Second Five Fantastic Finalists

Second Five Fantastic Finalists for “The Next Best Thing” by Roxanne McDonald

The second round of “The Next Best Thing” semi-finals ushers five more super talents on to the big stage–making for the Terrific Ten finalists we will get to vote for starting next week.

Gary Moore starts the night right with his smacking of verisimilitude rendition of Little Richard, whom Moore calls “the architect of rock and roll,” doing “Good Golly Miss Molly.”

Lisa Ann says that is exactly how she felt watching him…”Whooooo!”

Jeffrey tells Moore he is the first to really rock the house, and calls him “Big Richard” for that night.

Roger Cabler does an adorable Robin Williams—with stunningly accurate physicality, facial expressions, and Williams sounds [spanning over Williams whole career], and his jokes are original and cute.

Jeffrey jokes that he is so hairy, and asks if he was in Gorillas in the Mist. Roger quips “Yeah, me and Diane Fosse, Fosse, Fosse…remember that one?”

Elon says that as much as he is against wearing fur, Roger nailed the impersonation, used the whole stage, just exactly what Robin would do, he says, and concludes by adding that he is awesome.

Sharon Owens does a remarkable Barbra Streisand, with just enough exaggeration of tics unique to Barbra to make her rendition of “The Way We Were” a ringer.

Jeffery jokes that she really put her nose into it, and says that was aesome.
Lisa Ann tells her to “go girl…,” but to come right back and sing again. Lisa Ann also tells her she loves her.

The infamous Trent Carloni is Elvis in the Vegas years. It is fantastic how much he looks, sounds, moves, and sings like Elvis, but those contacts give his eyes a kind of creepy extra-terrestrial Elvis….

Lisa Ann says how unbelievable [in a good way] he is, and tells us to just look at the ladies’ faces.
Elon tells him that Elvis may just leave the building a winner.

Jim Nieb does George W. Bush. Nieb is the Bush impersonator who gets into full Bush make-up and mask, and who has trained his voice to sound like the president. He also is the one who does less joking and more impersonating of the presidents misnomers and faux pas, rather making us typically laugh at him than with him: “Id like to start by beginning;” “More and more of our imports are coming from overseas;” and “Don’t touch me [to host Michelle Merkin], I’m not Clinton.”

Elon says, “Don’t, as you would say, misunderestimate me: that was almost amazing. We were cracking up. The voice was not 100% there, but otherwise…, great.”

Jeffrey says how “Somebody mentioned Iraq and you pointed to Dolly Parton…. I predict you, sir, will stay the course.”

Julie Ellis does Gloria Estefan, performing “Turn the Beat Around.” She is quite like Estefan in looks, but is a bit more halting and slower moving than Estefan.

Lisa Ann tells her she really sells…the music and is fun to watch.
Jeffrey says, simply, “Fantastico, mi amor.”

Sandy Anderson performs as Dolly Parton singing “Here You Come Again,” her looks quite similar but her voice a bit witchy…, not as cutesy as Dolly’s.

Jeffrey says he was talking to Bono and Bono asked him to ask her if she would help him feed the world.

Lisa Ann tells Sandy she thinks she is talented, delightful, and beautiful…, all the things that are right with America.
Elon tells Dolly that was “double-d-lightful.”

Paul Ratz comes on stage as Howard Stern, who congratulates the producers for their creativity—in shamelessly ripping off American Idol, then offers his idea for the perfect game show. The audience reception is tepid.

Elon tells him he is the next best king of all media, and adds that that is pretty frightening.
Jeffrey thinks the Cher impersonator wants her wig back.

Sebastian Alzado is Frank Sinatra doing “New York, New York.” His act is complete with injected lounge humor, great head movements, arm gestures, intonation, and that signature Sinatra sibilant snap.

He gets a standing O from the judges.

Lisa Ann says that Old Blue Eyes is young at heart and he did it his way on “The Next Best Thing.”
Jeffrey says we should start spreading the news, as that was “great, my friend,” he says to Sebastian.

Anne Kissel performs as Roseanne, the Domestic Diva, she calls herself. She is pretty uncanny: even has that mouth action, as if chewing or tasting or having just finished chewing or tasting something…that affect Roseanne used to have early on.

Lisa Ann calls her loud and pushy, plump and cute, and tells her she is not just America’s mom, she’s her [Lisa Ann’s] mom.
Elon tells her if she had grabbed her crotch and spit, it would have been perfect.

Denny Murphy does Kenny Chesny singing “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy.” He is awkward and off-key, and I feel sorry for him, as he seems to be such a decent feller.

Lisa Ann first asks if he will take his shirt off: he does a teasing beginning of a strip, revealing an amazingly hot six-pack; Jeffrey says that is he had known they could ask for that, he would have asked Dolly Parton to strip; and Lisa Ann tells Denny to quit being a tease. Denny offers a cute suggestion, telling Lisa Ann that he is from the south, so, ladies first.

Elon says that he, too, is from the south, the South Bronx, and Denny “made this boy go Country.”
Jeffrey says he doesn’t know, but that now we know who killed Kenny. He adds that Denny is cute and all, but that the impersonation just didn’t work for him [Jeffrey].

Curtis Bettenheim and Joe Hansen close the performance segment of the show with their brilliant Kamden and Norton in “The Honeymooners” set. Their accents are perfect, their intonations and actions are spot-on in a fun, comical skit.

Lisa Ann calls them delightful, delightful, verything delightful…, and says they have perfect chemistry.
Elon loves the energy, but was more impressed with the first audition—though he says this was a great job.

The next five/final five finalists are named, as follows:

1. Little Richard
2. Elvis
3. Frank Sinatra
4. Robin Williams
5. Barbra Streisand

SirLinksAlot The Next Best Thing links

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