showbird

We bid farewell to the Showbird, as Yvette Nicole Brown was unmasked on the October 2 episode. Here’s how her run on the show played out:

• Songs: “Let’s Hear It for the Boy” by Deniece Williams (Week 2); "Just Fine" by Mary J. Blige (Week 1)
• Special clues: Ambassador Joel McHale gave her popcorn; music box that represented being part of a hip-hop empire in 1994.
• Clues: Week 2: Large rings; a windmill; purple cupcake; and a shout-out to her man. Week 1: Three microphones; was a tomboy growing up and self-described nerd; Advanced Singing 401 textbook; golden gavel; appeared in some of the biggest blockbusters of all time.
• Panel's guesses: Yvette Nicole Brown (Ken and Robin); Taraji P. Henson (Jenny and Rita); Sheila E. (Rita).

Connecting The Clues

Ken nailed it with his guess, and I was confident we’d made the right pick in Week 1 with Yvette Nicole Brown, largely because of the cadence of her voice, but the clues definitely backed it up. Everything she said about finding love referenced her fiancé, actor Anthony Davis, especially the fact that they reconnected after knowing each other for years. In 1994, she was part of the East Coast Family group that included Boyz II Men. The cupcake might have been a nod to her appearance on Cupcake Wars. There were also the Community-based clues in Joel McHale and a textbook.

The gavel possibly referenced her role as Judge Harper on A Black Lady Sketch Show, and she was in Avengers: Endgame — one of the biggest blockbusters of all time. The actress has described herself as a “nerd,” and is a well-known superfan of properties like Star Wars and The Walking Dead. Lego was mentioned amongst the clues, and Yvette Nicole Brown has voiced roles on several Lego movies for Marvel, DC and Star Wars.

First Eliminated Celebrity

• The Leaf Sheep — which yes, is apparently a real thing — was unmasked in the season premiere to reveal it was none other than Denver Broncos legend John Elway. The two-time Super Bowl champ (who the panelists thought might be Tom Brady) delivered a rousing performance Tim McGraw's "I Like It, I Love It," though perhaps one that didn't exactly remained on key.

Group A is going strong on The Masked Singer Season 12, and I can't wait to hear what else they bring in the coming weeks. New episodes air at 8 p.m. ET Wednesdays on Fox.

Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Masked Singer Season 10 episode "Elton John Night." Read at your own risk!

The Masked Singer is celebrating its tenth season and has thus far delivered big on wild themes and the return of classic throwback moments, with much more to come. While the show had plenty of fully planned-out surprises for TV viewers to experience in the first month of the season, I'm not sure the fans, producers, or any of the panelists could have predicted the what the most unexpected surprise would actually be: Dr. Ken Jeong on a legitimate hot streak. The notoriously shoddy guesser has correctly figured out the exiting celebrity performers in three of the four episodes that have aired to date.

Those who have watched the Fox series over the years know that while Ken Jeong can get lucky once a season — ma-a-a-aybe twice — he's generally far off the beaten path with his presumptions. That hasn't been the case in Season 10, and the panelists were once again gobsmacked to see Jeong get a correct guess after figuring out Royal Hen was pro tennis legend Billie Jean King. In fairness, he might've picked up on that fact simply from her singing Elton John's "Philadelphia Freedom," which was written specifically as a nod to the accomplished athlete. It's a difficult song to sing for a professional singer, let alone someone who'd possibly never sang on TV before, and though she clearly gave it her all, the performance wasn't quite enough to last another week. But apparently Ken's mental powers will continue on.

Ken Jeong Has A Big Lead On The Other Panelists

The only doctor on The Masked Singer's panel is crushing it after landing his correct guess in four episodes. Before his latest correct guess, Ken Jeong had pegged actor Anthony Anderson as Rubber Ducky in the premiere and reality star Tom Sandoval as Diver. No one in the panel successfully identified Michael Rapaport as The Pickle, though that might have changed if they heard the actor psyching people out backstage with his signature DGAF bravado. 

In any case, Robin Thicke, Jenny McCarthy, and Nicole Scherzinger have yet to get on Ken Jeong's level this season. This is especially shocking when it comes to McCarthy, who has historically been the most accurate one in the bunch. It's a shame the Golden Ear Trophy is seemingly gone from the show, as he'd have a good chance at earning the prize with this healthy lead. Which probably means he'll be making a personal appeal to bring it back at some point.

Can Ken Jeong Have His Best Season Yet On The Masked Singer?

Ken Jeong is on a roll, but can he sustain it for the rest of The Masked Singer Season 10? Past seasons, available to stream with a Hulu subscription, would show that this streak is truly unprecedented for the actor. With that said, he's had some pretty impressive gets over the years for all of his no good, bad, very terrible guesses. It was pretty impressive when he guessed actress Alicia Witt, and getting the non-singer Bill Nye The Science Guy was probably one of his (or anyone's) best guesses of all time. 

I think that Jeong has the wits and ability to continue this hot streak, but as the comedic relief panelist of The Masked Singer, is that what we want? So much humor in this show is pulled from his off-the-wall guesses and how he connects masked contestants to the most wild celebrities imaginable. Some folks may miss his humor if he's suddenly the master guesser, but I, for one, am here for Season 10 to be redubbed Season Ken!

The Masked Singer airs on Fox on Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Season 10 is rolling along, but with Harry Potter night coming up, it would be a great time to catch up and join in for a magical evening. 

It’s hard to believe, but Fox's The Masked Singer is entering its tenth season. The show and its format have changed slightly over the years, but one element of the program has remained consistent – its judge’s panel. The quartet and host Nick Cannon have kept the audiences laughing and (and occasionally confused) for multiple seasons. As Season 10 is set to premiere soon, viewers may be wondering how much longer the stalwart panel will stay intact. With that, judges Jenny McCarthy and Robin Thicke weighed in on how long they plan to stay with the singing competition series.

The two stars always keep viewers on their toes alongside fellow judges Nicole Scherzinger and Ken Jeong. Amid memorable moments and questionable guesses, the group has truly endeared itself to Masked Singer viewers. Given how long they've all been on the show at this point though, it's easy to question the panel’s stability after such a lengthy stint. (Earlier this year, rival show The Voice said goodbye to longtime judge Blake Shelton.) But the comments Jenny McCarthy shared with ET should reassure fans about her own future with the series. She said:

It’s nice to know the two-time Golden Ear champ wants to stick around for a few more seasons -- though it'd be surprising if she actually stuck around for more than 20 additional ones. She's not alone in feeling that way, as fellow judge Robin Thicke pledged his commitment to stay on The Masked Singer for as long as possible. Thicke explained how his family factors into that rationale, saying:

The Grammy-winning singer is a family man so working on a weekly TV series for a few months fits his lifestyle. He has three children, who are under six. with his current fiancée as well as a 13-year-old son with actress Paula Patton. So all in all, doing a singing competition series of this nature makes sense for him right now.

