Big Night For 'Star' Seekers

(CBS)  The hunt for talent heats up as the final contestants take center stage Thursday night on "Star Search."

The Early Show national correspondent Hattie Kauffman has a peek at the singers, models and comedians vying for $100,000 prizes.

Behind the door on Stage 4 in Hollywood, the finalists are rehearsing, knowing that home viewers can change the outcome. Fifty percent of the vote belongs to audience members who log on to the Internet during the live broadcast.

"Star Search" host Arsenio Hall explains, "During a commercial, live, you can change the course of this whole talent contest. You can even vote me off. I mean Dennis Miller could be the host after the Proctor & Gamble commercial if you vote me off," he says laughing.

Detroit comedian Loni Love left them laughing when she brought her tell-it-like-it-is" style to "Star Search."

Love sees the Thursday's competition as her Super Bowl. "Either I'm going to be a Raider or a Buckeneer," she jokes. "Well, I'm planning on a Buckeneer. I'm coming ready! I'm coming ready! I want the ring, baby! I'm coming ready."

Love goes head to head with Chicago comedian John Roy with $100,000 and a CBS development deal up for grabs.

Roy explains the challenge: "Nobody's doing two-minute sets. Most comedians get to stretch out, do at least 15, sometimes an hour. You don't get that opportunity in 'Star Search.' This is Special Forces comedy. Two minutes, get the jokes in, get them out; make them laugh."

The two small-town girls with big dreams who will be strutting their stuff Thursday night are aspiring models Porschla Coleman and Candace Campfield.

From Gulfport, Miss., Coleman says, "To win that much money and win a modeling contract is like a huge accomplishment." For Campfield, the money is "definitely a huge perk;" she says she needs a new car.

Ten-year-old Tiffany Evans, a junior singer finalist, says she is very excited: "I could just yell right now!" She admits to butterflies.

"Before I go on," she says, "I get a little nervous anticipation, but I just pray to God, 'Oh please, God, let this be my day.'"

Tiffany's competition is 13-year-old Lisa Tucker who says of the contest, "It's a lot of fun. I like it. I like it a lot, when I see everybody's face. It just feels so comfortable up on stage."

Piano man Spencer Day says he does not know if he has what the judges are looking for. "They seem to really like a really big voice. You know, power singers. I'm kind of more of a croony guy," he says.

The crooner will be competing with Jake Simpson, who sings old-school R&B.

Simpson is nervous, as well. "I have all this nervous energy just like going crazy all the time, I can't sleep at night," he says laughing.

The finals of "Star Search" air Thursday at 8 p.m./ET on CBS. On Friday morning, the winners will be interviewed on The Early Show.