Spoilers for season 12 of “The Masked Singer”: Who are the celebrities?

When The Masked SingerThe latest season of begins with the reminder that the show has already hosted “186 celebrities in 11 seasons.” This statistic raises the very real question of what is going on in the world of The masked singer, considering how many “stars” the show attracts these days,. If we believe the judges – and really no one should – it is entirely possible that Cardi B, Tom Brady or Kerry Washington could leap out of an absurd costume onto the show’s shiny stage at any time. And although, with very few exceptions, no one with that level of fame has ever been unmasked, viewers keep going, determined to see which WHO?s are announced every week.

With that in mind — and with the realization that we haven't yet met Season 12 contestants Dust Bunny, Goo, Wasp, Bluebell, Chess Piece, Sherlock Hound, Royal Knight, Macaron, Ice King, and Strawberry Shortcake — here is our very scientific and mostly confident assessment of who we think this season's famous contestants are. The Masked Singer.

Photo: Michael Becker/FOX

Here’s what we know about Buffalo: While the show initially portrays Buffalo as a single person, it quickly becomes apparent that “Buffalo” is actually plural, referring to three members of a herd. When they're introduced by “ambassador” and friend Nick Lachey, there's talk of “beds full of cockroaches at night and drills at bus stops,” there are pictures of Betty and Vanna White, and the suggestion that they starred in “two of the greatest sitcoms of all time.” There are also references to some sort of Walk of Fame, a slot machine jackpot, and a crown. And while that doesn't help at all, Lachey says the Buffalo “are always the center of attention at my epic Super Bowl parties.”

Why it's definitely Boyz II Men: Although the evidence is pretty thin at this point, Boyz II Men seems to be a solid guess (and one that Reddit seems to agree with). They have a star on the Walk of Fame, they just came off a brief Vegas appearance (with Masked Singer Judge Robin Thicke!), and member Wanya Morris was in a strange insurance-sponsored “supergroup” with Lachey last year. They have also appeared in a number of sitcoms, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, MoeshaAnd How I met your mother.

Why it might not be Boyz II Men: Both Jenny McCarthy and Rita Ora seem to believe that it could be B2K, as they point to the possible presence of Omarion, a singer who has already performed on The Masked Singer and who has absolutely not acted in an incredibly popular sitcom, except for a few guest appearances in The Bernie Mac Show And Fully grown. Rita Ora also suggests that it could be earth, wind and fire, an idea so absurd that we reject it out of hand. The jury also seems to think that the people in the buffalo costumes could be athletes, calling them “giant” compared to the 6'2″ but fairly slim Nick Cannon, although we'd be hard-pressed to imagine athletes who could sing and harmonize as well as the buffalo.

Photo: Michael Becker/FOX

Here’s what we know about Woodpecker: Introduced by ambassador Jenifer Lewis, who has known Woodpecker “since she started,” this masked contestant is petite and looks like a woman. She says she's both a mogul and a “chic CEO” before revealing she's also friends with Beyoncé. She's on the show, she says, because she's “aiming to become the youngest female billionaire.”

Why it is definitely Marsai Martin: At just 20 years old, Marsai Martin has already had a very long and productive Hollywood life. She played alongside Lewis in Black-likehas been nominated six times for an NAACP Image Award and twice for a SAG Award, and has produced or executive produced several projects. She has a first-look production deal with Universal and once told BET she “would love to be the youngest billionaire or trillionaire.”

Why it might not be Marsai Martin: It could be Chloe or Halle Bailey, both of whom are friends with Beyoncé and could qualify here. Then again, they're probably way too popular for this show, so we'll stick with Ms. Martin.

Photo: Michael Becker/FOX

Here’s what we know about the leaf sheep: Introduced by former Denver Bronco Demarcus Ware (the Koala last season), Leaf Sheep is referred to as “the GOAT,” despite saying, “I'm a little sluggish these days, but you should have seen me in my prime.” He's “topped the charts” and “revived a franchise,” and he's somehow associated with both a cowboy hat-wearing seahorse and a quarter. He's also a pretty bad singer.

Why it’s definitely John Elway: Since we're looking for someone who's older, played quarterback on an NFL team associated with either a cowboy or a horse, and probably can't sing a song, we immediately think of former Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway. While you could argue that the Broncos were doing OK at 10-6 before Elway arrived in 1983, they were in something of a slump in the mid-to-late 2000s before Elway signed as GM and brought in Peyton Manning as quarterback, a move that led to the team's eventual Super Bowl appearance.

Why it might not be John Elway: That's right. His lackluster singing performance landed him at the bottom of the cast in the season premiere, which led to his unmasking.

Photo: Michael Becker/FOX

Here’s what we know about Showbird: Presented by my good friend Joel McHale, who never actually Masked Singer contestant, but who likes to poke fun at judge Ken Jeong, was “a tomboy as a kid” and admits to being into nerdy stuff like LEGO and Comic-Con. She says she's acted in some of the biggest blockbusters of all time, and her intro video features a golden gavel, suggesting she's some sort of judge.

Why it is definitely Yvette Nicole Brown: First, just listen to her. That is 100 percent Yvette Nicole Brown's unmistakable voice. Second, there is the connection to McHale and Jeong, with whom she worked together in CommunityAnd third and fourth, there are the Hollywood references, as she played Judge Anita Harper in A sketch show with a black lady and had roles in Tropical Thunder, Avengers: EndgameAnd (500) days of summeramong other projects. She is also a LEGO superfan and Comic-Con regular, having moderated more than one major panel in Hall H.

Why it might not be Yvette Nicole Brown: If you believe Ken Jeong and literally no one else, it could be Jennifer Hudson, Rita Ora thinks it's Taraji P. Henson, which is possible but unlikely, and Robin Thicke says Kerry Washington, which is just an insult to Kerry Washington.

Photo: Michael Becker/FOX

Here’s what we know about the ship: Dressed in a sort of steampunk schooner look, the ship gets its props from Jewel, who has apparently been friends with her for many years. The ship says her “career was taking off at a rapid pace” but she “lost control, got lost at sea and felt forgotten.” However, she has turned it around and now has “the career [she’s] always wanted.” The Ship also seems to be a professional singer, considering how well she handles Bastille’s “Pompeii” with an impressive alto vibrato.

Why it is definitely Belinda Carlisle: When you think of people who may be in The Masked Singer Costumes, you must first consider which possible participants not were not yet in costume. Carlisle was always a favorite for some of the judges, but she never actually performed. Additionally, after quickly rising to fame with the Go-Go's and then going solo, she had a decades-long drug problem that could be described as “lost at sea.” She has, however, pulled herself together and released a new EP, Kismet, beginning of the year.

Why it might not be Belinda Carlisle: There's a whole list of singers from the '80s and '90s that could be mentioned as possible candidates, including Joan Osborne, Meredith Brooks, Sarah McLachlan, Paula Cole, Tracy Bonham, Suzanne Vega, Lisa Loeb and Shawn Colvin. The cowboy hat leads us to believe it could be “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone” singer Cole or maybe even notorious troublemaker Tanya Tucker, but we probably need more information to make a definitive guess.