Time has certainly flown by for The Masked Singer, which made series premiered in 2019. Even Robin Thicke couldn’t believe it as he says the whole experience “happened so fast.” He called the reality competition the best thing he’s “ever done” and “a blessing on top of blessing.”

Since the singing competition series premiered, numerous contestants have been unmasked named winners. Season 9 saw singer-songwriter Bishop Briggs crowned the champ, with American Idol’s David Archuleta becoming the runner-up. Archuleta mentioned that the Fox series helped him heal from his Idol experience while Briggs opened up about the challenges of filming after giving birth. Briggs joined the likes of Leann Rimes, Amber Riley and Teyana Taylor in the winner’s circle.

If the show continues to be a hit, then many more stars will be revealed in the years to come. And with that, Jenny McCarthy and Robin Thicke will indeed hopefully remain and make those wild guesses alongside their fellow judges.

The Masked Singer Season 10 will kick off with a special episode on September 10 at 8 p.m. EST on Fox. The Emmy-winning singing competition will eventually return to its regular night on September 27. Viewers will find out who’s behind costumes like Anteater and Hawk once the season kicks off. If you want to keep up with what’s premiering this fall amid the SAG-AFTRA actors and WGA writers strikes, check out CinemaBlend's 2023 TV schedule.

Warning: reported spoilers are ahead for Season 7 of The Masked Singer.

The Masked Singer is a much-debated TV show whenever Fox is airing a new season for fans to watch and guess, but now a celebrity contestant has already reportedly been revealed for the next season, and his identity led Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke to initially walk off. Former New York mayor and controversial Republican politician Rudy Giuliani was reportedly unmasked during filming of the upcoming seventh season, and that resulted in the two judges leaving the stage. 

Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke reportedly left the Masked Singer stage – where they have served as judges and panelists from the very beginning – as soon as Rudy Giuliani was unmasked, according to Deadline, while Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger are said to have remained behind to do the usual banter with the unmasked contestant. There are no details about how host Nick Cannon reacted to the reveal, but Jeong and Thicke did allegedly return to the stage. 

Whether or not they returned in time to join Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger in talking to Giuliani is unknown at this time, and it hasn't been revealed what mask the politician was wearing prior to being voted out. The episode of his unmasking won't air until Season 7 kicks off next month, unless Fox changes things around to cut Giuliani from the season altogether to avoid airing the walk-off. At the time of writing, the network has not commented on the reports of Giuliani's unmasking or Jeong and Thicke walking off. 

Considering the clues that fans have managed to piece together for famous faces (some of whom are arguably far less well-known than Giuliani) and Giuliani's fairly distinctive speaking voice, I'm guessing it won't take long for viewers to figure out which mask he is wearing. Not all of the masks for Season 7 have been announced just yet, but a sneak peek called "The Good, The Bad, And The Cuddly" previewed some of them, including a frog wearing a crown, a sassy-looking firefly, a horned gladiator, a Cyclops-looking monster, an animal wearing a spacesuit, and a lemur with sparkly legs. There are undoubtedly more costumes that will be revealed in the weeks as Season 7 approaches. 

As far as is known, Giuliani is the first unmasking to provoke such an extreme and immediate reaction from the judges, although not the only polarizing one with political ties. Former Alaskan governor and Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin participated as The Bear in Season 3. This also isn't the first time that a political figure's attachment to a competition show resulted in some extreme reactions, as something similar happened with ABC's Dancing with the Stars when Sean Spicer was cast for Season 28, although Spicer said that the other cast members were supportive of him. (The same can't quite be said of then-co-host Tom Bergeron, who threw some shade.)

See all of what The Masked Singer has in store next when Season 7 premieres on Fox on Wednesday, March 9 at 8 p.m. ET in the 2022 TV schedule. 

A few days ago, news broke that Emily Ratajkowski, who became famous following filming in the buff for Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” video, had some troubles with the Masked Singer judge during the shoot. Specifically, she alleged Thicke at one point put his hands on her nude breasts while the cameras were rolling. Days later, Ratajkowski now says that she is “frustrated” by the way the whole situation has been handled. 

Emily Ratajkowski wrote about the alleged groping incident in her upcoming book release My Body. The story went viral ahead of the release of the book after an article in The Sunday Times reported on her comments about what had happened back when the music video was filming. Now the model, actress and new author is sharing her feelings related to the information leaking before she says she was ready for it to come out. She noted: 

In the book, Emily Ratajkowski wrote that she had originally been having a great time filming on the female-driven set, but that Robin Thicke had allegedly been drinking too much as filming progressed. At one point she wrote that she “felt the coolness and foreignness of a stranger's hands cupping my bare breasts from behind.” The event led her to feel “humiliation,” though she also wrote she didn’t react in the moment. Now, speaking to Extra, it seems as if her comments about the situation as she remembered it didn’t come out in the time or manner that she’d hoped. 

This isn't the first time "Blurred Lines" has dealt with controversy. The song has made headlines a variety of times from Miley Cyrus' famous foam finger to lawsuits and more. 

Ratajkowski went on to say that the information about her time on “Blurred Lines” is part of a larger essay and that having the “nuance” will help readers to understand her point in a way the quotes that rolled around reportedly didn’t. She also told the outlet:

My Body is expected to officially come out on October 19, 2021 and is currently available for pre-order. You'll be able to get Emily Ratajkowski's full perspective on what happened with "Blurred Lines" as well as on a variety of other topics then. She'll join the slew of celebrities who have books coming out this year. 

Back in 2013, Robin Thicke was at the top of his game, having released the track “Blurred Lines,” a song which was everywhere in the months following its March 2013 release. Part of this had to do with the memorable music video, which introduced a topless Emily Ratajkowski as one of the subjects of the song’s “Blurred Lines.” Part may have also had something to do with Miley Cyrus and a now-infamous foam finger at the VMAs that year. Years later, the model and former music video star has accused Robin Thicke of groping her during the making of the video. 

