June 11, 2012 | 6:42 pm

Conversations From Twitter – Part 5

Posted by Ilana Angel

Follow me on

My interview this week is with Twitter’s @MintedRoyalty.  I don’t know how he found me, or how it is I started following him, but I do know that this is a truly remarkable human being.  I have been surprised by all of the people I have interviewed through this series, but Lucien is special.  He made me think about his life, my life, and world as a whole.

Lucien is very funny.  He doesn’t even try to be funny actually, he just is. He is single, lives in Connecticut, and is a trained paralegal.  He told me he is currently going through a mid-life crisis and is taking the summer off to reevaluate his life and what he wants to do with it.  He is disillusioned with the legal profession and hoping to make a change.

Lucien talks openly about the fact that he is bi-polar.  He speaks of it a way that does not solicit pity or fear, but rather love and compassion.  He is soft spoken, kind, and self-depricating, but also direct and opinionated. One does not ever need to wonder what he is thinking because he will tell you.  His ability to share is truly inspiring.

Eleven years ago Lucien went through a rough patch with his mental illness and spent time going through a medical system that was not helpful.  He was sad, abandoned by the system, and left wondering how people are supposed to get well under those circumstances.  People were treated with medications to keep them quiet, not get them well.

His time in a state facility left him marked in a way that is now fueling his desire to make change.  He may even go to law school and become an advocate for people in the mental health system.  He is taking a couple of months to decide what he will do and I am certain that no matter what he decides, he will make a difference to many people.

He was raised by an abusive mother but still manages to speak kindly of her. He has one sister who he describes as his best friend and partner in crime. He is single, and looking for love.  It was in our talk of love where I fell in love with him myself.  This is a wonderful man and even though we have never met, I know I could count on him if needed.

Lucien does not need someone to complete him, but would like to share his life with someone.  We are the same age, both Jewish, and both at an age in our life where we want to have a partner, but are set in our ways and wonder if it is even possible.  When you are in your mid to late 40’s there is a routine to your life and adding someone can be complicated.

Lucien describes himself as being in the “222 Syndrome”.  He is “2” old and “2” tired “2” care.  I have used this saying a dozen times since he told me of it.  It actually perfectly describes my dating life for the past 3 years.  He says he has seen it all and while there are certainly differences in dating when you are a gay man, heartbreak hurts the same.

Although he is gay, in describing some of our past relationships, you would think we were dating the same people.  Lucien graduated high school in 1983, during the height of the AIDS epidemic.  He was in a 10 year committed and monogamous relationship so he missed a lot of the risk.  Many of his friends however did not, and he has seen much devastation.

He is offended by the cost of AIDS medications in the United States and would like to change that.  For example, he has a friend who is on mediation that costs $3000 in the States and $500 in Canada.  He is ashamed by how our government treats their own people, yet spends billions of dollars helping others.  He would like to see things made better here.

We talked about so many things and there was simply not enough time.  This is a man with a lot of opinions, and while we did not agree on everything, he made me think, changed my mind on a couple of things, and made me want to make a difference in the lives of others.  We live blessed lives and true joy comes from sharing our blessings with others.

We eventually got to talking about reality television and this man is in it for real.  There is no reality show he won’t watch, and while he dislikes more than he loves, he is addicted and not ashamed.  We are both certain that those who judge our addiction are secretly watching reality TV at home and living in shame.  Reality cowards!

Lucien loves Gretchen and Tamra from the OC, which was the one time I questioned his sanity.  He likes Brandi and Lisa from Beverly Hills, is over New Jersey, will soon be done with NYC, and would like to see DC come back. I might need to do another interview with him just to talk TV.  We are not on the same page, but totally reading the same book.

This series has been a blast and there is a lot more to come.  I have a long list of people I want to chat with, and a long list of people who have offered to be interviewed.  I will get to as many as I can, and have a dream that one day we will all meet in Vegas for a weekend of chatting, booze and laughs.  Thanks to @MintedRoyalty for keeping it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

June 11, 2012 | 8:40 am

Real Housewives of New Jersey Try to Ruin a Wedding

Posted by Ilana Angel

This show is bad.  So bad frankly, that it is near impossible to watch.  I will stick with it until the end of the season because I’m already too far in, but unless they replace the entire cast, I will not be back for another season. By entire cast of course I mean Teresa too.  I love her but she has outgrown this show and proven to be good TV on her own.  Bravo needs to give Tre and Juicy their own show with the kids and kick the rest of these pathetic loser women to the curb.

We start off this week with Chris and Jac sitting in their hotel room and we are supposed to believe Chris just happens to have a copy of In Touch with him.  This show is so ridiculous they don’t even care how scripted and fake it looks anymore.  The majority of the women are so boring they have to set up things for them to talk about.  Sidebar:  A puppy is not a dog. You can be scared of dogs and still love puppies, so enough with the Teresa hates dogs crap.

Caroline is with Lauren and Greg and I am so sad to be blogging this the morning after it aired because I cannot drink any wine.  This is painful.  First of all, why is Greg even there?  Greg says he went to get toothpaste, does not come back with any, but brings the In Touch with him to show Caroline. He also stumbles on his scripted lines.  Sidebar:  Lauren is ordering room services and makes sure to add a fruit platter to all the cheese so we think she is still working on her weight. 

