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Kristen Wiig Weds Freaks and Geeks Scribes

BuzzSugar — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:35:48 -0800

Hooray - Kristen Wiig is officially a Hollywood leading lady! The SNL fixture has already proven herself worthy with secondary roles in Adventureland, Whip It, and, lest we forget, her hilarious turn in Knocked Up as a jealous E! employee. Now, quite deservedly, she's getting her very own vehicle.

Wiig co-wrote and will star in the comedy, tentatively titled Bridesmaids, which centers around two friends competing to plan a friend's wedding party (sounds a bit like a sequel to Bride Wars). The best part of all: the Freaks and Geeks team of Judd Apatow and Paul Feig are reteaming for the project; Feig will direct, while Apatow is set to produce.

As a Freaks and Geeks nerd, I couldn't be happier about this reunion - and with Wiig starring, the film has serious potential to be hilarious. Thanks to her burgeoning film career, I wouldn't be surprised to see her saying sayonara to SNL. Do you think she has the chops to handle a leading role?

Aziz Ansari Gets Three Thumbs Up From Judd Apatow

BuzzSugar — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:30:03 -0800

Am I asleep? Because this sounds like a match made in heaven - Judd Apatow (along with Universal Pictures) has just picked up not one, not two, but three comedies starring Aziz Ansari. The yet-to-be-written ideas were pitched by the Parks and Recreation star as well as Jason Woliner, who is on board to direct. So what kind of hijinks are in store? Here's the rundown:

Project No.1: For now, it's called Let's Do This, and it's about two guys who work for a motivational speaking company and a road trip. Sounds familiar, but still has potential to be very funny.
Project No. 2: In this one, Ansari will play an astronaut (already hilarious) who has to clear his reputation by heading back to outer space.
Project No. 3: The three projects are unrelated, but the third one is actually a spinoff of Apatow's Funny People, focusing on Ansari's character Randy.

When asked about the pitches, Ansari quipped, "We didn’t expect all three to work. We had a breakfast meeting with Judd and pitched them. We were like, 'Which one do you like?’ He wanted all three.' We are hesitant to say too much about our ideas. A few years ago, we announced our new idea about a film where the world ended in the year 2014. We have since had to stop developing this movie."

Are you looking forward to seeing Ansari join Apatow's band of merry comics? Which project sounds most promising to you?

David's the Only Beckham Boy to Check Out the Lakers

PopSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 12:30:47 -0800

David Beckham kept himself occupied last night while watching the Lakers take on the Houston Rockets in LA. His usual basketball companions Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz didn't go along for the game, though they did have some fun family time earlier in the weekend watching David play with his own team. Victoria is off for another trip to Europe, leaving her four boys back home in California. She's rumored to be working on a new modeling agency with her manager Simon Fuller, and Blake Lively just may be their first hire.

To see more photos of celebrities at the Lakers game, including Simon Baker and Leslie Mann, just read more.

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Images include: Jack Nicholson, David Beckham, George Lopez, Slash, Simon Baker, Leslie Mann, Judd Apatow, Josh Groban

John, Jason and Judd Are STARS and Studs in the Night

PopSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:00:53 -0700

John Mayer proved to be the main attraction at last night's STARS benefit gala in LA. He cracked a few jokes from the podium, before whipping out his guitar to perform some of his new music that you guys are loving. He was rolling solo for the evening, despite the recent rumors about his romancing Rashida Jones that her publicist denied and of course the ongoing Jennifer Aniston reports. Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann were the evening's honorees, and funny guys like Jason Segel and Seth Rogen came out to toast the duo. There doesn't seem to be much news about Jason's apparent romance with Chloe Sevigny, but his How I Met Your Mother costar Josh Radnor is about to see some on-screen developments with special guest star Rachel Bilson.

More photos of the STARS 2009 gala so read more.

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What's Your Favorite Judd Apatow-Directed Movie?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 16:30:26 -0700

When I saw Funny People last week, I was quick to call it my least favorite of the three movies Judd Apatow has directed. I just didn't have quite the same feeling as I did after seeing 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up when I wanted to watch them again and again. Out of the three, I have a particularly special place in my heart for 40-Year-Old Virgin, but tell me - what's your favorite Judd Apatow movie?

PopSugar Rush Reviews Funny People, TwiCon in Full Effect, and Barhop to Starbucks?

PopSugar — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 09:45:00 -0700

Happy Friday! Welcome to the weekend edition of PopSugar Rush! Today Molly gives her 10-second review of Funny People - read Buzz's more in-depth one here. Also, get a peek at what's going down at Twi-Con this weekend and some fun news about same-sex penguins and Starbucks getting boozy. Plus, check out our first edition of Guess-Who Rush, the new video version of our popular Guess-Who feature on Pop. Watch it now!