Emily Ratajkowski will be going from model and actress to author in the coming weeks as she’s set to publish her new book My Body, which is where she laid her accusations bare. In the book she notes to The Sunday Times (via Page Six): 

Ratajkowski goes on to say she had been enjoying herself and filming with the rest of the female team ahead of the moment. At the time, she says she “didn’t react” and just tried to move on. The director of the “Blurred Lines” music video Diane Martel also has backed up the story of what happened, noting,

The incident was attributed to drinking on the set, and Martell also mentions Robin Thicke was “sheepish” afterward, also saying it may never have happened if the alcohol wasn't around. This isn’t the first time the singer has gotten into hot water over the song. A copyright lawsuit from Marvin Gaye's estate followed its release and complaints followed both the song itself and the music video in the months and years following, with criticism likening "Blurred Lines" to promoting misogynistic culture. 

In 2019, Pharrell Williams, who appears in the video and helped produce the track, even condemned the song, saying he was “embarrassed” by some of his past work.

The video would ultimately propel Emily Ratajkowski and Robin Thicke to stardom, though it was controversial even at the time of its release. It would remain Robin Thicke’s biggest hit, though he has gone on to a second career as a judge on Fox's The Masked Singer. “Blurred Lines” has more than 761 million views on YouTube as of October 2021. 

Spoiler alert: for any Masked Singer viewers who haven’t this week’s episode, the Yeti’s identity will be revealed in this article.

The Masked Singer Season 5 has been chalked full of talent leading to some surprise eliminations as seen by Hanson going home last week. This week saw the surprise elimination of frontrunner and wildcard contestant Yeti, and both viewers and the judges were shocked by that result, given his push to be in the Final 3. After that disappointing shock, the Yeti shared a surprisingly adorable story behind his rollerblading performance.

As soon as the wildcard contestant entered the competition, the viewers and judges were on the Yeti’s trail, with guesses circling around well-known pop and R&B singers and dancers, from Justin Bieber to Jason Derulo to Mario to Ne-Yo. In the end, judge Robin Thicke was the only one who knew the abominable snowman’s secret from the beginning, with the Yeti’s head coming off to reveal multihyphenate entertainer Omarion in the costume. (To be fair, Thicke guesses Omarion for at least three celebs each season.) Even as a wildcard, though, Omarion stuck out from other contestants with his rollerblading skills. The R&B performer talked to Entertainment Weekly about why he went the rolling route for his Masked Singer performances.

Tapping into such a performative hidden skill made Omarion stick out from the competition. Of course, every contestant has their gimmick - with the Russian Dolls also serving up something quite unique - but it was mightily impressive for the Yeti to perform full dance routines not only while singing, but also while on rollerblades. But as an industry veteran, if anyone could pull it off, it would be Omarion. So, kudos to him for taking on so many challenges on The Masked Singer, and for finding a way to connect it to his younger years at Camp Snoopy.

Not that Season 5's contestants were boring, but the Yeti’s entrance into the singing competition brought a breath of fresh air to The Masked Singer. Even if he would have been a terrible singer, his stage presence would have been enough to make him stand out. But every week, he showed different layers as both a singer and dancer, and a skater. So, it was sad to see Omarion be eliminated before The Masked Singer reached the Final 3.

Now that the Final 3 has been confirmed, next week’s finale has turned into a toss-up. Viewers will have to tune in to The Masked Singer on May 26 to see if Black Swan, Piglet or Chameleon will take home the Golden Mask.

Warning: Spoilers for the October 7 episode of The Masked Singer are discussed below.

The Giraffe was the latest masked contender to get eliminated from Fox’s hit show as its faux studio audience watched. Fast forward past Wednesday’s eventful episode of The Masked Singer, and The Giraffe is reacting to Robin Thicke’s guesses, which The Giraffe is not holding back from labeling “ridiculous.” Who was The Giraffe, and why should the panelist have known better? Well, The Giraffe and Thicke have a lot of personal history.

It may not have been one of the most shocking reveals The Masked Singer has ever witnessed. However, Robin Thicke’s guesses about The Giraffe’s identity came as quite a surprise to the person in the suit. The person inside the elaborate costume was revealed to be none other than Brian Austin Green of Beverly Hills, 90210 fame. A reveal that meant judge Thicke’s guesswork missed the mark quite a bit.

Brian Austin Green took a break from serenading the masses amid his exodus to weigh in on Robin Thicke’s off-base guesses. He was inside one of The Masked Singer’s first costumes of its kind, and it did the trick of hiding his identity incredibly well for Thicke. A surprising development, considering that the two share a considerable personal history. Asked if he would be giving him a hard time, Green told EW:

If you thought their days together on the beloved ‘80s sitcom, Growing Pains, would be enough to help Robin Thicke clue-in to Brian Austin Green singing in a Giraffe suit, think again. There was a moment that Green thought his old friend had figured out who he was, though. Thus, leading to a few nervous spells for the father of four turned Masked Singer contestant.

Thankfully for Brian Austin Green/Giraffe, Robin Thicke’s days of singing on his dad’s TV show with him did not cause him to figure it out. That is not to say there was not a moment during The Masked Singer, wherein Green thought Thicke might have gotten wise to The Giraffe’s true identity. Green explained the moment that made him nervous, saying:

What makes Robin Thicke’s wrong guesses so interesting is how incredibly close he got to guessing The Bear’s identity in Season 3. One would have thought that guess might be much more challenging to surmise than a person with whom he has a near and dearhistory. Thicke had the additional clues surrounding his and Brian Austin Green’s friendship, too to help him out here, and yet...

In fairness, I can see where Robin Thicke might have gotten so clouded by his subconscious familiarity with The Giraffe that it blocked him even more from correctly guessing. Whatever the case, new episodes of The Masked Singer air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. The show is one of this fall’s many premieres, so keep staying tuned to see what television has to offer before the end of the year.

The Masked Singer has been a blast as far back as its first season but, as fun as the ride has been, there have been some mysteries and questions about its process. Fans have speculated about things like how judges go through with their guesses and, until recently, they've been in the dark about what actually is and isn't expected.

Now executive producer Craig Plestis has pulled back the curtain a bit on the process, and demystified some of what goes on in regards to the judges' guessing:

As some may have expected, The Masked Singer's judges aren't allowed to have google out like the viewers at home. That's probably why their guesses are so bad right out the gate but improve as the weeks go on. As Craig Plestis, said the producers can only ask the team not to hop on the internet to search for clues when they get home, but there's really no way of stopping them from doing so once filming is done for the day.