Caroline is in a huff about the In Touch article, saying Teresa is awful for talking about her when she stood by her when nobody else did.  Caroline has gone from being a real delight to watch, to a bitter old hag who spits venom and appears to be miserable and unhappy in her empty house.  Her kids are not as golden as she would like us to think, the majority of her family does not talk to her, and she spends all of her time trying to figure out how to blame Teresa for everything.

Jac proves once again she may be the dumbest reality personality.  It’s difficult to use the word personality in the same sentence as Jac.  Caroline is trying to throw Teresa under the bus non-stop but it is failing.  She is making herself look like a fool and I am embarrassed for her.  Whatever you think about Teresa does not change the fact that she works like a dog.  She is single handedly saving her family and I respect her for that.  Even haters have to give her that.

Sidebar:  Caroline is always talking about how dumb Teresa is, yet now she is saying Teresa is smart and calculated.  Pick a side.  Chris tells Jac there is no big deal about the article but Jac feels the need to talk to Tre about it, which is insane.  Jac brings nothing to this show and so she needs to talk crap to be relevant.  Teresa comes to get ready with Jac and Jac immediately starts to question her about the dog, money, and useless garbage.  Jac is a moron.

The entire show is now based on the jealousy the women have of Teresa.  Tre keeps referring to Kate Middleton as Kate Hudson, which is really funny.  Back at the shore Joe and Melissa have moved into their new shore house and they are having a party.  All the women at the shore are in full make-up, which is funny.  Melissa is pretending to cook, in her bikini.  Joe talks bad about Teresa but only in front of Melissa which is important and interesting.

Chris announces in the bus to the wedding that Blk. water is going so well they are now working with a wine company.  Really?  He invites everyone to Napa, which confuses Jac, who then tells the camera over and over again that she is confused.  I think Jac got the word confused mixed up with the word moronic.  She meant to say I’m moronic over and over again.  Meanwhile Caroline keeps telling the camera Teresa needs to shut up instead of telling Teresa.  Coward.

They all arrive to the wedding and it is shameful.  It is a special occasion and they are trying to ruin it.  I feel sad for Jaime and Rich that this is what was shown on film.  Their union was beautiful and these people are gross.  I cried during both of their vows.  They were real, heartfelt, and raw.  Gay or straight the vows were special and I would love for a man to tell me those things.  Their love is real, 13 years is real, and the wedding was real. 

Caroline gave a speech that was more about her than Jaime but I cried.  Even Juicy cried.  Why did the family sit separate from the guests?  Back at the shore, Joe plays Melissa’s new song Rock Star and I want to kill myself.  She says she is embarrassed he wants to play it, which is the funniest thing I’ve ever heard.  She is a fame whore, her song sucks, and she spent hours after it aired telling people to buy it on Twitter.  There is nothing to like about her.

Joe is talking to Rich about Teresa and don’t get it.  Joe sends Teresa another text to try to make things better and I must say, he is trying.  Teresa needs to get over it a little and meet with her brother.  She can’t complain about the situation if she is not willing to meet him half way.  This is something she needs to stand up to Juicy on.  Joe loves her and she loves him, so this needs to stop.  Pick up the phone Teresa. Watching Joe text her was very sad and I felt for him.

That Joe needs to talk to Rich about it and not Melissa is very telling.  Joe needs to make it better with Tre without Melissa, and Teresa needs to make things nice with Joe without Juicy. At the wedding Teresa lets everyone know her book is on The NYT bestseller list and nobody congratulates her. Caroline is pissed Teresa is making it about her at her brother’s wedding and I want to just smack her.  Caroline is impossible to watch.  She needs to get off of my television.

The party at the shore is getting wild.  Melissa says they are keeping it classy and you have to laugh.  There is nothing classy about this party.  The kids are looking on with complete mortification.  Rich is talking but I’m not listening.  in Chicago Tre is talking to Jac about Joe’s text and I am checking out.  Jac is not needed on this show, Teresa needs to talk to her brother and Caroline needs to take out the pole that is stuck up her ass.  Thank God this week is over. 

One truly needs to be drinking in order to get through this.  Next week looks like it will be brutal.  By brutal of course I mean next week might be the last time I blog about this show.  Just like OC, ATL, and DC before them, I might have to walk away.  It is not entertaining, funny, interesting, or worth my time.  Bravo has managed to ruin a franchise that was making them rich and we will all eventually turn away because they are not keeping it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

22 Comments — Leave your comment

June 7, 2012 | 10:02 am

Conversations From Twitter – Part 4

Posted by Ilana Angel

I was very excited about doing this series of interviews, and while I knew it would be great, I was not sure how long it would last.  I have been interviewing people that follow my reality blog on Twitter and with each person I talk to I find myself loving the series more.  They are ordinary people leading extraordinary lives and they inspire me.

I knew I would connect to these people because of a love of, and addiction to, reality television, but I am surprised by how touched I am by their collective life experiences.  This week I spoke with Penny Drosso from New Jersey.  She is very popular on Twitter, has loyal fans, and was exactly what I expected her to be, with some terrific surprises thrown in.

