TooFab spoke to Drake Bell after he was unmasked because the Ice King Wednesday, the place he shared how liberating it was to compete on the present after a turbulent yr of ups and downs.
Drake Bell is having enjoyable once more.
TooFab spoke to the Drake & Josh alum after he was unmasked on The Masked Singer Wednesday, the place he shared how the present helped him step out of his consolation zone after the media storm that adopted with the discharge of the gut-wrenching doc, Quiet on Set: The Darkish Aspect of Youngsters TV, which uncovered the darkish facet of Nickelodeon.
“I used to be lucky sufficient to have the expertise of doing The Masked Singer: Mexico. And so when The Masked Singer America known as, I used to be like, ‘Oh, completely.’ I had such a blast on the opposite model that it was… you recognize, a no brainer to come back in and be a part of it,” Bell mentioned of what made him say sure to the present a second time. “And I feel it is one thing that, it is enjoyable. You get to play alongside.”
He continued, “While you watch exhibits like this, you suppose there have to be some smoke and mirrors, slightly little bit of Hollywood, just like the contestants most likely know who the opposite contestants are. It is not as quick paced as they make it seem to be, ‘Oh, be taught a music, be taught the choreography, get on stage, carry out it.’ And it truly is.”
Calling the method fast-paced and enjoyable, when it got here to the principle variations between THS Mexico and the U.S. model, the singer-actor mentioned the U.S. manufacturing was “slightly bit extra rigorous.”
“It blew my thoughts their schedule, as a result of I imply, they’ve it all the way down to the minute. I imply, they’re like, okay 9 o’clock to 9:18 you are in vocal rehearsal. Then from 9:18 to 9:32, you are in dance rehearsal. Then from 9, I am like, ‘Can it simply be like from like 9 to 9:15 to 9:30 to 9:20,” Bell quipped. “They’re like, ‘No, it needs to be on.’ They usually made it on these instances.”
“I imply, I used to be in dance rehearsal. I used to be like wanting on the time and I am like, ‘You guys have this all the way down to a science, you recognize?’” he continued. “And so it is actually much more rigorous. Handed a music the evening earlier than, rehearsing, attempting to be taught the lyrics, attempting to recollect — then you definitely go into dance rehearsal, then you definitely received to recollect the choreography and then you definitely go into… so, I imply, I feel it is a way more rigorous expertise.”
Whereas Bell mentioned he was puffed up by the present’s crew and crew backstage, he additionally received that vitality from the viewers and the judges, who lauded his performances with out having a clue about who he was — they even known as him a rockstar.
“That was a very liberating expertise, you recognize, as a result of I am singing songs that I have never sang earlier than or would by no means sing. And I do not do choreography on stage. I am unable to discover the guitar. And so it gave me the chance to actually simply lose myself within the character and truly really feel like this, Ice King,” Bell mentioned of the cathartic expertise of having the ability to sing and dance with true anonymity. “Having all of the manufacturing and the smoke and the snow and all of the confetti and all the pieces, it actually simply gave me the chance to only lose myself within the character.”
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It was additionally equally thrilling to listen to the judges guess who he might be. And as a fan of the panel, it was flattering, too, when Jenny McCarthy nailed it on the top.
“It was actually cool to listen to them guessing folks like Joe Jonas or Pete Wentz, like these different musicians — I used to be like, ‘Actually?’ And also you all the time surprise… I grew up on the panel. I imply, I watched all of them rising up, I am followers of them, and also you all the time suppose, ‘Do they even know who I’m? I imply, there is no method,’” the previous Nickelodeon star recounted.
“Jenny McCarthy guessed my title and I used to be like, ‘You realize who I’m?! I crossed your thoughts earlier than? I watched Singled Out after I was a child… I have been a fan of you without end, and the truth that you even guessed my title simply blew my thoughts,’” he added.
Bell continued, “I used to be actually sitting behind the masks like, ‘Did Jenny McCarthy simply say my title? Like, no method. That’s so cool.’”
As for his or her reactions after he received unmasked, Bell mentioned that was surprising.
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“That was actually shocking, too,” he shared. “That they had actually sort issues to say. And the viewers response was superior, too. They had been all cheering, and as I used to be strolling off, all identical to high-fiving me and like, ‘No method.’ So it is very nice to to be unmasked and and have that form of reception. It is cool.”
Whereas many followers of Bell and viewers of the present have already guessed him because the Ice King, he is longing for a optimistic response from them, too, after they see his ultimate bow because the character.
“I do not know, as a result of I did not get to have that have, as a result of the Mexico model did not air in the USA, so I did not get to have that have,” Bell admitted, feeling cautiously optimistic of the reception he’ll obtain as soon as followers see him get unmasked. “What I used to be actually shocked about is, I am wanting on the feedback and other people had been already guessing. I imply, it is actually — my title.”
“They’re placing collectively footage of the Ice King, me performing because the Ice King after which me acting on stage when I haven’t got my guitar,” he continued. “And individuals are saying like, ‘No, look, when he– when he sings with out his guitar, have a look at his hand right here and have a look at his hand right here.’ And I am like, ‘You guys are detectives, bro.’”
Bell’s unmasking may also function a enjoyable second for him to attach with fellow Drake & Josh alum, Yvette Nicole Brown, who was unmasked as Showbird again in Week 2 of this season.
“It’s going to be enjoyable to have the ability to inform Yvette, who performed Helen on Drake & Josh, as a result of I may solely congratulate her on being on the present. I could not inform her, like, ‘Oh, that is so rad. You had been on the present, too? So I feel she’ll be fairly shocked, like, ‘No method, Drake, you probably did the identical season as me? That is so cool. That’ll be enjoyable too, for positive.’”
Competing on The Masked Singer for the second time has additionally served as a little bit of a launch for Bell, particularly after sharing his story on Quiet on Set. Within the traumatic ID doc, Bell revealed that he was the beforehand unidentified little one star who got here ahead with allegations of sexual abuse towards Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck.
“To have the ability to, you recognize, do one thing once more that is so out of my ingredient, that is only a enjoyable sport and is a contest… you are so out of your ingredient that — I’m aggressive, however on the finish of the day, you are simply there to have enjoyable and play and so it is it’s very nice to have the ability to get into doing one thing like that after such a tough yr,” Bell instructed TooFab. “After which having, you recognize, having the ability to go from there to go on tour and actually simply launch an album and get again to what I like to do. It is, it is, it is a actually lovely factor.”
When requested if he’d give it a go a 3rd time, Bell mentioned undoubtedly.
“I might be on it,” Bell exclaimed. “It is a rigorous and hard expertise, however on the identical time, you are having a lot enjoyable that you just’re like, ‘Yeah, I am exhausted and yeah, I received to do it, however it’s simply so enjoyable.’ You are like, ‘Yeah, it is lots of work, however you are having a blast whereas doing it.”
The Masked Singer shifts to Thursday for subsequent week’s Thanksgiving Peanuts Extravaganza (and Group C Finals) at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