I think the going home and googling rule was honored in Season 1 but has fallen by the wayside in Season 3. There's no denying the judges have gotten way better at correctly identifying contestants down the stretch and were possibly a little embarrassed to be in the dark for so long in Season 1 when viewers at home had pegged some contestants during the first episode.

With that being said, it's hard not to credit the judging team even if they are googling at home. These pre-recorded seasons mean they're not participating in guessing with the hive-mind fandom. That certainly has to make things a lot more difficult when one isn't able to bounce ideas off the masses, which the judges would be able to do if the episodes were at least taped closer to airings. When asked if Season 4 would have any live episodes, Craig Plestis told TV Guide they were still working out details for the coming season.

The Masked Singer will return to Fox for Season 4, though we have no idea when to expect it. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more updates on the show, and for the latest news happening in television and movies.

Warning! The following contains spoilers to The Masked Singer Season 3 Group C elimination. Read at your own risk!

Now that The Masked Singer is in its third season, I think most people would forgive it for toning things down a bit or losing some spunk. That hasn't happened yet though, and things got crazier than ever after the recent reveal of Sarah Palin hiding under the mask of The Bear. It was an impossible reveal to guess from a judging perspective, and yet Robin Thicke got strangely close to the correct guess. Needless to say I'm super suspicious about the situation, and am having trouble figuring out how he reached his final guess.

When it was time for The Bear to be unmasked, the judges all said this was a tough one for them to pin down. And yet, after seeing the clue package, Robin Thicke announced that he had a vibe The Bear was a funny woman or someone from the Saturday Night Live family. He mentioned the fact that The Bear was a mother, and suggested that he was feeling good about it being Tina Fey under the mask.

It was a bold assumption, especially given the large number of former Saturday Night Live castmembers who are mothers, and female comedians in general. Really, Robin Thicke's justification could've fit for hundreds of people in the industry, so to land on Tina Fey specifically was strange. Nothing in the clue package teased someone like Fey (though the performance of "Baby Got Back" was funny), and had Thicke guessed this for anyone else but Sarah Palin, it may have been written off as another wild guess by a judge on The Masked Singer.

As many who watched Saturday Night Live may know, Tina Fey was a notable impersonator of Sarah Palin and did several sketches portraying her over the years. This was thanks in large part to the fact that the two looked very similar, but also because Fey could do a great impression of Sarah Palin. The internet was clearly shocked at this crazy coincidence, and Robin Thicke was quick to let anyone know who didn't that his guess was super accurate but also not.

I'm not saying Robin Thicke was fed his guess by a producer, or that he may have seen something behind the scenes he shouldn't have, but I am saying it's very strange he guessed Tina Fey given the circumstances. It was almost too perfect of a moment, and typically when things seem too good to be true on reality television competitions, they are. The guess made me a wee bit suspicious of how the judges come to their conclusions for guesses, especially when nothing in the clue package teased Tina Fey for me, and I'll definitely be watching future guesses from judges more closely going forward.

The Masked Singer airs on Fox Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for the latest news happening in television and movies, and for more on The Masked Singer.

The Masked Singer just concluded Season 2 towards the end of last year, and Fox is wasting no time in bringing back its weird but beloved singing competition. Season 3 is set to kick off after the Super Bowl, and according to judge Robin Thicke, the premiere will feature quite a surprise for anyone sticking around after the big game.

That's a pretty strong statement, especially given some of the big names that appeared in Season 2. Robin Thicke is pretty adamant this is a shocking reveal. During the Television Critic Awards winter press tour, he mentioned the first episode of Season 3 is in the books and has The Masked Singer's most surprising reveal to date.

The Masked Singer has had some notable names on its show, though I would say no one so big it was completely unbelievable they were on the Fox program. It's possible that's the case in the Season 3 premiere, especially with the Super Bowl as a lead in. Massive viewership could convince a very big name with a not so great voice to take part, if only to blow the world's mind when their mask comes off.

Whoever the contestant is that gets unmasked must be fairly well known, especially given judge Jenny McCarthy's quote to Entertainment Tonight. According to McCarthy, it's possible there will be a lot of people watching the episode besides themselves that the judges weren't able to figure out who was behind the mask.

That's not really anything new for The Masked Singer, as the judges are often more wrong than right on some pretty obvious contestants. Jenny McCarthy hinted that the judges being bad at the game helps with the mystique of the show, and that it may not be as entertaining if they were master guessers like some of the folks on the internet. It sounds to me the judges may play up their cluelessness a bit for the camera, though I'd love to believe Ken Jeong was dead serious about his Bjork guesses in Season 2. Apparently everyone including celebrity guest judge Jaime Foxx was stumped on this one, though, so this reveal may just stump a few people watching at home.

The Masked Singer Season 3 premieres on Fox Sunday, February 2 following the Super Bowl. CinemaBlend is the place to be for updates on the competition when it gets underway, so be sure to stick with us for that and more on what's happening in television and movies.

The gloves are off and the fake accents are ON for The Masked Singer Season 2. Now that everyone knows the game, the game is adapting to become that much harder. The first season of the FOX reality competition show was a surprise hit, and it sounds like the celebrity singers have raised the game to much more difficult heights. You're really going to have to work to guess right this time.

The Masked Singer judge Jenny McCarthy explained how Season 2 will be more challenging on every level:

Yasss. Jenny McCarthy previously mentioned there would be elevated costumes in Season 2, and host Nick Cannon said there'd be even more major celebrities. I like hearing more about the celebs messing with everyone.

Fellow judge Robin Thicke added more on that note to Us Weekly:

So the celeb contestants have really figured out how to use their pre-taped interviews to throw everyone off instead of giving away the game. I like it. It should make the guessing game a lot more fun for viewers, who already seemed to have a blast the first season -- even when it was pretty obvious who was who.

A Fox Competition Show Has Never Won An Emmy: Could The Masked Singer Change That?

Apparently it wasn't that easy to guess The Masked Singer Season 1's winner, though. According to Robin Thicke, Kevin Hart's own kids insisted that Hart was The Monster instead of T-Pain.

Also, if you're curious, Jenny McCarthy addressed the idea of her husband Donnie Wahlberg being on the show. He was an incorrect fan guess in Season 1, and now everyone wants him on the show. McCarthy said Wahlberg is a huge fan of the show and even does a countdown to episode launches. She said he'd be awesome on the show, but it's a matter of timing since he goes from touring to doing Blue Bloods.