Penny can be found on Twitter @PDKHair.  She owns La Chateau Allure Salon in New Jersey and a lot of people think she should be a new cast member of The Real Housewives of New Jersey.  She is a friend of Teresa’s, which should be reason enough to add her because it would be nice to see Teresa have a friend in the sea of bitter hags we are now watching.

I loved Penny the moment she started talking.  She is originally from Queens and her accent is ridiculous.  I could listen to her talk for hours.  Her accent is thick and her personality is large.  There is no way to misunderstand what Penny says.  She is honest, blunt, uncensored and hilariously funny.  I want to be her neighbor and hang out with her every single day.

Penny worked for many years as special education teacher, specializing in kids with autism.  She loved her work but found that when she had her own children, she lost some of patience.  At that point she decided to leave teaching and go into hairdressing.  Just because she changed careers, she was unable to walk away from the students she loved so much.

Every Tuesday is Special Needs Day at Penny’s salon.  She welcomes children and adults to the salon to get their hair done.  They can enjoy the pampering and hang out in a safe and non-judgmental environment.  Some of the “kids” who come are the same student Penny taught years ago.  They are now young adults and Penny loves them now as she did then, completely.

Penny has been married to Johnny for 12 years and their relationship is worthy of it’s own TV show.  As Penny and I talked, Johnny would chime in on occasion and I was cracking up.  He is very funny.  You can find him on Twitter @JohnnyTheGrk and I suggest you follow this couple because they are very entertaining.  An interview with Johnny is coming soon!

Penny and Johnny have two kids and are both business owners.  The salon for Penny, and Rutt’s Hut Restaurant for Johnny.  Rutt’s is famous for their hot dogs, which people go nuts over.  Penny and Johnny are local celebrities and if their New Jersey fans have anything to say about it, that will change and they will be household names.  I hope they are right.

Listening to Penny talk about her life had me in stitches.  Both she and Johnny are Greek and they met a Greek function years ago.  It took her a couple of years to agree to a date, but once she did it was over and they were together.  Important to note that she promised to call him and never did.  She totally blew him off for a very long time.

She ran into him at another party, years after first meeting him, and finally agreed to the date.  The lesson here is that there are really wonderful men our there and we don’t look because we are too busy, or think they are not our type.  Time for ladies to open their eyes and pay attention to what is in front of us because there are great men close by.

She loves her husband more than anything but often thinks about medicating him.  These two are a comedy act.  Penny is honest, open, and not at all pretencious or entitled.  She is a real person, living a real life, and she makes you feel like you know her.  She is ballsy and unfiltered, but supportive and nurturing.  I simply adored this woman and want to be her friend.

Penny is friends with Teresa Guidice so she is a bit of a RHoNJ insider.  She loves Teresa and is pissed off she is being targeted this season.  It is hard for her to watch her friend be under attack, but she knows Teresa is strong and she is standing by her.  She is also a bit of a pain in the ass for Bravo. By pain in the ass of course I mean they are scared of her.

She is a straight shooter who is not afraid to speak her mind, stick up for her friend, and call out the liars.  Bravo would be smart to include Penny because it would bring some truth back to the show, but the problem is they don’t want truth.  They like the fighting, lies, and hate.  They are so out of touch with the fans they don’t get we are tired of watching.

Penny is hesitant to participate because of her children.  She fears parents of their friends will not want them to hang out with the reality show kids, that freaks would come out of the woodwork, and attack her strong marriage with lies.  That said, she would not do the show without her kids, her husband, and a look into her real life.  It’s a dilemma.

She does not care about the money but she does care about the show and the fans, of which she is one.  She, like all of us, would like it to get back to the fun romp it was, and I truly think including her would give Bravo their best shot at making that happen.  Penny is the perfect reality star.  She will make us laugh and remind us why we used to love this show.

I asked Penny to tell me three words that described her and she chose outspoken, loud, and loyal.  After talking to her for an hour, my three words to describe penny Drosso are sincere, funny, and ballsy.  This woman has nothing to hide and no fear when it comes to sharing her truth, helping others show theirs, and calling people out on their crap.

Penny is Greek, hangs out with Italians, and has a very Jewish vibe.  Talking to her reminded me of chatting with an old school Jewish woman who lays it out.  Maybe I like because she is just like my mom!  You never need to wonder what her opinion is because she will tell you.  Penny does what other housewives (Manzo) are unable to do.  She keeps it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

13 Comments — Leave your comment

June 5, 2012 | 8:59 am

The Bachelorette in Bermuda

Posted by Ilana Angel

I was certain I would be sick of Emily by now but I love her and think she is fabulous.  The men are not that great which is a drag, but it only takes one good one and she has that.  She looks great and even though she is a lady, we see she is going to drop an F Bomb next week so before I even watch this week, I’m excited about next week, and that is good television.

Chris tells the men they are off to Bermuda then we see Emily on the beach with Ricki.  I think it’s great she is taking her daughter on this adventure with her.  As a single mom I would have done the same thing.  I am curious however what you tell a six year old about this show.  Mommy is searching for love on TV and is dating lots of men is not really an option.

