The Toast Podcast: "Queen Corgi, We Love Your Work"

Episode Date: January 29, 2026
Hosts: Claudia Oshry & Jackson Claude
Main Theme:
Celebrating Claudia’s (aka “Queen Corgi”) big reveal and journey on The Masked Singer, unpacking her experiences on the show, motherhood challenges, behind-the-scenes secrets, and the joy it brought to the Toast community. The episode also delves into current pop culture stories, personal anecdotes, and signature lively banter.

1. Claudia Unmasked: The Queen Corgi Reveal

Overview:
Claudia Oshry discusses her participation as "Queen Corgi" on The Masked Singer, sharing intimate details about keeping the secret, the physical and emotional toll, balancing new motherhood, and connecting the experience to her podcast and community.

Key Segments & Discussion Points:

• The Secret & the Reveal

  • Claudia compares keeping her Masked Singer secret to hiding her pregnancy (01:11).
  • Shout-out to Grace on TikTok for unmasking her before the show even aired (01:40).
  • Claudia recounts the struggle:

    "They're talking about me on TikTok, and I can't say anything. Like, okay, Ye." — Claudia (01:53)

• Song & Performance Choices

  • Song selection process explained; legal clearances and picking songs that resonate with her and her fans (02:20).
  • Chose "Don't Rain on My Parade" in the Lea Michele “Glee” version as a nod to loyal listeners.
  • “I thought people wouldn't have... Before I even premiered my first episode, people knew it was me. But, like, I thought that if I gave them a little clue with the song, the song is so me.” — Claudia (02:20)

• The Packages & The Toasters

  • Show packages (pre-performance VT segments) tailored to Claudia’s New York/Blogging life, family, and podcast.
  • Claudia: “I was really overwhelmed.” (03:15)

• Motherhood & Withdrawing from the Competition

  • Claudia shares the emotional challenge of leaving her infant son, Ruby, and ultimately her decision to bow out for her family.

    "The fact that, like, he needed his mom on the night of my big night, like, it was just kind of a beautiful ending." — Claudia (03:47)

  • Talks candidly about postpartum anxiety, breastfeeding, moving her family to LA, and feeling overwhelmed.

    "Postpartum depression is afraid of me. Postpartum anxiety is afraid of me. And like, girl, no, I'm afraid of it." — Claudia (06:18)

• The Show’s Secrecy & Production Behind-the-Scenes

  • Extreme secrecy: multiple contracts, head-to-toe disguises, no jewelry, even gloves and socks required to step outside her trailer (05:00–05:58).
  • Claudia humorously describes being a stealthy “liar” to protect the secret, joking she’d be an “amazing trader.”
  • Nobody in her immediate circle, not even co-host Jackie, knew (04:37).

2. Queen Corgi: Onstage & Inside the Costume

Memorable Details:

• Life Inside the Costume

  • Claudia sets the record straight — yes, she was singing 100% live, in a full, massive custom-made mascot costume (10:12).

    "You are dead ass in that costume... I thought there was no way... No, you are singing live." — Claudia (10:12)

  • Recording and singing was “real to tape” with a voice-changer applied live.
  • Her experience juggling performance with postpartum needs (i.e., breastfeeding, pumping backstage).

• Costume Easter Eggs & Personal Touches

  • The Queen Corgi costume was a nod to her beloved dog Theo and her obsession with the royal family.

    "If they had made me a dog who's a King Charles cavalier, that would have been too obvious. So instead... they made me a Queen Corgi." — Claudia (20:11)

  • Costume details included personal pins, a purse, Toast references.

• Vocal Coaching & Glam

  • Praise for her glam team and vocal coach Tim, with whom she vibed (12:15 and 57:46).
  • Claudia teases her hair/makeup: “It was giving Tresemme. It was giving a hundred thousand dollars.” — Jackson (11:14)

• Song Choice Reflection

  • Opened with “Don’t Rain on My Parade,” later performed “Unstoppable,” which reflected her situation as a mom and businesswoman:

    "It's not lost on me that I'm singing Unstoppable the night that I decide to stop, you know, singing." — Claudia (14:24)

  • Claudia jokes about trying “Valerie,” wanting to sing her karaoke go-tos, and being open to new selections thanks to vocal arrangement help.