The Masked Singer Season 2 premieres September 25 on FOX, and Season 3 will actually start right after The Super Bowl 2020.

Televised singing competitions tend to follow a pretty standard formula. At the beginning, we're introduced to a bunch of hopefuls, some of them will be amazing "I can't believe this person doesn't already have a recording contract" level singers, while others will either not quite be ready for the big time yet, or they'll just be delusional about their level of talent. As the weeks wear on, the competitors will be whittled down, we'll get some live shows that force the singers to be on their game in front of millions of viewers and eventually the show will crown a winner.

Sure, there are differences in judges, expected and unexpected on-stage shenanigans, how they score the singers and the like, but, overall, we get a lot of singing mixed with the tear-jerking personal stories of those looking to break out and make their mark on the music industry. Well, if you're tired of singing competitions that do the same thing over and over, there's a new one coming up that might just get you intrigued again. Fox is bringing us The Masked Singer on January 2, and the premise of this competition is so weird that it has to be seen to be believed. Take a look:

I don't know about you, but this is so weird it just might work. OK, so first off, instead of a group of wanna be music stars trying to take their fate into their own hands by trying out for a nationally televised singing competition, The Masked Singer will have 12 already well-known stars take to the stage to sing their hearts out. The major catch, as you can plainly see, is that each of them will be covered head to toe in very elaborate costumes to conceal their identity and keep things like age, looks, popularity and the width and breadth of their careers from influencing voting.

And, can we just back track a second and talk about those costumes? Whoever is working behind the scenes to create these things is not playing around. No one went to Party City, outfitted a bunch of celebrities and then pocketed most of the cash. Oh no, just in the clip we see a wide variety of well-covered people-sized animals, aliens, elusive DJs, random critters, insects, toys and what turns out to be things that just don't occur in the real world. Thank heavens, too. I cannot imagine what would happen if someone met any of these folks in a dark alley when they were a little bit tipsy. I have a feeling there might be a few heart attacks in a situation like that. Really, just look at this:

I think we're looking at a hippo with a hat (which happens to exactly match the hippo's skin tone), who is also wearing eyeglasses, possibly with a slight tint to them and who, for some wacky reason, has one gold tooth. Who knows what's going on with the rest of this getup. As far as I'm concerned, if you lower the lights in that studio a bit (or, even without that), this is pure nightmare fuel. Who among us would not be at least momentarily terrified by a sight such as this on a cold, dark night?

But, I digress. The Masked Singer will feature 12 celebrities competing with their, hopefully, lovely voices over the course of 10 episodes. As you can see from the clip, a large part of the show is just trying to guess who is under all the costuming each week. And, the famous folk who will be competing are either not all mainly known as singers, or they have many other talents, as well. All are said to be true household names and have, between them, 65 Grammy nominations, 4 Super Bowl titles, 16 multi-Platinum albums, 4 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 16 Emmy nominations and 9 Broadway shows. So, the people who agreed to take part are no slouches when it comes to their chosen careers or competing.

Like we've seen in most singing shows, each week will have one singer getting voted off of the show. At that point, though, the guessing game will be over, because when they're told to pack their bags, they also finally take off what must be a ridiculously hot mask and reveal who they are. Prepare for everyone to be surprised, because no one, not even the other contestants, know who they're competing against. But, The Masked Singer has promised to do us all a solid as we're at home playing our guessing games, because clues to each singer's identity will be sprinkled throughout each show.

To shepherd us along each week as The Masked Singer moves along with its weirdo competition, we'll have host Nick Cannon, late of America's Got Talent, which he hosted from 2009 through 2016, and panelists Robin Thicke, Ken Jeong, Nicole Scherzinger and Jenny McCarthy. I think it's a nice touch to have two singers on the panel, in order to better evaluate the actual singing that'll be going on. But, considering the nature of this vocal competition, it's also nice to have two funny people around to give the audience prime off the cuff comments on the voices, costumes and who might be hiding under there.

In case you're wondering who came up with this nutty idea, you can credit some incredibly inventive South Koreans for creating the show for that country (where its title translates to King of Mask Singer). It first aired in February 2015, and currently has 177 episodes under its completely covered belt. The show has been such a hit, that it's already been adapted for several other countries. Shows with the same basic premise have aired in China, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, with over half a billion fans around the world making various versions of the show a viral hit and leading to the upcoming American show being touted as part of a "worldwide phenomenon."

The Masked Singer will debut on Fox on Wednesday, January 2. You can keep your anticipation for this new singing competition in check by checking out our 2018 fall TV premiere guide, and seeing what else is hitting the small screen in the coming weeks.

Since Alan Thicke's untimely death last year, there has been unrest in the Thicke household. More specifically, Robin Thicke and his older brother, Brennan Thicke, are having a conflict with Alan Thicke's widow, Tanya Thicke. The late actor/songwriter's sons are reportedly keeping Tanya out of the loop when it comes to her inheritance, and possibly spending the money carelessly to boot. Now, in a recent legal case, Tanya Thicke is seemingly going to get into a bitter battle over where the late Alan Thicke's money should go. According to Tanya, she isn't receiving the money she is due.

TMZ covered the Thicke family scandal. Robin Thicke and Brennan Thicke were named the co-trustees of their father's estate, and as such, they are handling the money from the late actor's long career. The brothers are reportedly keeping Tanya Thicke at bay with regards to how they are spending their dad's cash in the process.

The mourning family members have apparently been at odds with each other since the funeral arrangements. The sons were apparently unhappy with Tanya Thicke's decision to arrange a burial site monument in her late spouse's honor. Tanya believes it's entirely in her right to pay respects to Alan Thicke as she wishes, and the sons are getting their reported revenge on Tanya by refusing to reimburse her for the monument she commissioned. To add to Tanya's sour grapes, the widow claims Robin Thicke was reimbursed for a tribute party the singer threw for his father the night before Alan's burial. The party is estimated to cost somewhere in the ballpark of $105,000. So, it wasn't a cheap farewell to the actor, and Tanya believes she is being mistreated when it comes to her husband's estate. To add insult to injury, Tanya believes she's also being charged unfairly with taxes and other expenses that shouldn't fall on her.