As the men arrive to their hotel in Bermuda it is quite obvious they are more excited about Bermuda than Emily.  She is a great girl but many of them know they have no shot in hell and are just happy to be on a vacation.  I’m willing to bet some of these guys are trolling by the pool looking for chicks. Not sure why but their excitement about Bermuda annoyed me.

Doug gets a one-on-one date.  He seems odd, but harmless. The other men don’t seem to like him much.  They think he is more into being a friend with them than winning Emily’s heart.  Could he not just be a nice guy?  Probably not.  I think the other men are mean to him and it probably stems from jealousy.  He’s low key in a sea of fame whores.

They spend the day walking around town and doing some shopping.  I like this guy and think he is more simple than calculated.  The men think he is self-deprecating and not exciting, but maybe he is just a normal guy who has been through some rough stuff, and now appreciated his blessings and lives with peace.  Maybe I’ve had so much wine I am sucked into the hope of love.

It’s time for the group date.  Nate, Michael, John and Alejandro are left out.  Two of them will go on a two on one date and two will simply get no date. Nate is shaken and upset about possibly being sent home which is a clear indication that he will in fact be going home.  I barely noticed him so he can go.  Meanwhile Doug and Emily are now out for dinner.

Emily worries Doug is like Brad and she is not seeing something important about him.  Could be her setting him up to be dumped, or maybe it’s a set up to her overcoming her fear and he becomes the one.  He seems like the perfect guy giving perfect answers and Emily is skeptical.  I like Doug and think he could possibly just be a great guy with good intentions.

Emily gives him the rose, and is then clearly pissed off that he did not kiss her.  She’s on the fast track through this process and he might be too slow moving for her.  He admittedly moves slow and never makes the first move so she is waiting, he is sitting, and it’s a bust.  I hope his being a gentleman is the cause of his getting dumped.

It’s group date time and Chris is officially grossing me out.  He is bad.  They are going sailing and will compete on two teams to win more time with Emily. Back at the house we learn that John and Nate are on the dreaded two on one date and both are pissed about it.  BY pissed of course I mean a their reaction is like a couple of little girls.  Buck up boys.

The men race, it’s intense, and a winning team is crowned.  Sailing looks rough and a little too dangerous for me, but they are all competitive and trying to impress her.  The losers are sent back tot eh hotel.  Charlie is crying and Sean says he would have given up his right leg to win.  Really?  I’m sure she will pick you if you cut off your own leg Sean.  Good call.

Arie takes Emily off for some private time and I cannot listen to him.  We know he is a pig who lied about his past so it’s not worth listening t him. Damn that Reality Steve for ruing this for me.  It’s my won fault fro reading it, but still, he is a joy sucker in the world of reality television.  Arie is a pig, I don’t believe what he says, and I feel bad for Emily.

Jef is off with her now and he is sweet but a little too feminine for me.  He is sweet and I think sincere, but I’m not feeling him for her and I don’t think Emily does either.  There is yet another awkward non-kissing moment.  Emily wants to kiss everyone but some are just talking their time.  Her being a lady is proving to be both a blessing and a curse.

Ryan has no real interest in Emily.  His goal is to be the next bachelor and I can assure him that is never going to happen.  I refuse to believe there is anyone working on this show that is dumb enough to give this loser a shot. Ryan is a complete and total pig and Emily is clearly not into him.  If he stays around it’s because the producers made her keep him.

The group date rose goes to Jef.  Arie is convinced he is closer to her than anyone and so he is annoyed he did not get it.  Jef talks like a girlfriend not a man trying to win her heart.  It’s weird.  John and Nate are on their date and I am totally bored.  Neither one of them have a snowballs shot in hell of finding love with her so their date is of no real interest.

Back at the house Chris and Doug are going at each other again.  Doug is saying there is a big difference between a man of 25 and one of 30, and Chris gets pissed off.  Chris has real issues with Doug and it’s gross.  Chris looks like an ass. Back on the date Emily would prefer to not give Nate or John a rose.  She would rather be with anyone else.

I am skipping over the rest of the date with John and Nate.  Emily is not interested in them so why should I be?  Nate is sent home.  Emily is with Ricki and while I love that she is there, I am now really interested in how she explained this to her little girl.  It’s time for the cocktail party.  Nate is out and two more men are being sent home.

Ryan takes Emily off for a chat at the cocktail party and she is obviously not into him.  We are once again reminded that if she picks him she was asked to.  Arie goes to save her from her time with Ryan.  Arie is begging her for compliments and he is sleazy now.  The show can force her to keep Ryan but they better be warning her about Arie.

Ryan lets us know he hopes to be the next Bachelor.  He is not into Emily, just the fame and any chick that dates him after this show is a moron. Sean gets time with her and they smooch.  Chris takes her off next and assures her he is not too young to get married and be a dad.  He is 25 and painfully immature.  She needs to send him home.

Chris takes Doug off for a chat and I want to punch Chris in the face.  I like Doug and think Chris is an idiot.  He is making a complete ass out of himself. Doug is calm and talks to Chris like a child, which he is.  Chris is an idiot.  He is jealous of Doug and the entire scene is ridiculous.  Chris is sealing his own fate and I hope he’s out soon.  Serious loser.

