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Masked Singer voting patterns & women

56 replies

theskyispink · 10/01/2021 00:16

Spoilers if you haven't caught up yet...

Has anyone been watching the Masked Singer and noticing that the audience consistently votes against female performers?

So far the first three contestants to have been eliminated are women. In almost every audience vote during the show, the man has won.

Tonight culminated in two of the best singers (both clearly female) being in the bottom two, whereas every single male participant (and one, Dragon, who no one can decide is male or female) was voted safe. In other words, out of the five performers, the only two obviously female singers were in the bottom two.

This is a show where contestants wear giant costumes to disguise their bodies. Yet somehow it's the women who sing well who still, for some unidentifiable reason, end up in the bottom, over men who really can't sing at all.

It's meant to be a daft light-hearted show, but so far the audience's anti-women vote has happened in every single episode and it's really harshing my mellow, man.

Episode 1:
Alien - risk - OUT
Swan - risk
Dragon* - win
Sausage - win
(Two male performers - win)

Episode 2:
Harlequin - risk
Seahorse - risk - OUT
(Four male performers - 3 wins, 1 risk)

Episode 3:
Sausage - risk
Swan - risk - OUT
Dragon* - safe
(Two male performers - safe)

*Note: The panel is split on whether Dragon is a woman. I've included them here otherwise the numbers would be even more depressing.

So there have been seven audience votes in total. Out of those seven, a woman has won twice at most (depending on whether Dragon is actually a woman).

I know the show's a bit of nonsense and doesn't deserve much analysis, but I just find it ridiculous that even in costume, dressed as a sausage or an alien, women still don't escape this constant sexism. Is it love for men or hate for women? Both? Either way, I don't find it enjoyable seeing talented women being overlooked for average men every single week. I don't want a dose of blatant sexism with my light entertainment, thanks.

OP posts:
Al1langdownthecleghole · 10/01/2021 14:10

Broadly speaking I often think it's nit just sexism, it's sexism + ageism.

I can think of a number of celeb shows where older men have done OK or won.

Debbie McGee aside, I'm struggling to think of many older women. And certainly none that look their age.

lightand · 10/01/2021 13:35

Been happening in other voting shows for decades. Women may win sometimes, but are consistently voted out in larger numbers at the beginning at least. Think BB, I'm a Celeb, etc etc.
I have never been able to work out why, especially since it is younger people that tend to vote more, and prob younger women too.
I have concluded, maybe wrongly, that there is quite a lot of women, voting aginst women.

Winederlust · 10/01/2021 13:32

I honestly think the votes aren't just for who is the best singer, but also the performance and how much of a mystery who the person is.
If you have a professional singer it stands to reason that the audience are more likely to recognise their voice and guess who they are. Which I'm fairly sure is what has happened so far.
As PP said, the singing is secondary to the mystery of who is behind the mask. Wouldn't be much of a series if we had them all sussed by the second episode!

TinselAngel · 10/01/2021 13:29

@TheBuffster

I wonder if they get a say on the costume. I also wonder if they film the non singy bits or does a double put on the costume and act it out. Obviously very important questions for feminism.
One week they made a point of saying that some of the extra bits had been filmed using stand ins- presumably as an attempt to say they were following lockdown rules. I suspect they all are because there's no need for the singers to travel to the remote filing locations when you can't tell who is in the costume anyway.
TheBuffster · 10/01/2021 13:26

I wonder if they get a say on the costume.
I also wonder if they film the non singy bits or does a double put on the costume and act it out.
Obviously very important questions for feminism.

TinselAngel · 10/01/2021 13:23

This is clearly the issue that's really going to divide FWR.

TheBuffster · 10/01/2021 13:22

I'm terrible at guessing tbh.
Although I had Mel b sussed!

EmmaGrundyForPM · 10/01/2021 13:20

The reason the studio audience kept dragon was because the costume is "cute". It is a friendly, cuddly dragon as opposed to a fire breathing monster.

