Top Ten Celebrity Impersonator Finalists Named for "The Next Best Thing"  7/14/07

"THE NEXT BEST THING: WHO IS THE GREATEST CELEBRITY IMPERSONATOR?" FINALS ARE HELD AT THE FAMED ORPHEUM THEATRE, WEDNESDAY, JULY 18 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK 

"Tina Turner," "George W. Bush," "Elvis," "Lucille Ball," "Paris Hilton," "Little Richard," "Barbra Steisand," "Robin Williams" and "Frank Sinatra" "Episode 107 -- "The Next Best Thing: Who is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?" has narrowed hundreds of impersonator hopefuls down to 10 finalists. In this episode, celebrity impersonators will strut their stuff in front of a live studio audience and the panel of razor sharp comedian judges -- Jeffrey Ross ("Comedy Central Roasts," "The Aristocrats"), Lisa Ann Walter ("The Parent Trap," "Shall We Dance?") and Elon Gold ("Stacked," "Cheaper By the Dozen") -- at the Orpheum Theatre, WEDNESDAY, JULY 18 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. Michele Merkin ("Foody Call," "Extreme Dodgeball") is the host.

The finalists are: Cookie Watkins as Tina Turner, John Morgan as George W. Bush, Donny Edwards as Blue Suede Elvis, Suzanne La Rusch as Lucille Ball, Natalie Reid as Paris Hilton, Garry Moore as Little Richard, Sharon Owens as Barbra Steisand, Trent Carlini as Heartbreak Elvis, Roger Kabler as Robin Williams and Sebastian Anzaldo as Frank Sinatra.

America will vote for the final winning impersonator through a viewer voting system. The winner will be crowned "The Next Best Thing" and also receive a grand prize of $100,000.

"The Next Best Thing" is produced by Peter Engel Productions Inc. and New Wave Entertainment. Peter Engel and Barry Katz serve as executive producers. Also executive producing is the team of Fax Bahr and Adam Small ("The Jamie Kennedy Experience," "Mad TV"). Peter Engel has produced over one thousand episodes of weekly entertainment, including the teen mega-hit "Saved By the Bell."

New Wave Entertainment is a premier content development and production enterprise and one of the entertainment industry's largest entertainment marketing and creative services agencies. Burbank-based New Wave is owned by principals Paul Apel and Alan Baral.

"The Next Best Thing: Who is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?" is broadcast with Spanish subtitles via secondary closed captioning. This program carries a TV-PG,D,L parental guideline.

Source: ABC Press Release