Chris Harrison finally gets his time with Emily and it makes me feel dirty. He is clearly into her and it’s weird.  Chris asks if there is chemistry with Jef and Emily reminds us there is no contact.  Chris is not surprised, and neither are any of us.  Chris is flirting with Emily, Emily thinks she has a sixth sense about men, and I am thankful for my wine.

It’s the rose ceremony and we are going down to the top 10.  Charlie and Michael are out.  I could not get past Michael’s hair so good he’s gone. Charlie however I totally dug.  He is sad to go and it’s a shame.  He is a sweet man, super cute, and it’s too bad he could not get her attention.  It could have been his brain injury that freaked her out.

Important to note that when Chris Harrison comes out to announce the final rose I want to impale myself.  It is the dumbest thing on television.  We can all count, even the dumbest contestants can count, and with one rose on the table we get it.  This show would be better without Chris.  Michael and Charlie both cry as they leave which is sad but hilarious.

Next week she takes her top 10 to London.  Looks like it will be fun.  London is my favorite city so I’m happy to see it, but nothing is as great as Emily dropping the F Bomb and kicking someone out.  Next week will be great and while they want us to think Ryan gets booted, I think it will be someone else.  While fun, they are not keeping it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

3 Comments — Leave your comment

June 5, 2012 | 12:05 am

Real Housewives of NYC - Catching Up with Jill Zarin

Posted by Ilana Angel

As the new season of RHoNYC begins, I am more interested in what is going on with Jill Zarin than with Countless (LuAnn), Drunky (Ramona), Delusional (Sonja), and the new ladies.  I contacted Jill and asked her if she wanted to chat and as always she was gracious and open to talk about anything.

I asked Jill how she was doing and she said she was feeling mentally healthier now than she had the entire 5 seasons on the show, but at the same time she was thinking about the new season.  Change is hard for Jill and being left out of the group she helped create was hard for her.

She is not sad, or bitter, but she is feeling a little anxious that the party is going on without her.  It was a raw and honest answer.  Jill misses organized play dates with the other cast members.  Not all of them of course, but some.  She has very good memories of her time as a Bravo housewife.

The last season in particular was important because she was struggling with empty nest syndrome as Ally went off to college.  You raise your children to go out into the world and succeed, but losing your child to life is hard.  The show helped filled the void for her.

Jill is feeling free. For the premiere of the new season she was planning to be in the Hamptons with Bobby and was not sure she would watch.  Part of her wanted to and part not so much.  In the end Jill and Bobby decided to go back to NYC and just have fun on premiere night.

Jill has been tweeting photos and updates all night of her whereabouts. She started at Luann’s premiere party. She then went to Adrianne Malouf’s party for her new line of face creams, and then watched the beginning of the new season with new housewife Aviva and her family.

I loved Jill on RHNYC.  She was real and allowed her true self to be seen.  The good, bad, and sometimes ugly.  She was authentic and one of the few Bravolebrities who did not have making money factor into her decision to be onTV.  That freed her up to be herself with no fear.

She looks back at the show and had great experiences.  She loved looking at apartments with Bethenny in her suede outfit and a hard hat.  She loved developing her own shapewear, SKWEEZ Couture, and she liked sharing the joy and love she has with her beloved Bobby.

Love her or not, Jill was good television. She was there from the beginning, she brought in LuAnn and Bethenny, and she was not treated with respect or kindness when they fired her.  Bravo did not do right by Jill and in doing so did not do right by the fans.

When there was talk of a cast change Jill was assured she would be given a heads up if it affected her.  Bravo said she would be given the opportunity to quit before being fired but when she mentioned quitting they fired her.  In my opinion it was not professional.

A producer at Bravo fired Jill over the phone.  Thirty minutes later she got a call from Andy Cohen.  Whatever.  It does not matter what she says about it all now and so she says nothing, but I think there are things to be said and I for one would want to hear a detailed account from her.

Jill knows a lot of secrets about a lot of people and she has opted to keep them all.  I would be a little more bitter, but she is a class act and she is not out to hurt anyone.  She may not be friends with Bethenny or Ramona but she is loyal to the friendships she had with them at one time.

No one is perfect, and she does not claim to be.  Mistakes were made and she can’t change what happened or how the audience viewed it.  If she could go back and change something, she wishes she would have listened to Bobby more.  He tried to guide her but she did not listen.

She misses parts of her relationship with Bethenny, especially the good times they had Season 1.  She has watched her show, but listening to Bethenny yell at Jason makes her sad and reminds her of a dark time so she has not been watching regularly but is happy for her and also proud.

I asked Jill if she would go back to the show if asked and her answer surprised me.  She said she would go back if Alex did.  There was no love lost between them, but she feels strongly that it would not be right to go back without her.  She knows they made for good television.

Jill was shocked she was fired, but sad that Alex was fired.  Jill did the show for fun, but for Alex, the money mattered and Bravo letting her go, when they knew Simon had lost his job, was hurtful.  They helped make the show what it was, yet they were tossed out while others were not.

