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Exclusive: Paula Abdul is among an ensemble cast for a feature-length podcast from Steven Jay Rubin (Bleacher Bums), Billy Riback (Home Improvement) and stand-up comic Bruce Smirnoff.

The American Idol star is starring in Spacemen From Planet Judy alongside Phil Hendrie (Rick and Morty), Hal Rudnick (Reno 911), John Mariano (The Offer) and Eric Waddell (Funny You Should Ask).

It begins when all of Earth’s gay males, and two straight men dressed in drag because there was a mix-up in their Halloween costumes, are abducted to the distant planet Judy (named after Judy Garland), the gay haven world of the universe, where they will live in freedom without oppression.

Inadvertently kidnapped, bumbling information technology specialists Mitch (Hendrie) and Lenny (Rudnick) find themselves on an exotic world of constant partying, mingling and cuddling, all run by the Golden Ram Man (Mariano), a mad tyrant who abhors insubordination and seeded grapes.

Jerry O’Connell deserved better. Frankly, anyone does than this, though O’Connell in particular is a solid actor who has thrived in raunchy comedies before. However, this marks a career low-point, if not for him (he at least still tries) than his agent for passing this script on to him. Ballbuster is one of the worst movies that I’ve seen in years, deeply unfunny, indifferently made, and downright embarrassing for its cast and crew. That anyone gave money for this to be made boggles the mind. It’s being released today, though a more apt description is that it’s escaping. Avoid it at all costs. The flick is, supposedly, a comedy, though all evidence to the contrary. After an opening sequence showcasing how tough his father was on him, we meet star basketball player Rich Johnson (O’Connell) in his waning years. Trying to win his new team their first championship,...

Howard Lapides, the veteran manager and producer whose clients have included the likes of Dr. Drew Pinsky, Tom Green and Adam Carolla, has died at the age of 68.

Lapides died at his home on Thursday following a battle with colon cancer, a publicist confirmed to TheWrap.

As CEO of Lapides Entertainment, Lapides also represented Jimmy Kimmel, Tom Chapin, Kennedy, Mark DeCarlo and Christopher Darden, among others. He also served as executive producer on Pinsky’s “Celebrity Rehab” and “Sober House With Dr. Drew” on VH1.

Also Read: Hollywood's Notable Deaths of 2019 (Photos)

“Howard was more than a manager. He was family and I will miss him immensely,” Pinsky said in a statement. “He was the architect of everything I’ve ever done. He was my confidant, champion and protector for the last 25 plus years and I am devastated by this loss.”

Lapides’ other producing credits include Comedy Central’s “The Man Show,...

Howard Lapides, a producer and talent manager who repped and worked with such clients as Dr. Drew Pinsky, Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla and Carson Daly, died Thursday at his home in Encino after a battle with colon cancer, a publicist announced. He was 68. 

As CEO of Lapides Entertainment, he also represented Tom Green, Tom Chapin, Pat Bullard, John Wing, Mark DeCarlo, Marianne Curan, attorney Christopher Darden and TV personality Mark Walberg, among others.

Lapides served as the executive producer of VH1's Celebrity Rehab franchise, which included Celebrity Rehab and Sober House With Dr. Drew, and was managing partner ...

Howard Lapides, a producer and talent manager who repped and worked with such clients as Dr. Drew Pinsky, Jimmy Kimmel, Adam Carolla and Carson Daly, died Thursday at his home in Encino after a battle with colon cancer, a publicist announced. He was 68. 

As CEO of Lapides Entertainment, he also represented Tom Green, Tom Chapin, Pat Bullard, John Wing, Mark DeCarlo, Marianne Curan, attorney Christopher Darden and TV personality Mark Walberg, among others.

Lapides served as the executive producer of VH1's Celebrity Rehab franchise, which included Celebrity Rehab and Sober House With Dr. Drew, and was managing partner ...

If you don’t know Alec Berg by name, you know his work: “Silicon Valley,” “Seinfeld,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” And actually, if you know “Seinfeld” well, you do know his name. Berg went from writer to character to punchline on May 11, 1995’s “The Face Painter” episode. An actor named Mark DeCarlo played the ficticious “Alec Berg,” who had primo New York Rangers playoff tickets — something that Jerry (Seinfeld) and overzealous New Jersey Devils fan David Puddy (Patrick Warburton) took full advantage of. “I can always tell when the episode has re-aired, because I’ll get it from somebody,” the real Alec Berg told.

CinemaNerdz is proud to offer our readers a chance to win one of three Blu-ray/DVD/Digital Combo copies of Sabotage starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and co-starring Co-starring Sam Worthington, Olivia Williams, Terrence Howard, Joe Manganiello, Josh Holloway, and Mireille Enos.

For your chance to win one of the three discs just look for the “giveaway” box further down on this page.

There you’ll be directed to a variety of methods by which you can enter the contest. You’ll be asked to provide a valid email address, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter, and Tweet the contest. That’s it! That’s all you have to do to enter. We’ll contact you to let you know if you’ve won one of the prizes. But hurry, because the contest ends at 12:00Am on Monday, August 4th!

About The Film

Sabotage: Arnold Schwarzenegger stars...

Chicago – It was a night to celebrate film, filmmakers, movie stars and the Chicago “school” of film criticism. The annual Chicago Film Critics Awards took place on February 9th in front of a packed house at the Muvico Theater in Rosemont, Ill. Mark DeCarlo of “Windy City Live” was the host, and celebrity appearances included Jane Lynch, Paul Sorvino, Joe Piscopo, Nadine Velaquez and Regina Taylor.

Also in the house were the members of the Chicago Film Critics Association (Cfca), including Adam Fendelman, Brian Tallerico, Patrick McDonald and Matt Fagerholm of HollywoodChicago.com. The awards show highlighted the best of the 2012 film year as determined by the Cfca in earlier balloting, and saluted the stars and filmmakers who contribute to the industry. Chicago’s own Jane Lynch received the “Comedia Extraordinaire” award, Actor Paul Sorvino took home the “Commitment to the Craft” honor, Producers Robert Teitel and George Tillman Jr....

My name is Jon Hotchkiss and well, I make TV for a living. I began my career as a writer on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. The one question people I meet always ask me about Bill is: “Did you two get high together?” I’m kidding (and we did not). Actually, the thing people want to know is: “What’s Bill really like?” And I always give the same answer: “It’s impossible for me to say anything bad about a guy who gave me my start in show-biz. I wanted to be a guy who writes jokes for TV. And Bill let me. And got me high. (I’m kidding. Or am I?)

Bill also performed lots of jokes I wrote, including this one in front of President Clinton at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner: “Barbara Streisand is here. And she just got an honorary doctorate from Brandeis University.

Chicago – The 2011 Best of the Midwest Awards were presented on Tuesday, December 6th at the Rockit Bar and Grill in downtown Chicago, an annual ceremony that celebrates Chicago’s Midwest Independent Film Festival. HollywoodChicago.com’s Patrick McDonald and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky, the co-host of “Ebert Presents: At the Movies,” were among the presenters.

Festival Director Mike McNamara was the Master of Ceremonies, giving out eight awards for the best of the 2011 season. The Midwest Independent Film Festival convenes Every first Tuesday of the month throughout the year, and showcases films directly associated with the Midwest area. This year was one of the strongest ever, as reflected in the level of winners and Midwest films that were showcased.

Best of the Midwest Winners: Best Actor Dennis Farina and Best Actress Meredith Droeger of ‘The Last Rites of Joe May’

Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com

Local Chicago legend Dennis Farina...