3. The Masked Singer Community and Judges

• Claudia describes how, even backstage, contestants remain anonymous and speculation is rampant about who is who (16:54).
• Shares judge reactions, especially Ken Jeong (“No one was more shook... He loves you”) and Rita Ora (“She was so nice. She would love the podcast. Your sister, red hair…”).
• Debunks guesses from judges and online sleuths — from Nikki Blonsky to Ashley Simpson to Bridget Mendler.
• Claudia and Jackson play “guess the remaining contestants,” with personal theories on Pug Caso (17:08, 34:12).

4. Participating As a Podcaster and for “The Lore”

• Claudia reflects on how instantly her community recognized her voice, making her “Masking” almost impossible:

  "I literally did it for the pod. Like, I'm a podcaster. People know my voice. Like, my voice is my trade." — Claudia (19:09)

• Appreciated this experience as a milestone for herself and the Toast community:

  "It will go down in history. Something I'll be telling my grandkids that I did. It's so un real." — Claudia (18:44)

• Noted the ripple of excitement among fans, with Toast listeners (“Toasters”) playing along with her hidden clues and packages.

5. Personal & Emotional Journey

• Honesty About Mental Health

  • Claudia vulnerably shares how doing the show exacerbated anxiety and postpartum struggles.
  • Thanks the Masked Singer team and network Fox for being supportive of moms and women.

    “Fox supports mamas and women. Yes. And everyone there was pregnant.” — Claudia (24:32)

• Family & Pod Support

  • Ben, her husband, took on the primary caregiver role while she was filming, allowing her to chase a dream.

6. Pop Culture “Fast 5” (40:00–End)

Key Stories Covered Briefly:

1. Queen Corgi’s Withdrawal From Masked Singer

   • Unprecedented, heartfelt, and done for family (29:17–30:11).

2. Kim Kardashian/Chloe in Wonderland Recap

   • Deep dive on Meghan Markle’s party photo drama and Kardashian PR moves, with shade and laughter (38:26–43:38).

3. Justin Bieber Performing at the Grammys

   • Some Grammy predictions, Girlies discourse, and musings about the music industry (46:10–48:53).

4. Barbara Corcoran’s Fake Funeral

   • Recap of Barbara Corcoran staging her “funeral” to hear her own eulogies (50:00–51:57).
   • “One thing about Barbara is like, she's insane.” — Claudia (50:00)

5. Margot Robbie & Jacob Elordi Press Tour

   • Skeptical, comedic critique of their “weird” press antics and fake-sexy marketing for their new film (53:27–55:54).

7. Notable Quotes & Moments

• "I was being such a liar. Like, insane." — Claudia, on keeping her participation secret (04:25)
• “You are dead ass in that costume... I was sweating... I'm breastfeeding and postpartum.” — Claudia (10:12)
• "No, you are singing live..." — Claudia (10:12)
• “It's not lost on me that I'm singing Unstoppable the night that I decide to stop, you know, singing.” — Claudia (14:24)
• "If they had made me a dog who's a King Charles cavalier, that would have been too obvious. So instead... they made me a Queen Corgi." — Claudia (20:11)
• "I literally did it for the pod. Like, I'm a podcaster. People know my voice." — Claudia (19:09)
• "Fox supports mamas and women." — Claudia (24:32)
• "I just want to say, like, Taylor Swift could never do what we've done here." — Claudia (22:28)

8. Musical Outro & Toast Tunes Tease

• Claudia closes with a snippet of “Unstoppable,” showcasing her newfound confidence as a “singer on television.” (57:09–57:45)
• The duo hint at a future “Toast Tunes” project for podcast fans.

  "2026, the year of Toast Tunes." — Claudia (58:20)

Tone & Energy:
Upbeat, personal, vulnerable yet always keeping it light and engaging; full of inside jokes, community shout-outs, and self-aware humor.

For Listeners Who Missed the Episode

This episode offers an in-depth, emotional, and humorous look behind Claudia’s Masked Singer journey as Queen Corgi. The hosts blend heartfelt stories about motherhood and ambition with playful takes on pop culture and a celebration of their podcast community. If you love reality TV, honest discussions of mental health, or just want to feel like you’re part of the “Toaster” family, this is a can’t-miss episode.