Bravo talks about how the fans were not responding to Jill or Alex, yet they are not firing anyone in Atlanta or New Jersey and we can’t stand those women.  We will never know why they were fired but I imagine Bethenny had something to do with it.  I like to blame Bethenny for stuff.

Jill is fine, Ally is great, Bobby is healthy, and Ginger is perfection.  She would consider being back on TV one day and welcomes her own show, but the break after 5 years was really needed.  She is touched by the fan support from so many.  They lift her spirits and give her joy.

She is happy, healthy, and whole.  Grateful for having had the opportunity to be a real housewife, even though we all know it isn’t real anymore.  If her fans get their wish they will see her back on TV.  I am a fan of Jill Zarin because she is good television.

I will get a lot of hate for my support of her and in the end I don’t care and neither does Jill. The Real Housewives is a brand that she helped build and she is proud of that.  If Bravo had any brains or balls, they would bring her back because this show is best with her on it.

I want to see Jill and Alex on Watch What Happens Live. THAT would be good television.  I watched tonight and it was not the same. Change is good, but admitting you made a mistake and fixing it is better.  Take note Bravo.  Bring them back and keep it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

49 Comments — Leave your comment

June 4, 2012 | 11:20 am

Real Housewives of New Jersey – Start Firing!

Posted by Ilana Angel

With each episode of this season it becomes more obvious that the majority of this cast is no longer good television.  Caroline is bitter and nasty, Jac is boring and bitchy, Kathy is fake and calculated, Melissa is jealous and vengeful, and Teresa is in need of her own show without these bitches.

Andy Cohen claimed the cast of New York City had gotten dark and the fans were no longer responding so they fired Kelly, Alex and Jill, yet New Jersey is so dark families are falling apart in front of our eyes and they keep the cast in tact.  They need to do some firing in New Jersey.

Teresa is good television, and whether you like her or not, you cannot watch this show and not think the systematic attacks on her by all the other ladies is painful.  We knew there would be some backlash because of her skyrocketing fame, but it has become ridiculous.

By unwatchable of course I mean we are all still watching, but for me it is to support Teresa and marvel at how ugly the other women have become, particularly Caroline.  This woman, along with her pathetic and boring children, should be ashamed of their behavior on the show.

We start this week with the only entertaining part of this show, Teresa.  She is with her kids and let me just say, these children are truly divine looking.  They are absolutely gorgeous, beyond entertaining, and I would gladly watch a show based on this family.  They are riveting.

Teresa is talking to Gia and letting her know the family will be okay.  Gia is obviously saddened by the situation, annoyed with her little sisters, and tolerant of her embarrassing mother.  Hard to believe she is only 10.  She is lovely, but don’t get me started on Milania.

Milania is hilarious to me.  She is feisty, opinionated, and an instigator to her sisters.  I love her.  All four of Teresa’s kids are entertaining in their own way.  They are spectacular looking with different personalities.  These kids are good TV, unlike the Manzo kids who are truly a hot mess.

Over at Kathy’s house we see Rosie talking about being gay.  I love Rosie and she should get her own show too, but the storyline seems forced and scripted which it’s a drag.  Rosie is going to come out to Kathy’s kids and she is nervous about it.  It’s sweet, but come on, they knew already.

Joe takes Melissa to see his work and Melissa decides to use the scene as an audition.  She pretends the building is haunted, does a little horror movie/soap opera audition, and I want to scream.  By scream of course I mean punch someone in the face.  I find her offensive.

Joe and Melissa talk about the issues between him and Teresa and offers Teresa to go to therapy.  Melissa is a snake and she tells Joe she wants them to make up but in truth she does not. Melissa is so jealous of Teresa she is willing to ruin a family in order to get her own fame.

There is blame on Teresa and Joe of course, but this would not be going on this long, or be this hurtful, were it not for Melissa and her jealously.  She scammed her way on the show and while I liked her in the beginning, she has shown her true colors and it is the bright green of envy.

Teresa is with Kim D. who advises her to go to therapy with Joe. Melissa also supports Joe in going to therapy with his sister.  By supports of course I mean she supports anything that will result in her getting more airtime, and she can manipulate this into more camera time for sure.

Over at Caroline’s house we learn that her brother Jaime is getting married to his partner of 13 years.  I like Jaime and follow him on Twitter.  He has great recipes and is very funny and sweet.  Jaime would be a better full time character on this show than his old hag of a sister Caroline.

Jac and Teresa are also going to the wedding and it’s going to get ugly.  Jac is a busybody who stirs the pot and Caroline, who always talks about how important family is, refuses to acknowledge her family is a mess and her own kids are all she has because no one can stand her.

Teresa is talking to Jac about Joe wanting to go to therapy and calls it physical therapy, which is cute.  Jac is supportive to her face then throws her under the bus to the camera.  Teresa is sweet but in denial.  That said, she is not malicious, just naïve in her pursuit of peace and love.

Rosie comes out to Kathy’s kids and I cried.  She is a beautiful woman and while I love her and enjoy her time on this show. I feel like she is being manipulated by Bravo, and Kathy talking to the camera seems like really bad acting to me.  I love Rosie though and she did brilliantly.

