Could this be the next Billy Mays?

A worthy, energetic heir to the late Billy Mays may have come to the fore with restaurant concepts creator Steve Schussler's first big commercial.

Schussler, the man behind Rainforest Cafe, T-Rex and many other dining experiences, makes his debut in a nationwide commercial for Clemmy's "all-natural, sugar-free" ice cream. California entrepreneur Jon Gordon created the ice cream because he "resolved to keep a pre-diabetes diagnosis from restricting his enjoyment of ice cream," according to Clemmy's Facebook page, which explains that the product was named for Gordon's cat, Clemmy.

After considering professional actors to play the role of the Clemmy's chairman of the board, Gordon decided he wanted his old friend Schussler to do the spot. Getting Gordon on the phone Saturday when I was meeting with Schussler and his PR woman Jean Golden for a noisy lunch at Origami, Jon said: "Steve's a natural-born actor. He's going to need a commercial agent after this."

Commercial makers would appreciate never having to tell Schussler to project more energy. If you are unfamiliar with his crazy, perpetual motion, see startribune.com/video, where I asked him to recite some of his ice cream script.

The commercial was shot in LA last week by world-class cinematographer Jack Green, of "Unforgiven," "Bridges of Madison County," "Twister" and "40-Year-Old Virgin" fame. It made Schussler's day to take orders from a cinematographer who has told Clint Eastwood what to do.

What's not making Schussler or Gordon very happy are roadblocks they claim SuperValu, the Eden Prairie grocery retailer, has put in the way of Clemmy's being in its Twin Cities stores. "For legal reasons, I don't want to get too involved [in discussing details]," said Gordon, who added: " I am also a stockholder, and as a stockholder I sent a letter to Craig Herkert, CEO and president, on Feb. 1. And to this day, I have not gotten a reply."

SuperValu's media-handler Haley Meyer told me, "We did carry this ice cream in a few of our [Albertsons] stores on the West Coast, but it just did not meet our sales goals."

All I can say is, despite my best intentions Monday, nary a drop of the samples of Vanilla Bean and Toasted Almond did I share with colleagues. Can't believe there's not sugar in Clemmy's!

No cheatin': Sister's watching The U of M, unfortunately, had Jan Gangelhoff, while Xavier, the Gophers' first-round NCAA opponent on Friday, had a better idea:

Academic adviser Sister Rose Ann Fleming, who is featured on Page A1 today.

She's the type who doesn't mind interrupting practice for academic matters.

I'll be grading student-athlete interviews to see if maybe the U could use a nun for its academic coach.

Losing makes one chilly Alicia Keys wasn't feelin' Grammy-winning trumpeter Irvin Mayfield backstage at the awards show.

He understands. "The thing about the Grammys, 80 percent of them have lost," he said. "Everybody's there because they're nominated."

Mayfield, the artistic director of jazz for Orchestra Hall who was in the metro over the weekend, was one of the happy nominees at the 2010 Grammys because the trumpeter's New Orleans Jazz Orchestra won for best large jazz ensemble. "There were a few salty folks," Mayfield said when he was asked how Keys was. "I think she wasn't having too good of a time."

They'd met before, but this time she was chilly, as if her life wouldn't be improved by the warmth of a handsome, single trumpeter who's quite the character.

Mayfield had thoughts on Pink's highly hydrated Grammy performance. "Nobody knew she was doing that. Luckily we weren't sitting in that section," he said. He was sitting with "Ron Markham, CEO of the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. He said, I can imagine those people down there are really mad right now. A whole bunch of Pink body water dripping on your dress."

Mayfield even had a "little gossip about Wynton Marsalis" for the next time we catch him at Orchestra Hall or hanging at the Dakota. "Tell him to stop running from me," Mayfield said. "He's a great trumpet player, but his chess game leaves much to be desired. He refuses to meet me anywhere there's a chess board around."

Catch more of Mayfield's confidence at 7:30 a.m. Sunday on Channel 45's "Crossroads" with Sheletta, for whom he played his horn, or at startribune.com/video. He's a slice of adorable.

C.J. is at 612.332.TIPS or cj@startribune.com. She can be seen on Fox 9 Thursday mornings.