PopSugar Rush Reviews Funny People, TwiCon in Full Effect, and Bar Hop to Starbucks?

PopSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:30:00 -0700

Happy Friday! Welcome to the weekend edition of PopSugar Rush! Today Molly gives her 10-second review of Funny People - read Buzz's more in-depth one here. Also, get a peek at what's going down at TwiCon this weekend and some fun news about same-sex penguins and Starbucks getting boozy. Plus, check out our first edition of Guess Who Rush, the new video version of our popular Guess Who feature on Pop. Watch it now!

PopSugar Rush Reviews Funny People, TwiCon in Full Effect, and Barhop to Starbucks??

PopSugarTV — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:25:00 -0700

Hear our thoughts on Funny People before heading to the movie theater this weekend, find out what Twihards are doing at their big convention, and what Starbucks has planned for its drink menu.

Funny People: Apatow Almost Gets It Right

PopSugar — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:30:01 -0700

Before we get right into my thoughts on Funny People, let me preface by saying that I loved Judd Apatow’s first two films, The 40-Year Old Virgin and Knocked Up. I would count both among the best comedies to hit Hollywood in the past few years, and I had full faith that he would hit another home run with his third directorial stint. I understand that he was ready to try something new and a get a little more serious, but looking back at his first two achievements I have to wonder: when the formula works so well, why mess with it?

Adam Sandler stars as George Simmons, a middle-aged comedian who's found fame and fortune thanks to a movie career filled with silly, Eddie Murphy-esque characters. His house is a palace, but George's selfish behavior has pushed away all of his friends and family. This leaves most of his social interactions with his personal staff, female conquests, and his fans. When George learns that he’s dying from a blood disorder, he decides to go back to his roots in standup comedy while taking on aspiring comedian Ira Wright (Seth Rogen) as his assistant. As George assesses what could be the end of a lonely life, Ira slowly becomes his closest friend and sidekick.

That's just the beginning, so to see what I thought of the film, just read more.

While George isn’t exactly the most likable character around, Adam Sandler does a great job of capturing his moody (and often downright mean) personality. The role is perfect for Sandler as it gives him a chance to shine as the effortlessly funny comedian we all know and love, but at the same time deliver a strong performance as an ailing man who is trying to change his life in the 11th hour.

Seth Rogen is equally impressive and perfect as innocent, puppy dog Ira. Rogen's no stranger to playing the everyman kinda guy, but this is the first time I feel like he's playing a role with no hint of sarcasm or arrogance. Ira could easily be mistaken for another lovable loser, but Seth shows that he’s so much more than that. There’s also something endearing about seeing Ira’s wide-eyed enthusiasm juxtaposed with George’s apathetic nature as they face the world of standup comedy as a team.

Beyond Sandler and Rogen, the film’s supporting cast provides a lot of life (and many of the laughs) to the story. Leslie Mann really brings out Adam’s sweeter side as Laura, George's "one that got away," and Eric Bana gets a rare chance to show his comedic chops as her bread-winning husband. Jonah Hill and Jason Schwartzman round out the group as Ira’s quirky and witty roommates. As an added bonus, Apatow and Mann’s daughters, Maude and Iris, are adorable as Laura’s kids.

As promised in the title, Funny People delivers jokes, and plenty of them. Granted, more than half of them are about the male anatomy and another large percentage are directed at Seth Rogen’s weight loss, but they're still there. The problem is that the laughs aren't free. George’s illness creates a dark cloud that hangs over the story, even when he learns that he has a good chance of pulling through. Apatow has your heart in his hands because everyone in the audience knows that there's a potential death scene lurking around every corner.

The movie has a lot of depressing moments, but what's even sadder is that the biggest takeaway of the film is the length. At over two and a half hours, the movie drags and is entirely too long. Apatow wanted to take his time to make his point, but by the end he had lost me and I just didn’t care that much about the film's final message.

Funny People has a lot to offer and isn’t terrible by any means, but it is hands-down my least favorite of Apatow's three films. I'd still give him golf claps, but there just isn't enough to earn a standing ovation this time around.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Watch, Pass, TiVo or Rent: Funny People

BuzzSugar — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:30:11 -0700

For Judd Apatow's third directorial feature film, Funny People, he has Seth Rogen starring as a fledgling comedian who looks up to the seasoned comedian/Hollywood actor, George Simmons (Adam Sandler). George learns that he has an untreatable blood disorder and that he has one year to live. He notices Ira's act one night and takes Ira under his wing - though it doesn't change the fact that George is a prickly, difficult guy. The movie explores the world of comedy and the quirky sort of mentor/mentee relationship that forms between a newbie performer and a guy who's "made it" - but at a cost. Leslie Mann also stars as George's "one that got away."

Will you venture out to the theaters for this one, wait for the DVD, catch it on TV someday, or skip it altogether?