The Next Best Thing (TV series)

infobox television
show_name = The Next Best Thing: Who Is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?


format = Variety
runtime = 60 minutes
creator = Peter Engel Productions
starring = Host:
Michele Merkin
Judges:
Jeffrey Ross
Elon Gold
Lisa Ann Walter
country = USA
network = ABC
picture_format = 480i (SDTV)
first_aired = May 30, 2007
last_aired =
num_episodes = 8
website = http://abc.go.com/specials/nextbestthing.html
imdb_id = 0991264
tv_com_id = 70606

"The Next Best Thing: Who Is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?" was an American reality TV series competition of celebrity impersonators with a grand prize of $100,000. It was hosted by Michele Merkin. The judges were Jeffrey Ross, Elon Gold and Lisa Ann Walter; ultimately, the winner was chosen by viewer voting. The eight-episode series debuted May 30, 2007 on the ABC television network.

Episodes

The premiere featured contestants impersonating Little Richard, Howard Stern, Jack Nicholson, George W. Bush, Bono, Angelina Jolie, Celine Dion, Al Pacino, Lucille Ball, Simon Cowell, Jackie Gleason, Art Carney, Superman, Jennifer Aniston, Janet Jackson, Bill Cosby, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Marilyn Monroe, Angelina Jolie, Neil Diamond, Tony Soprano, David Letterman, Johnny Depp (as well as Captain Jack Sparrow), Jerry Lewis, Sean Connery, Gwen Stefani, Phil McGraw, Michael Jackson, Arthur Fonzarelli, Dolly Parton, Robin Williams, Marilyn Manson, Sonny Bono, Cher, Ozzy Osbourne, Avril Lavigne, and Kenny Chesney.

emi-Finals

The judges narrowed down the contestants to 30 semi-finalists (28 of them were featured in fully-shown performances over two episodes). The semi-finalists were:

* Chris Americ as Madonna
* Sandy Anderson as Dolly Parton
* Chris Morgan Ranch as Frank Sinatra
* David Born as Robin Williams
* Trent Carlini as Elvis Presley
* Donny Edwards as Elvis Presley
* Marcel Forestieri as Jay Leno
* Johnson Horlich as Al Pacino
* Roger Kabler as Robin Williams
* Anne Kissel as Roseanne Barr
* Suzanne LaRusch as Lucille Ball
* Buck McCoy as Tim McGraw
* Smith Robinson Lopez as Little Richard
* John Morgan as George W. Bush
* Sharon Owens as Barbra Streisand
* Rita Flores Pacino as Paris Hilton
* Pavel Sfera as Bono
* Stacey Whitton Summers as Shania Twain
* Brigitte Valdez as Celine Dion
* Cookie Watkins as Tina Turner
* Mike Wilson as Simon Cowell

Finalists

Of the 30 Semi-Finalists, the judges chose the following 10 to be Finalists:

* Chris Morgan Ranch as Frank Sinatra
* Trent Carlini as Elvis Presley
* Donny Edwards as Elvis Presley
* Roger Kabler as Robin Williams
* Suzanne LaRusch as Lucille Ball
* Smith Robinson Lopez as Little Richard
* John Morgan as George W. Bush
* Sharon Owens as Barbra Streisand
* Rita Flores Pacino as Paris Hilton
* Cookie Watkins as Tina Turner

Order Of Finish

America voted on the 10 Finalists and ranked them in the following order:

1st Place: Trent Carlini as "Heartbreak" Elvis Presley
2nd Place: Sebastian Anzaldo as Frank Sinatra
3rd Place: Donny Edwards as "Blue Suede" Elvis Presley
4th Place: John Morgan as George W. Bush
5th Place: Suzanne LaRusch as Lucille Ball
As the winner, Trent Carlini received $100,000.

Trivia

* The ten finalists of season 1 included two Elvis Presley impersonators; to reduce confusion, they were named "Blue Suede Elvis" (Donny Edwards) and "Heartbreak Elvis" (Trent Carlini), after the songs "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Heartbreak Hotel."

* Little Richard appeared as a "surprise celebrity guest" in the last episode of season 1 (#108).

References

* [http://abc.go.com/specials/nextbestthing.html Official Homepage]

External links

*imdb title|id=0991264|title=The Next Best Thing: Who Is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?
*Tv.com show|id=70606|title=The Next Best Thing: Who Is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?