Singer didn’t get to show his best

A Rick James impersonator from Las Vegas is fuming over the way he was treated on ABC's "The Next Best Thing."

Greg Poindexter, who is a security guard at The Venetian, said the show, which aired Wednesday, was a "degrading" experience and not a fair portrayal.

Poindexter said that he was not allowed to sing any of James' biggest hits during the taping at the Palms earlier this year and that footage showing comedian Jeffrey Ross dissing him with "You're not Rick James, you bitch," was edited in after the taping.

Ross told Poindexter during the taping, "Why don't you come back as Tracy Chapman?"

More than a half-dozen Las Vegas impersonators advanced after last week's episodes, including Elvis tribute artists Trent Carlini and Johnny Thompson; Sharon Owens and Sebastian Anzaldo as Barbra Streisand and Frank Sinatra; Cookie Watkins as Tina Turner; Sandy Anderson as Dolly Parton; Stacey Whitton as Shania Twain; and Marcel Forestieri as Jay Leno.

MEDIA NOTES

For the second year in a row, George Knapp, veteran investigative reporter at KLAS-TV, Channel 8, won three Emmys in the Pacific Southwest region, which includes Las Vegas and the California cities of San Diego, Bakersfield, Palm Springs, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. The annual awards show was June 16 at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. ...

Heather Kydd and James Abrahamsson are co-winners of KXNT-AM, 840's "Radio Star" contest, which was announced last week. Kydd, 22, is a campaign assistant and Abrahamsson is a local teacher. Abrahamsson, however, withdrew from the contest before the decision was made and before it was announced on the air because his 4-year-old daughter requires treatment for brain cancer. "Since he had already won along with Heather, we told him he is part of our team, whether he is on the air or not, and that we will help him and Candlelighters (a children's cancer charity) in any way we could," said Jack Landreth, program director for KXNT and KSFN-AM, 1140.

THE SCENE AND HEARD

NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon is in town for his annual inner city youth fundraiser. The Sports Dream Bowl will be today at Red Rock Lanes at Red Rock Resort, with a 3 p.m. red carpet. The bowling event itself is closed to the public. Among the invitees: Pamela Anderson, New Orleans Saints star Reggie Bush, Robert Horry of the NBA champion San Antonio Spurs, Priest Holmes and Tony Gonzalez of the Kansas City Chiefs, NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, and Antonio Gates of the San Diego Chargers. ...

Academy Award-nominated actress Jennifer Tilly, who won the Ladies World Poker Championship two years ago, finished in the money in the World Heads-Up Poker Championship at the Rio. She finished in a tie for 33rd out of 392 entries. Norm McDonald of "Saturday Night Live" fame was in 20th place in the No-Limit Hold'em Championship, out of 827 entries. ...

Sahara headliner Amazing Johnathan and his cast are back from St-Tropez, France, where they performed at the 60th birthday party of Ron Dennis, chairman, CEO and part owner of the McLaren Group. Dennis has been the face of McLaren Formula One's racing team for years.

SIGHTINGS

British soccer star/bad boy Wayne Rooney of Manchester United, dining at Tao Asian Bistro (Venetian) on Thursday. At other tables: Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz and NBA veteran Jalen Rose. ... 1980s singing sensation Deborah Gibson, backstage after "Just Another Man" at UNLV's Judy Bayley Theatre on Thursday. ... At Tryst (Wynn) on Thursday: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, Moon and illusionist Criss Angel. ... Steve Wynn, on crutches at Corsa Cucina (Wynn) on Thursday from followup knee surgery from an old skiing accident.

THE PUNCH LINE

"Psychiatrists concluded that the reason Britney Spears shaved her head was because she was having a hormonal moment. I can't count the number of women I know who, when having a hormonal moment, want to look like Elmer Fudd." -- David Brenner

Norm Clarke can be reached at 383-0244 or norm@reviewjournal.com. Find additional sightings and more online at www.normclarke.com.