TooFab spoke to the Drake & Jos alum after he was exposed The Masked Singer Wednesday, where he shared how the show helped him step out of his comfort zone after the media storm that followed the release of the heartbreaking documentary, Quiet on the set: the dark side of children TVwhich exposed the dark side of Nickelodeon.

“I was lucky that I had the experience to do it The Masked Singer: Mexico. And so when The Masked Singer America called, I thought, ‘Oh, absolutely.’ I had so much fun with the other version that it was… you know, a no-brainer to come in and be a part of it,” Bell said of what made him say yes to the show for the second time.” And I think it’s something that’s fun. You can play.”

He continued, “When you watch these kinds of shows you think there has to be some smoke and mirrors, a little bit of Hollywood, like the contestants probably know who the other contestants are. It’s not as fast as it seems. “Oh, learn a song, learn the choreography, go on stage, perform it.” And it really is.”

I call the process quick and fun, when it comes to the main differences between THS Mexico and the American version, the singer-actor said the American production was “a little more rigorous.”

“It surprised me when I looked at their schedule because I mean, they have it down to the minute. I mean, they say, okay, from nine o’clock to a quarter to nine, you’re practicing singing. Then from nine o’clock: 6 to 9:32, you’re dancing. Then from nine, I think, ‘Can it just be like that from nine to 9:15 to 9:30 to 9:20,’ Callen joked. “They say, ‘No, it has to be on.’ And they delivered in those moments.”

“I mean, I was dancing. I looked at the time and was like, ‘You guys have this down to a science, you know?'” he continued. “And so it’s really a lot more rigorous. Being handed a song the night before, rehearsing, trying to learn the lyrics, trying to memorize – then you go to dance rehearsal, then you have to memorize the choreography and then you go in. . .so I mean, I think it’s a much more rigorous experience.”

Although Bell said he was hyped backstage by the show’s team and crew, he also got that energy from the audience and judges, who praised his performances without having any idea who he was — even calling him a rock star.

“That was a really liberating experience, you know, because I’m singing songs that I haven’t sung before or would never sing. And I don’t do any choreography on stage. I can’t find the guitar. And so it gave me the chance to really lose myself in the character and really feel like that, Ice King,” Bell said of the cathartic experience of being able to sing and dance with real anonymity “With all the production and the smoke and the snow and all the confetti and so, it really gave me the opportunity to just lose myself in the character.”

It was also equally exciting to hear the judges guess who he could be. And as a fan of the panel, it was also flattering when Jenny McCarthy nailed it on the head.

“It was really cool to hear them guessing people like Joe Jonas or Pete Wentz, as well as these other musicians. I was like, ‘Really?’ And you always wonder… I grew up on the panel. I mean, I watched them all growing up, I’m a fan of them, and you always think, ‘Do they even know who I am?’ , the former Nickelodeon star shared.

“Jenny McCarthy guessed my name and I was like, ‘Do you know who I am?! Have I ever crossed my mind before? I was watching Selected “When I was a kid… I’ve been a fan of yours forever, and the fact that you even guessed my name just blew my mind,” he added.

Bell continued, “I literally sat behind the mask saying, ‘Did Jenny McCarthy just say my name? No way. That’s so cool.'”

As for their reactions after he was exposed, Bell said it was unexpected.

“That was really surprising,” he said. “They had some really nice things to say. And the crowd reaction was great, too. They all cheered, and as I walked away they all high-fived me and said, ‘No way.’ So it’s really nice to be exposed and get that kind of reception.

While many Bell fans and viewers of the show have already guessed him as the Ice King, he’s also hoping for a positive reaction from them after they see his final bow as the character.

“I don’t know, because I didn’t have that experience, because the Mexican version didn’t air in the United States, so I didn’t have that experience,” Bell admitted, feeling cautiously optimistic about the situation. the reception he will receive once fans see him unmasked. “What I was really surprised about is that I looked at the comments and people already guessed it. I mean, it’s literally – my name.”

“They’re putting together pictures of the Ice King, I’m performing as the Ice King and I’m performing on stage when I don’t have my guitar,” he continued. “And people say, ‘No, look, when he… when he sings without his guitar, look at his hand here and look at his hand here.’ And I’m like, ‘You guys are detectives, buddy.'”

Bell’s unmasking will also be a fun time for him to connect with others Drake & Jos alum, Yvette Nicole Brown, who was exposed as Showbird in week 2 of this season.

‘It will be nice to be able to tell Yvette, who played Helen Drake & Josbecause I could only congratulate her on her participation in the show. I couldn’t tell her, ‘Oh, that’s so great. You were on the show too? So I think she’ll be pretty surprised, like, ‘No way, Drake, you did the same season as me? That’s so cool. That will certainly be fun too. ”

Compete on The Masked Singer the second time has also served as a bit of a liberation for Bell, especially after he shared his story Quiet on Set. In the traumatic identity document, Bell revealed that he was the previously unknown child star who came forward with sexual abuse allegations against Nickelodeon dialogue coach Brian Peck.

“To be able to do something that’s so out of my element again, that’s just a fun game and a competition… you’re so out of your element that – I’m competitive, but at the end of the day you’re just there to have fun to have and play and so it’s really nice to be able to do something like that after such a difficult year,” Bell told TooFab “And then, you know, to be able to go on tour from there and actually just put out an album and get back to what I love to do. It is, it is, it is really a beautiful thing.”

When asked if he would try it a third time, Bell said no doubt.

“I would,” Bell exclaimed. “It’s a rigorous and tough experience, but at the same time you have so much fun that you’re like, ‘Yes, I’m exhausted and yes, I have to do it, but it’s just so much fun.’ You say, “Yes, it’s a lot of work, but you have a lot of fun while you’re doing it.”

The Masked Singer shifts to Thursday for next week’s Thanksgiving Peanuts Extravaganza (and Group C finale) at 8 PM ET on Fox.