Jac and Chris are getting ready to go to the wedding and making gay jokes.  Teresa and Juicy are getting ready for the wedding and making gay jokes.  On an episode that is about being brave and coming out, this is disrespectful.  Jac moves off the gay topic and jumps to Ashlee.

She once again talks badly about her own child and it is disgusting already.  She cannot go one week without saying something to hurt, humiliate or embarrass Ashlee and I am sick of it.  Jac should not be surprised her daughter can’t stand her but rather surprised she still has a job.

Kathy and Rich rent a shore house for the summer and I cannot for the life of me find anything entertaining about this family other than Rosie. It’s weird that in one scene Rosie is crying and coming out to the kids, then in the next scene she is flirting with girls in front of the kids.

It is scripted, fake and not that entertaining.  Following Rosie around on her pursuit of love would be fun but watching Bravo manipulate her is not cute. This week is boring all around and feels like a filler episode to get ready for the wedding next week.  Bravo is really pissing me off right now.

Caroline, Jac and Teresa are in Chicago and Caroline is nauseating.  She blames Teresa for all the problems in her family which is ridiculous.  Caroline is not talking to Dina because she is a bitch, not because of Tre and she needs to stop blaming people for her own bad behavior.

Juicy is being inappropriate but funny.  He is not malicious, just a little dumb about it all. Sidebar:  Why is Greg at the wedding?  Is it because his boyfriend’s uncle is getting married? Could it be because Bravo thought all the gay people should get a minute of airtime during the gay theme?

Sidebar:  There is nothing interesting about the Manzo children or their friends.  I don’t care about Lauren’s battle with weight, black water, or the gay roommate.  They need to all get jobs, stop whining, and move on.  As for dieting, Chris should jump on that bandwagon pretty quickly.

Back at Kathy’s they are having a party.  She invites her friend Heather who is gorgeous, and comes with her NBA playing husband.  Rosie is drooling all over Heather, and Melissa is shooting daggers at her.  Melissa is jealous of everyone and everything that gets attention.

Joe is talking to Rich about Teresa and I wish Rich would shut up.  He has no idea what he is talking about and needs to stop advising Joe.  Melissa makes it very clear that she has no interest in anyone getting along.  She is the cause of the strife and nobody is buying her nice girl shtick.

Heather is flirting with Rosie in the hot tub and it is embarrassing.  I thought Rosie was too smart and classy for this, but there she is, making a fool out of herself.  The best part of the hot tub is watching Melissa look at Heather with palpable envy and hate.  It really was quite funny.

On the ride to the hotel from Jamie’s, Juicy makes some lame gay jokes at the expense of Greg.  Caroline outs him as an alcoholic, and Greg is offended. Important to note that as a openly gay man, Andy Cohen should be ashamed of how he is handling the gay slurs on this show.

Ignorance is not permission to be an idiot.  Juicy is idiotic and not funny. Greg is a brooding crybaby, Joe Gorga is over the top in terms of trying to appear to love all gay people, and the beauty and importance of Jaime’s wedding is trivialized by the stupidity of everyone.

Bravo seriously needs to rethink this show.  Remember when this show was fun?  It’s at the point where one sister is missing her brother’s wedding in oder to avoid another sister. Will   Bravo not rest until every family is ripped apart?  Time to start keeping it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

50 Comments — Leave your comment

June 2, 2012 | 2:45 pm

The Bachelorette Looks Great in a Harness

Posted by Ilana Angel

Let me begin by saying how sorry I am this is so late in getting posted!  I got a kick out of all the emails and nudges to get this puppy up.  I promise that starting this week I will post on Monday nights after the show.  Your loyalty to my Bachelorette recaps is appreciated and my delays are over!

I love this show and I love Emily.  I am sure there will come a time when everything she does and says will annoy me, but for now we are golden.  She is the perfect bachelorette and if there was ever a chick that was going to pull this off, it would be Emily.  I believe in her and hope she can do it.

The men on the other hand are not that impressive.  There are 16 men left but truly only 2 or 3 that make sense for her.  Many of the men are young and quite dumb, but there are a few that seem great.  By seem great of course I mean we will see a dark side to them by the end of the show.

Emily takes her first one-on-one date with Chris.  She goes on and on about how cute he is but I don’t get it.  He has weak lips and let’s not forget that he is a child.  At 25 is he really able to take on a 6 year old child?  The man she marries will in fact become a father.

She’s not a single mother whose man needs to deal with an ex-husband, it is just her and so it will be just him, and I don’t see that from a 25 year old. There are exceptions of course and I suppose some men are ready for a family at a young age.  That said, Google Ashton Kutcher.

Emily and Chris climb a building to get to dinner.  Lame. They both talk about how scaling the building is a metaphor for love and I’m laughing while I pop open the first bottle of wine for the evening.  I am still laughing about Chris telling America Emily looks great in a harness.

He went on and on about how hot she was strapped into a harness and it was hilarious.  I went straight to the gutter and could not stop laughing.  He reminds her he is only 25 and Emily is visibly surprised.  She likes him a lot but was not aware he is a child.  This show rocks.

Back at the house poor Tony is having a nervous breakdown about being away from his kid.  You know he is going home and it’s a relief because he is boring as hell and never had a shot with Emily.  Back at dinner Chris is convincing Emily he is a man and ready for a family.

