Mayo Clinic's singing surgeon is revealed on 'The Masked Singer'

November 19, 2020 at 6:47PM
The doctor had been disguised at The Serpent. (Hannah Sayle/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Mayo Clinic's singing surgeon is back in the spotlight.

Elvis Francois, who became a viral sensation in 2018 with his version of Mike Yung's "Alright," was ousted Wednesday from Fox's "The Masked Singer," the hit Fox series in which celebrities perform in second-rate mascot costumes. The doctor had been disguised at The Serpent.

Judge Nicole Scherzinger, best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, managed to guess his identity before the unveiling. Once the secret was out, fellow panelist Ken Jeong got emotional. The comedian choked back tears as he praised Francois for his participation in a benefit special that aired this past March.

"Your version of 'Imagine' got us through the pandemic, man," said Jeong, who is also a doctor. "In a concert of stars — Elton John, Billy Joel — the best moment of that living room concert was you. I'm crying because you're more talented than me."

During his time on the hit series, Francois sang The Proclaimers' "500 Miles (I'm Gonna Be)" and Jonas Brothers' "Cool."

In an interview that aired after "the reveal," Francois confessed that, on a scale of 1 to 10, his nervousness registered at 45.

"I am hopeful to find a way to continue to share both music and medicine," he said.

Francois' residency in Rochester ended this past June. He is currently practicing in Boston.

Also departing during the fourth season's eighth episode was NBA player Lonzo Ball.

about the writer

about the writer

Neal Justin

Critic / Reporter

Neal Justin is the pop-culture critic, covering how Minnesotans spend their entertainment time. He also reviews stand-up comedy. Justin previously served as TV and music critic for the paper. He is the co-founder of JCamp, a non-profit program for high-school journalists, and works on many fronts to further diversity in newsrooms.

See More