This ongoing case isn't the first time Tanya Thicke has taken Alan Thicke's sons to court. She recently won a case in September regarding prenup and the future of Alan's estate in his death. Evidently, Tanya will continue fighting for what she believes she is owed from her belated husband. We'll keep you posted on any additional updates that arrive in this case, as it's still ongoing at this moment in time.

As it was reported earlier last year, Alan Thicke left this world at 69 when he suffered a heart attack playing hockey with his 19-year-old son, Carter. The unexpected death came as a shocking and heartbreaking surprise to everyone who knew him, and it's a shame that the late entertainer is remembered in part today due to this unfortunate legal situation.

The year 2016 has been an awful year it comes to famous faces passing away, and Growing Pains actor Alan Thicke is the latest tragedy. He died yesterday due to a heart attack as he played hockey with his son Carter. His famous son Robin Thicke has come out and shared a message that is a fitting and loving tribute to his father. Take a look:

Robin Thicke's Instagram tribute to his father is a touching look into the relationship between the two men. The fact that the singer considered his dad a wonderful friend in addition to a loving and joyous father makes the message all the more touching. Many have clearly been affected by his words about his father; the picture has already gained more than 66 thousand likes and nearly 6 thousand comments at the time of this writing, when the post had only been up for twelve hours online.

Alan Thicke was a legendary sitcom dad back in the late 80s and early 90s thanks to his role as Jason Seaver on Growing Pains. An entire generation of TV viewers knew him as a fun and funny father who brought the laughs on a regular basis, so his passing is undoubtedly the worst kind of surprise to fans of the show. After all, Thicke wasn't exactly an old man. He was only 69 years-old at the time of his death.

Of course, fans aren't going to be nearly as affected by Alan Thicke's death as his family, and our condolences go out to his wife and children in this difficult time. Still, it was heartening to see Robin Thicke take the time to post his thoughts on Instagram, and he didn't pass on a message of grief or mourning. Robin shared his memories of his father's joy and goodness rather than overwhelming sadness at his death.

Robin Thicke was a controversial public figure not so long ago due to both the risque nature of his "Blurred Lines" music video and a lawsuit defending "Blurred Lines" as an original track rather than a song with elements stolen from other artists. The publicity wasn't always good, but it certainly kept the buzz going around his music career, and "Blurred Lines" was one of the biggest songs of 2013. He followed a different career path than his father, although both found their biggest successes in showbiz.

As much as Alan Thicke is generally known for his work on Growing Pains, he had a music career of his own. He was a composer of theme songs for several TV shows, including The Facts of Life and Diff'rent Strokes. None of his songs were at all similar to "Blurred Lines" or any of Robin Thicke's other hits, but the two clearly shared an appreciation for music. Hopefully Robin will continue to find ways to honor his father in the years to come.

It’s a big week for fans of the Grammy-winning parodist “Weird Al” Yankovic, as his 14th and potentially final album has hit stores and digital retailers. (As if any week of Weird Al fandom isn’t a big one.) In promoting Mandatory Fun, his first release in three years, the viral-ready musician is putting out eight videos over eight days, starting with yesterday’s “Tacky”, the “Jack Black wearing a fanny pack” spoof of Pharrell’s “Happy.” Today, he went with another song that seemed like it would never leave radio stations, Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” and he thankfully turned it from a rape-light song of submissiveness to a diatribe against numbskulls who fail to grasp this thing called the English language. It’s called “Word Crimes,” and it’s one of Weird Al’s greatest videos yet!

Seriously, I probably spend around 65% of my social media time internally banging my head at the rampant misuse of words and phrases, especially on the character-limited Twitter. And it’s even worse when seeing “its/it’s” errors and “who/whom” malfunctions in actual news stories and other publications. It’s like the video says, some of this foolish lexicon behavior is fine for a seven-year-old, but any self-respecting adult should have enough education to confidently put words into text documents without making their spellchecker suicidal.

While most Weird Al songs, like “Albuquerque” and “I Want a New Duck,” are fun and strangely timeless, they don’t really offer the brain much to chew on; but “Word Crimes” should be required daily viewing for all Americans. (What petition do I need to sign?) If nothing else is taken away from this video by the majority of those of watch it, let’s try to make it necessary to understand the very easy difference between irony and coincidence – if you heard this song on the same day that you bought a book about grammar, IT’S NOT IRONY! – and to stop using the word “literally” when it’s not needed. That kind of error figuratively makes smoke come out of my ears, but literally makes me want to pull people’s tongues out of their skulls. Dare to be stupid, sure, but know your limits.

Beyond the subject matter, this is a really well put together video. I’m not normally a fan of words taking over the screen in a music video, but it’s all delivered in such a smooth and pleasing way here, and in almost every kind of writing, typing and documenting situation I can imagine. Is there a Font Award we can give this thing? We can have this evil Microsoft Office Clippit present it.

Have you guys run out and bought Mandatory Fun yet? Tell us how you liked it, and stay tuned for more Weird Al videos over the next week.

Miley Cyrus may have grabbed the lion’s share of the headlines following the Video Music Awards thanks to her scandalous, foam finger-aided duet with Robin Thicke, but her partner in crime actually earned quite a few double takes too for grabbing something of his own. The above picture was taken following the big event, and as you can see thanks the mirror, it features Thicke with his hand in a decidedly PG-13 rated place. Upon first glance, it looks like the image of a married man trying to sneak a little something past his wife, but if the girl actually getting her butt squeezed is to be believed, he snuck a lot more past Paula Patton than that.

The girl in question’s name is Lana Scolaro, and she’s a twenty-year-old college student and New York City socialite. She apparently met Thicke at a party more than a week before the VMAs, and around the time the now infamous picture was taken, their casual acquaintance apparently turned into something more. Speaking to Life & Style, Scolaro claims the singer approached her at the afterparty and said, “I just love the fact that you’re so young.” After taking a few sketchy pictures together and flirting, Scolaro, Thicke and Patton all apparently piled into a car together and headed for a party at the Greenwich Hotel. Upon arrival, the singer apparently followed the much younger woman into a bathroom where they allegedly made out, and he put his hands “everywhere” while Patton was just several feet away before they were interrupted and stopped short of doing the deed.

