MANILA, Philippines – Former NBA star Dennis Rodman has finally met his estranged father after 42 years of separation, following an exhibition game in the Philippines.

Philander Rodman Jr., who has acknowledged fathering 29 children by 16 mothers, says he was happy and surprised that his son agreed to meet him late Wednesday. He tried to meet the basketball Hall of Famer during another game in Manila in 2006.

“It was great,” he said Thursday of the first time he held his son’s hands since they last met in December 1969.

“I’ve been trying to meet him for years. And then last night, boom, I met him. I was really, really happy and very surprised,” he said.

The NBA “Alumni” team, which also included Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant, and Mitch Richmond, played against former top professional Philippine Basketball Association players in the All-Star Challenge. The Alumni won.

Philander, who has been living in the Philippines for nearly 50 years, said he wanted to explain to his son that he didn’t abandon his family in the United States, but they only had time for greetings and handshakes.

He said his son did not even want to talk about him six years ago, but he was encouraged to try again to meet him after Tuesday’s news conference where the former Pistons and Bulls star invited him to watch Wednesday’s game.

“I don’t hate the guy that brought me into this world,” Dennis Rodman told reporters. “The fact is, if I saw him, I’ll just tell him, ‘You know, you’re a friend of mine.”‘

During a break, with seconds left in the game, Dennis Rodman grabbed a microphone, acknowledged his father’s presence and pointed to him in the arena.

The crowd applauded as the elder Rodman stood up wearing a red baseball cap that said: “Yes, Dennis Rodman is my son.”

The 71-year-old Vietnam War veteran now operates Rodman’s Rainbow Obamaburger restaurant in northern Angeles City.

He said his restaurant menu includes burgers with red, yellow and green colored buns and fries, colors associated with his flamboyant son.

Actor Willard arrested at Hollywood adult theater

LOS ANGELES – Actor Fred Willard, perhaps best known as a dog-show announcer in the movie “Best in Show,” has been arrested on suspicion of committing a lewd act at a Hollywood adult theater.

Los Angeles police Sgt. Mark Ro said uniformed vice officers were conducting a routine investigation of the theater shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday and saw Willard engaging in a lewd act.

The 72-year-old actor was booked at the Hollywood police station on suspicion of committing a lewd act in public.

In addition to “Best in Show,” Willard has appeared in other Christopher Guest mockumentary films, including “This is Spinal Tap.”

Brethertons enter not guilty pleas

NEW ORLEANS – William “Billy” Bretherton, star of the A&E reality TV show “Billy the Exterminator,” has pleaded not guilty along with his wife to drug charges in his home state of Louisiana.

Bretherton and his wife, Mary, were arrested in June on drug possession charges. At the time, they surrendered to police on a warrant charging them with one count each of possession of synthetic marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. The couple entered the pleas Wednesday in a state court.

Bossier City spokesman Mark Natale said police were called April 28 to a hotel there after a 911 hang-up call from a room. He said police found the Brethertons, who live in nearby Benton in Louisiana’s northwestern corner, with suspected synthetic marijuana and a device commonly used to smoke narcotics. The arrest warrant was issued after items recovered from their hotel room tested positive for synthetic marijuana, he said.

The Brethertons surrendered June 1, posted $6,000 bond each and were released.