Blah. Blah. Blah.  They finish their climb, go to dinner, and then to a private concert with a country singer who is singing about being drunk and high.  Chris kisses her and says it is the greatest feeling he has experienced in his entire life.  Really?  A little perspective young man.

Chris goes on to say the date is actually the greatest moment in his entre life.  Again, really?  I’m all for love but if a date with a woman on a reality show when she is dating 15 other men is your greatest moment in life, you might want to work on getting a more exciting life.  Seriously.

It is time for the group date and they meet Emily in a park.  She looks great, most of them look gorgeous, and the editing shows Ryan to be the one who is going to crash and burn.  She leaves them with a football and walks away where we see she has her best girlfriends with her.

She is going to introduce the ladies to the men and they are going to do some investigating for her.  Her friends are sweet and clearly a little jealous of her experience.  When the men come to meet them there is a flood of drooling and the ladies immediately get a little flirty.

The men are cute but nervous.  The guy with the egg is a complete loser and the blonde friend Wendy is a little too excited to be around the men.  Sean comes over and Wendy is all over him like white on rice.  She is flirting, gets sexual, and obviously needs to get laid in a big way.

After the girlfriends sufficiently embarrass themselves, a group of kids come out to play in the park with the men.  It is lame and calculated but I loved it. Gorgeous men and kids is a turn on and my ovaries are now convulsing so it’s time for more wine.  Ryan comes over and he is a douchelord.

He tells Emily he would have a problem if she gained weight.  He would still love her, but probably not love on her as much.  Ryan is a pig who is there to be famous and it’s a drag because he was cute in the beginning.  He is a player, probably has a small penis, and will be gone soon enough.

It’s the group date cocktail party and we find out Doug and Sean were the top choices of the girlfriends.  Sean is sweet, all about family and Jesus. He would be good for her I guess, but he’s a little boring and she will lose interest.  He needs to go to a church picnic and find his gal.

Doug tells his childhood story of foster homes and Emily starts to cry.  He is sweet and I hate to be negative, but there is a darkness to him and I think he will blow.  He is attractive and kind, a dad and a nice guy, but something about him is bugging me and I’m not sure what it is.

Toby’s whining is giving me a headache.  He is feminine and sappy and I’m bored.  Emily is too so she sends him packing.  She really is a sweet girl and she handled it like a lady.  She lets him down easy and he leaves thinking if he did not miss his son so much he would have had a shot.

She tells the group she sent Tony home.  She has a rose to give out on the date and she opts to give the rose to Sean.  Nice he got it.  I don’t think he is the one, but it was a good call on her part.  Plus all her friends want to bang him so it’s a nice moment for her.

Arie gets the next one-on-one and they are off to Dollywood.  I love me some Dolly Parton.  She is amazing.  Dolly surprises Emily and her reaction is perfection. She is speechless at the sight of her and it’s lovely.  Dolly Parton is divine and I love everything about her.

There is a lot of stuff being written about Arie in the blogosphere and so it’s hard to take any of his dates seriously.  I really like him but he is apparently a pig and a lair in real life, not on the show for Emily, and a player, so I’m not paying him to much attention anymore.

They are never going to let her pick him because of the scandalous rumors so the time he is with her is a write off.  Arie and Emily have a great date, kiss, and have a connection.  It’s a shame he is a douchebag.  He will go far, but is obviously not going to be the chosen one.

It’s time for cocktails and the rose ceremony.  Watching Emily get ready with her little girl is nice and I like those moments.  She greets all the men and asks Kalon if she can take him off for a chat.  He has not seen her all week and is a little bitter and rather nasty.

Kalon creeps me out.  He is talking to Emily and his inner pig is out in full glory.  He won’t stop talking, she tries to join in the conversation and he talks over her.  He tells her he always thought his first child would be his own and it is hard for him to accept it might not be.

She is trying to figure him out and he tells her he likes it when she talks but she needs to let him finish talking.  And that people is how you hammer a nail into your own coffin.  He’s a pretentious ass and he will be gone soon.  In the words of Emily, he is tall, skinny, and condescending.  Snap.

Travis decides it is time to get rid of the ridiculous egg he’s been carting around and I am now on my third glass of wine.  This guy is an idiot, his time with her is idiotic, and the only funny thing about the egg bit is the men raising a glass to her memory.  Travis needs to go home.

Emily is talking to Alessandro who tells her his taking on a daughter is a compromise.  Emily is telling him getting a daughter is a bonus, and he insists it is a compromise.  He’s out.  He’s also dumb and has now publicly sealed his reputation as a complete jackass.  Mazel Tov.

Arie comforts her and they kiss while the other men look on.  Sean tells her he is into being a dad, and Emily is touched.  They smooch and I’m thinking he might have a shot.  He’s certainly good for her on paper.  Too bad he’s boring.  That said, he would certainly make a good looking family.

Stevie is sent home.  Probably because he is a grown man called Stevie.  We are down to 13 and next week looks like it will be great.  They are off to Bermuda so we will get to see a lot of skin.  I am digging this season and hope they don’t piss us off.  All we ask is that they keep it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

3 Comments — Leave your comment