I was very disappointed that the audience vote left the two best singers in the sing-off but I don't think its sexism.

I also thing Sausage is Sheridan Smith. Now there's a sentence I never thought I'd type.

TinselAngel · 10/01/2021 13:09

@TheBuffster

' think they just vote out the one they think they have guessed so more mystery. Like Mel B last week. They knew who she was so out she went.'

Ah I see. Didn't seem like they knew who swan was though until Ross pulled it out last-minute.

This is a refreshingly uncynical perspective Smile
TheBuffster · 10/01/2021 13:06

' think they just vote out the one they think they have guessed so more mystery. Like Mel B last week. They knew who she was so out she went.'

Ah I see. Didn't seem like they knew who swan was though until Ross pulled it out last-minute.

newyearnewname123 · 10/01/2021 13:02

Ah, tinsel I didn't realise, not watched it so thought it was public vote.

TheBuffster · 10/01/2021 13:01

But as they are stuck in a cumbersome costume so the entertainment factor mostly comes down to how good the costume.

SkiingIsHeaven · 10/01/2021 13:01

I think they just vote out the one they think they have guessed so more mystery. Like Mel B last week. They knew who she was so out she went.

If you knew who they all were then it would be pointless having them in masks. So if they don't know or even can't tell whether they are male or female, better to keep those people in.

The USP of the programme is that you are supposed to guess who it is. The singing contest part is just a byproduct.

CranberriesChoccyAgain · 10/01/2021 12:56

What are they voting for exactly? Who they want to go through or who they think is best? I've not seen any of it but someone can be entertaining and not a brilliant singer.

SweetLoveOfCod · 10/01/2021 12:56

I’ve thought this too.
The Grandfather clock is particularly poor but was put through over a decent female singer.

Not seen the show but this thread is a great read for an outsider Grin

NonagonInfinityOpensTheDoor · 10/01/2021 12:53

@Noooooogsh

Not to be cynical but I assumed the producers had decided in advance who left based on contract length/availability of the celebrities
This too given it’s not a public vote
NonagonInfinityOpensTheDoor · 10/01/2021 12:53

3 out of the first 4 contestants who were voted out in season 1 were men. Does that say anything? I personally don’t think it’s that deep and / or there are other factors at play.

It’s an entertainment show primarily, that doesn’t necessarily correlate the best singer going through. Personality through the costume goes a long way, the “cheekier” and more outgoing a personality the more people want to see them around. Compared to Badger, Swan was a bit boring and unforgettable. A better singer but boring. The costume probably has some influence too. I really hated Swans costume, it annoyed me so I wanted them to go. I think there are more outstanding factors at play affecting audience votes (which is limited due to massively reduced audience numbers).

TheBuffster · 10/01/2021 12:52

I might be mixing them up then. But there was a very good singer with a black sounding voice. It could've been just the style of the song though...

TinselAngel · 10/01/2021 12:51

@newyearnewname123

Not sure what basis people are voting on!

I think this would be really interested to research. What the demographic is of voters and what criteria they are using to decide who to vote for.

It's not open to public vote, it's a few people in the studio audience. Can we be sure it isn't fixed based on who wants to go home first?
Noooooogsh · 10/01/2021 12:50

Not to be cynical but I assumed the producers had decided in advance who left based on contract length/availability of the celebrities

Siddalee · 10/01/2021 12:48

I’ve thought this too.
The Grandfather clock is particularly poor but was put through over a decent female singer.

If I were a semi decent, established female performer there’s no way Is do that show now

newyearnewname123 · 10/01/2021 12:48

Not sure what basis people are voting on!

I think this would be really interested to research. What the demographic is of voters and what criteria they are using to decide who to vote for.

FindHungrySamurai · 10/01/2021 12:44

But yes it’s sad that two female professional singers and a female part-time singer have gone out against worse singers

Horehound · 10/01/2021 12:43

Sausage is a female no?

Deadringer · 10/01/2021 12:42

I thought the same.