Here’s a portion of Lana’s exact quote…

It all sounds like a pretty scathing indictment, but at this point, there’s not any evidence to back it up except for the picture. I’m sure if every woman who got her butt grabbed by a male celebrity during a picture came forward, we would have photographs to run for the next decade. Just because someone takes an inch, doesn’t mean they’ll take an entire mile. Besides, Patton herself doesn’t seem worried. Here’s what her publicist had to say…

Thicke is certainly no stranger to controversy thanks to his ”Blurred Lines” video, but I’m sure a cheating scandal is the last thing he wants to be thinking about right now. If he behaved himself, my sympathies go out to him. If he didn’t, well, he brought this on himself.

Music fans might want to block off the month of September, as the iTunes Festival returns in a matter of days, kicking off 30 consecutive nights of free shows this Sunday, which will be viewable for free via iTunes. The first artist to perform at London's Roundhouse for the festival is Lady Gaga, whose concert is scheduled for this Sunday night (September 1). Check out the full schedule and find out how you can watch ahead.

In addition to Lady Gaga, among the performers lined up for the 2013 iTunes Festival are The Lumineers, Paramore, Queens of the Stone Age, Elton John, Kings of Leon, Vampire Weekend, Thirty Seconds to Mars, Paramore and Robin Thicke. Some of the acts are probably a bit more recognizable than others, but one of the great things about the festival is that it's a great opportunity to sample artists as they perform live, in addition to appreciating the more familiar acts. The festival will close out with a bang, with the John Legend, Justin Timberlake and Katy Perry among the acts lined up for the last few days.

Here's the schedule of performances. iTunes has times listed but no mention of time zone. Presumably, it's London time, which is currently five hours ahead of EST, so adjust accordingly.

Sept. 1 - Lady Gaga

Sept. 2 - Sigur Ros, Polica

Sept. 3 - The Lumineers, Phox

Sept. 4 - Paramore

Sept. 5 - Rizzle Kicks, Eliza Doolittle

Sept. 6 - Queens of the Stone Age, Palma Violets

Sept. 7 - Phoenix, Little Green Cars

Sept. 8 - Bastille, 1975

Sept. 9 - Arctic Monkeys, Drenge

Sept. 10 - Jake Bugg, Valerie June

Sept. 11 - Kings of Leon, Jimmy Eat World

Sept. 12 - Elton John, Tom Odell

Sept. 13 - Avicii, Henrik B

Sept. 14 - Chic Featuring Nile Rodgers, Janelle Money

Sept. 15 - Vampire Weekend, The Olms

Sept. 16 - Jack Johnson, Bahamas

Sept. 17 - Ludovico Einadi, Agnes Obel

Sept. 18 - Thirty Seconds to Mars, The Family Rain

Sept. 19 - Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q

Sept. 20 - Primal Scream, Skinny Girl Diet

Sept. 21 - Haim, Gabrielle Aplin, Bipolar Sunshine, Dan Croll

Sept. 22 - Ellie Goulding

Sept. 23 - Jessie J, Lawson

Sept. 24 - Robin Thicke, Aloe Blacc

Sept. 25 - Pixies, No Ceremony///

Sept. 26 - Tinie Tempah

Sept. 27 - Dizzee Rascal

Sept. 28 - John Legend

Sept. 29 - Justin Timberlake, Mikky Ekko

Sept. 30 - Katy Perry, Iggy Azalea, Icona Pop

Those unable to actually get to the show to see the acts perform live can view the concerts streaming via the iTunes store, through Apple TV (choose iTunes FEstival from the main menu or use AirPlay to stream performances from the app). Or watch it through the designated iTunes Festival App for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch.

It seems impossible to imagine a time when Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" wasn't ever-present, and though it's come by that status honest after weeks on top of the Billboard Top 100, it might have cribbed its popularity from two hits from the past. THR reports that Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and Clifford Harris Jr.-- better known as T.I..-- have filed suit against both Marvin Gaye's family and Bridgeport Records, insisting that "Blurred Lines" is an original hit and not a knockoff of either Marvin Gaye's "Got To Give It Up" or Funkadelic's "Sexy Ways."

If you're a bit baffled here, I don't blame you-- usually it's somebody who claims they've been ripped off who files suit, not somebody claiming they're not ripping off someone else. But Thicke, Pharrell and T.I. say that the Gaye family have made "multiple adverse claims" about the similarities between "Blurred Lines" and "Got To Give It Up," and that ""Gaye defendants are claiming ownership of an entire genre, as opposed to a specific work." It's unclear what Bridgeport Records, who owns the rights to some Funkadelic songs, is claiming, but the "Blurred Lines" suit seems to be a pre-emptive move against a future lawsuit. In defense, the "Blurred Lines" trio argues that ""being reminiscent of a 'sound' is not copyright infringement. The intent in producing 'Blurred Lines' was to evoke an era."

What "sound" unites these songs? Judge for yourself:

Before we dig too deep into the ramifications of this lawsuit, remember that the "Blurred Lines" guys have proven masters of self-promotion, debuting that racy video that was immediately replaced with a cleaner version, then suggesting that President Obama should be in the next video, then adding appearances on Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert to build up the hype machine. It's totally unclear how likely a lawsuit from the Gaye family or Bridgeport would have been, and we have to consider the possibility that filing suit is just another way to get "Blurred Lines" in a headline. And it's worked!

Artists get stuck with lawsuits for sampling the work of others all the time, and the legal standing can be incredibly fuzzy-- Jay-Z and Kanye West settled with Syl Johnson after being accused of cribbing from him on Watch the Throne, and the Beastie Boys are stuck asking for a dismissal from a suit by go-go band Trouble Funk claiming damages from the group's first two records, released decades ago. Esquire has an interesting rundown of a suit faced by Rick Ross, and how its specifics could change the way these lawsuits work, but it also points out how much the details make a difference in how these cases are settled. Will this "Blurred Lines" suit go anywhere? Who knows. But with a hit this big, it probably should be no surprise that it somehow wound up in court.

You would think the gimmick would get old after a while. You can't just take any given pop song, play it on schoolhouse instruments, and be totally charming… right? Wrong. Jimmy Fallon and The Roots prove nightly that they're capable of being adorable and entertaining under pretty much all circumstances, and when you add Robin Thicke and "Blurred Lines" into the mix… good Lord. That little rainbow xylophone has never been used so well.

If this setup seems familiar, it's because they did the same thing with Carly Rae Jepsen for "Call Me Maybe" last summer, and with Mariah Carey for "All I Want For Christmas Is You" last December. It is, without fail, always great, both because they pick songs that everybody can sing along with, and because the stars themselves always seem to be enjoying themselves so much. Thicke has rocketed to fame this summer almost as quickly as Jepsen, and he seems just as delighted to be in this goofy company-- even though his reputation is a whole lot less clean-cut than the "Call Me Maybe" girl's.

