The Masked Singer season 10 came down to Donut and Cow, with Cow ultimately emerging as the new champion. The Donut was unmasked as The Dukes of Hazzard alum John Schneider. During the December 20 finale event, John wowed with a heartfelt and emotional rendition of Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful.” Hollywood Life spoke exclusively with John about honoring his late wife Alicia Allain during his journey on the show.
“I do think that people have responded so well to the Donut, to the music. I’m honored to have been able to sing the songs that I sang on the show and being the poster child — or the poster Donut — for people who are grieving,” the 63-year-old said. “It’s definitely not something I ever wanted. Look, if you are given opportunity, no matter how down you may seem, you must take this opportunity and turn it into a plus for other people who are grieving. I think The Masked Singer and all the folks on the show and the producers and I could not possibly hope or wish for anything to go better. This was perfect timing. This was a perfect opportunity.”
John admitted that he was scared to sing “You Are So Beautiful” until he stepped up on stage to perform it. “I was afraid of that song until I sang it and something opened up in me,” he revealed. “I’m a believer. I’m a Christian, and I believe somehow God watched me do that song and made it so I could make it my own. And I think I did. I love that song, and now I think it’s mine. I look forward to singing that song in the future. I know that Alicia was looking down and was like, ‘Thumbs up, baby.’”
The Smallville alum said he felt “so honored” to be able to perform that song for his late wife. “I think for me as a singer who just put out his 26th album, that was my shining moment,” he said.
John lost his wife Alicia in February 2023 after a 4-year battle with breast cancer. The actor and singer opened up about how The Masked Singer has helped him heal as he continues to grieve his tragic loss.
“When you’re grieving, you hide away or sequester yourself or you do it publicly,” he said. “There’s healing in knowing that your pain is affecting other people in a positive way. There is a way to use your extreme pain for the greater good. Personally, I believe that God is involved in that. How can God not be involved in taking such a bad thing and turning it into something good?”
He continued, “The Bible says, ‘Blessed are those who grieve for they will be comforted.’ I’ll tell you why. On The Masked Singer, people backstage, the very few people who knew it was me, and watching the response from the judges was so healing for me and comforting for me. It helped me so much in my grieving process. Grieving is something that doesn’t go away. It’s something that we will carry for the rest of our lives. We get stronger, but we get even stronger when we talk with other people. This was a great opportunity for me.” The Masked Singer will return for season 11 in spring 2024.