Fourteen Semi-Finalists Compete Next Week on The Next Best Thing  6/22/07

"THE NEXT BEST THING: WHO IS THE GREATEST CELEBRITY IMPERSONATOR?" HOLDS SPECTACULAR SEMI-FINALS AT THE FAMED ORPHEUM THEATRE, AIRING WEDNESDAY, JUNE 27 ON THE ABC TELEVISION NETWORK 

"Paris Hilton," "Al Pacino," "Bono," "Robin Williams," "Celine Dion," "Robin Williams," "George W. Bush," "Tina Turner," "Elvis," "Tim McGraw," "Madonna," "Simon Cowell," "Shania Twain" and "Lucille Ball" Vie to Become "The Next Best Thing" "Episode 105" -- "The Next Best Thing: Who is the Greatest Celebrity Impersonator?" has narrowed the hundreds of impersonator hopefuls down to 28 semi-finalists. 

In this episode, the first fourteen semi-finalists 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, JUNE 27 (8:00-9:00 p.m., ET), on the ABC Television Network. Michele Merkin ("Foody Call," "Extreme Dodgeball") is the host.

The semi-finalists for this episode are: Natalie Reid as Paris Hilton, Craig Gass as Al Pacino, Pavel Sfera as Bono, Brigitte Valdez as Celine Dion, John Morgan as George W. Bush, Donny Edwards as Elvis, Buck McCoy as Tim McGraw, Marcel Forestieri as Jay Leno, Chris America as Madonna, Suzanne La Rusch as Lucille Ball, Mike Wilson as Simon Cowell, Stacey Whitton Summers as Shania Twain, David Born as Robin Williams and Cookie Watkins as Tina Turner.

The judges will pick five of the contestants from each semi-final to move on to the finals, where America will then 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.

Source: ABC Press Release