This week’s rollicking episode of SABC 2’s The Masked Singer South Africa served up surprise after surprise. A quirky “detective” called Pangolin arrived on the scene to put a scaly paw into the guessing game; for the first time this season, detective J’Something correctly identified the big-name celebrity behind the Mask; and it was revealed that Mzansi’s much-loved, famously unfiltered “king of zef”, Jack Parow, swapped his signature long peak cap for a menacing Spinach costume.
After weeks of fierce face-offs, five of the enigmatic acts returned to the stage, each performing solo for the first time. It was up to Sushi, Spinach, Gogga, Pineapple and Sheep to wow the detectives and superfans in the audience, keep their identities under wraps and advance to the next round.
Unfortunately – or, for those dying to know who Spinach was, fortunately – the superfood vegetable had to shed his leaves.
The curious case of the gigantic Spinach began in previous face-offs, and when he performed Shaggy’s hit “Boombastic”, he baffled the show’s panel of detectives – J’Something, Somizi Mhlongo, Sithelo Shozi and Skhumba. But knowing that every little detail in the investigation file could hold a vital clue, they scoured their notes to figure out who was behind the Mask.
Spinach’s initial clue package was set against recognisable Johannesburg images, but he teased that his actual hometown was known for grapes, pumpkin and wheat. “The West Coast in the Karoo modelled what you see on stage,” he said. Additionally, he disclosed that he travelled the world without leaving the lounge, guided by spinning circles that conjured his family’s treasure. Then he dropped a hint that now makes sense: “I studied how to make ideas look beautiful before pixels took over the world.” Jack Parow was once a professional graphic designer.
Completely off the mark, the detectives threw out a colourful mix of names. After a detective’s question, when Spinach coyly stated that he had “childhood curls better suited to a sheep than a rugby player”, Somizi guessed Springbok wing Bryan Habana. Meanwhile, Sithelo chose actor Brendan Daniels for the Jo’burg scenes, while Skhumba focused on Spinach’s Cape Town accent, linking it to Clint Brink. At least J’Something correctly identified a Cape Town rapper – but he still got it wrong, naming YoungstaCPT.
This week, Spinach once again proved he was anything but garden-variety, delivering Johnny Clegg’s anthem “Great Heart”. Later, J’Something admitted he’d never heard Jack Parow sing like that.
But the clue package? Still utterly confusing for the detectives. Spinach revealed that he had spent his school years “chasing fun, friendships and conversions across the field” – a clear indication that he might have been a high-school rugby star. As it turns out, Jack Parow played Craven Week rugby and was good enough to continue playing after matriculating.
Then another important hint dropped. Against visuals of a spinning car, Spinach indicated that his pre-performance preparation “isn’t always poetic”. “Some people warm up with silence; I prefer mine poured over ice,” he said, pulling out a bottle of his signature drink, The Parow Brandy.
Spinach also hinted that his childhood pet was a parrot and made a pointed reference to birdseed labelled “keto” before “detective” Pangolin stepped in with a revelation to help the bamboozled panel: “Long before creativity found paper and screen, Spinach wanted to design spaces people lived in.”
So, after hearing all of this, the alcohol reference steered Sithelo towards rugby superstar Handré Pollard, who is a spokesperson for a brandy brand he co-founded. However, she ultimately locked in Benni McCarthy as her guess. Somizi wasn’t convinced and named DJ Ready. Skhumba admitted that Spinach was the most mysterious Mask of them all and stuck with his face-off round guess, Clint Brink.
But then J’Something had several aha moments. Although he had been intrigued by Spinach’s earlier rapping, Popeye’s friend showed off his surprisingly beautiful singing voice. Yet the reference to his preparation not being “poetic” made J’Something wonder whether Spinach might still be a rapper.
Then he clocked the “keto” birdseed reference, remembering a colleague who had spoken about losing a lot of weight and who also had his own brandy label. But the parrot was the dead giveaway. “It’s a parrot’s Parow… Jack Parow!” J’Something exclaimed.
And, of course, he was spot-on!
After the voting, Sushi, Pineapple and Spinach were left vulnerable in the Danger Zone, but before the final result, another Mask had to be revealed – “detective” Pangolin. Metro FM radio host Tbo Touch smashed the role!
Ultimately, the detectives rescued Pineapple from being unmasked, while Sushi rolled forward with the audience vote. So, Spinach was chopped.
“I had such a good time under the Mask. It was really, really fun,” Jack Parow told Mpho Popps. The larger-than-life rapper also confessed he didn’t know what to expect from his The Masked Singer experience but walked away with a newfound appreciation for the professionals who work in costumes at places like Disneyland. “Because this is intense!” he exclaimed. “But it’s the coolest thing. I had such a good time.”
The Masked Singer South Africa Season 3 is produced by Rose and Oaks Media for Primedia Studios and is sponsored by Andolex®, King Pie and Mentos.
Catch the latest episodes on SABC 2 on Saturdays at 19:00, with rebroadcasts on Thursdays at 21:00 on SABC 1 and Fridays at 13:30 on SABC 2.
