Linda Blair self-eliminated during The Masked Singer Fright Night so that her fellow competitors could have a better chance at moving on to the next round. Linda was the perfect person to have on the horror-themed night as she's starred in films like Wes Craven's Stranger in Our House, but is best known for playing Regan MacNeil in the 1973 film The Exorcist. She is not the first contestant to self-eliminate, as Mickey Rouke quit before elimination during season 4 when he got too hot in his costume and decided to take it off on his own.
However, Linda's reason for quitting the show was a little different. The Masked Singer contestants told Entertainment Weekly, "when I chose to unmask, I had to explain that I wanted the other people to compete properly because this was their livelihood." The actress did not join the show with the intention of winning or as a way to revive her music career as some other stars have. Instead, as she explained on the show, Lisa said she joined the show to raise awareness for her rescue foundation. She thought it would be unfair to take a spot in the semi-finals away from one of the other competitors who actually wanted to be there. She self-eliminated, so she still had the opportunity to talk about her foundation and praise the show for how it's taken people out of dark times, and allow Snowstorm and Sir Bug-a-Boo another chance.
Linda Blair Was The Perfect Fit For The Masked Singer Fright Night
Linda revealed that she's been a fan of The Masked Singer for a long time and admitted the show "took me away for one hour at night from the sadness that we're all in on behalf of the animals." When she was offered the opportunity to do the show, she knew she had to take it. Linda also said that it was quite challenging because she hadn't moved around on stage like that since she played Rizzo in Grease on Broadway. After Linda self-eliminated, Sir Bug-a-Boo and Snowstorm competed against each other in the battle royale, with Snowstorm moving on to the semi-finals. The other contestant was revealed as Ray Parker Jr., best known for singing "Ghostbusters," the theme from the film of the same title.
The Masked Singer couldn't have found a better contestant to compete in Fright Night. The Exorcist is one of the scariest films of all time, and Linda played the most crucial role in the film. Every horror fan remembers the scene when Regan's head spun around while she was sitting on her bed. Fans have wondered this season if the show is rigged since a lot of contestants who have been eliminated fit the theme of the night. This applies to Linda, too, so her self-elimination fits perfectly with the episode's theme.
However, it likely was Linda's idea to only stay on The Masked Singer for one episode, and it was kind of her to think of the other contestants. Some competitors this season were hoping to get their foot in the music industry or let others see them in a new light if singing isn't their main career. Winning The Masked Singer means a lot to the contestants on the show, and Linda didn't want to take that away from anyone. While she may not have won the masked trophy, she still came onto the show, had a good time, and accomplished exactly what she set out to do.
The Masked Singer airs Wednesdays at 8 pm EST on Fox.
Source: Entertainment Weekly