That's a big part of what sets this "Blurred Lines" rendition apart. Both the song and discussions about its sexism are inescapable this summer, and it's become harder to enjoy the song without getting stuck on its sleazy lyrics ("You know you want it/ You're a good girl/Can't let is past me"). But it's so damn catchy, so I've caught myself dancing and singing along with everyone else, while wishing Thicke could put those talents toward something a little less aggressive. Then you team him up with Fallon, and all that nastiness instantly disappears. Fallon is about as different a public personality from Thicke as you can get, cuddly and eager and completely non-threatening; even though Thicke is sitting right next to him in this video with his slicked-back hair and sharp vest, Fallon's adorability takes over. "Blurred Lines" isn't an aggressive dance-floor come-on. It's a party! Everybody get up!

Fallon is famously a pretty terrible interviewer-- "softballs" doesn't even start with the questions he lobs at his guests-- but his skill seen here is a lot more rare and powerful. He can make anybody likable. At least, anybody with the right pop hit to back them up.

Here's the original video for "Blurred Lines" if you want to remember why Robin Thicke is actually kind of gross, but I recommend re-watching the schoolhouse instruments version as a palate cleanser afterward.

Robin Thicke has been stirring up controversy and reeling in the dollars in recent months, thanks to the success of the singer’s track “Blurred Lines,” a single off of the singer's sixth studio album of the same name. Thicke himself is a big fan of the song and the music video that he, T.I., and Pharrell Williams put together to accompany the track. In fact, the 36-year-old loves the video so much, he says the only way to top it would be to bring in President Obama.

Not everyone is as infatuated as Thicke is with the video, which is available in an unedited edition in which nude models dance around the singer while graphic wordplay like “Robin Thicke has a big D” dances across the screen. If you aren’t down with a video that is quite so graphic, an edited version of the track is also available that’s a little less risqué. Clearly naked women in music videos is on trend right now, as they can also be seen in Justin Timberlake’s recent video, “Tunnel Vision,” off of the album The 20/20 Experience.

For good measure, here’s the less creeptastic version of the song. If you want to see more ass and titties, you’ll have to head over to VEVO.

The “Blurred Lines” video doesn’t even crack my top 20 of best music videos of all time, but Thicke seems to think it’s the epoch of his career. The man recently told The Sun that it’s Obama or bust for his next music video.

Ego can be a great thing to have when you are in the fame business, but I think I much prefer Vampire Weekend’s ridiculous cover of the song, in which lead Ezra Koenig spends a lot of time goofing off and mumbling the words. It really puts the song--and Thicke's music in general--in context for me. We’ll be sure to let you know if Thicke’s Obama dream comes true one day, though.

Sometimes you have to be a little grateful that music videos are no longer a major part of pop culture. You can enjoy the hell out of a song, taking the lyrics as whatever you want them to mean, and then a music video comes along and makes the whole thing seem… gross. I had been deliberately avoiding the video for Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" for that reason, hearing rumors of its flagrant nudity and alleged misogyny and choosing to just enjoy the song at dance parties instead. But now the same thing is happening for a song I've been dancing to for months, Justin Timberlake's "Tunnel Vision." The video is out, and just like the original version of "Blurred Lines," it's full of nudity. You've been warned-- this is quite NSFW.

Stereogum points out some similarities between this and "Blurred Lines" beyond the female nudity, namely the presence of a stubbled, fully-dressed male singer in front of a white background. Check out the uncensored version of "Blurred Lines" below to make more of the comparison for yourself… though, you've been warned, if you're easily grossed out by leering men, this might set you off. Also, obviously, NSFW.

The story in The Daily News is that the "Tunnel Vision" video has been banned from YouTube, but that's not exactly true-- if you visit the site you're given a warning that the content is explicit, but the video remains hosted on Timberlake's official YouTube Vevo page. The only version of "Blurred Lines" on Vevo (via YouTube), though, remains the cleaner version, with the women fully-dressed (though in much skimpier clothing than the men, and still getting leering glances from Thicke, T.I. and Pharrell). Is a double standard in place? Do we keep Timberlake's "Tunnel Vision" with a simple warning because he's still a bigger star than Thicke? Because the nudity is a little less in-your-face? Or did YouTube get enough backlash over totally banning "Blurred Lines" that they decided to hang on to "Tunnel Vision" despite the nudity?

You could argue it's because the nudity in the Timberlake video is a little more "artistic," and the lyrics aren't nearly as explicit as those in "Blurred Lines"-- you're talking about "I look around and everything I see is beautiful/Cause all I see is you" vs. "I know you want it/But you're a good girl/The way you grab/Must wanna get nasty." But as much as I wish neither video existed, and that anybody could think of a way to use women in music videos without turning them into objects, it would be nice if YouTube-- the default MTV of our times-- would at least come up with some consistent standards. Any female singers who want to make a video crammed with nude male background dancers, the gauntlet has officially been thrown.

Robin Thicke has hit a little controversy, thanks to a music video. About a week ago, Thicke debuted a brand new video for the song “Blurred Lines”. Featuring T.I. and Pharrell Williams, the track is a fun summer anthem song that feels a little risqué, offering vocal parts from each of the three men. If the song feels a little risqué, the unrated music video crosses even more lines, eventually even getting banned from YouTube.

If there’s one thing YouTube hates, it’s nudity, so the banning should be no surprise. The unrated video features both scantily clad and naked women, as well as graphic wordplay like “Robin Thicke Has A Big D” flashing across the screen. Yesterday, YouTube decided the video wasn’t a good fit for its website and shut the unrated version of “Blurred Lines” down, although a tamer version of the track is still available on the video viewing site. The video is still available on other Internet sites, including Vevo, as noted by Thicke.

If you’ve caught the unrated version, you know that while the guys stay clothed, there are more than a few shots of women’s breasts and bottoms present in the video. It’s more distracting than the average bump and grind present in many rap and pop videos and equally as purposeless, making the video potentially offensive to plenty of groups, including other women. Thicke has every right to make whatever sort of video he wants, but he shouldn’t be shocked when he receives some resistance to a video full of naked women from outlets like YouTube. YouTube may not like it, I may not dig it, but according to ABC news, Thicke’s wife, Paula Patton, approved the video, so at least the man has that going for him.