April 18, 2012 | 8:04 am

A Conversation with Roxanne of All About TRH

Posted by Ilana Angel

Follow me on

The world of reality television blogging is fascinating.  By fascinating of course I mean cutthroat.  It is a world where reality stars can talk to 5 bloggers in one day and each blogger calls it an “exclusive”.  For a genre of entertainment that is all about being real, there is not a lot of reality.

I talk to a few other bloggers on Twitter, and there are some lovely people who have chosen to get on the blogging train.  For every sweet person there is one who is in desperate need of both medication and incarceration.  It makes sense that the madness of reality TV would attract crazy.

I had been hearing a lot about a blogger called Rox.  She has a site called All About The Real Housewives and people seem to adore this woman.  I then started to get mentioned with her on Twitter.  People would tweet that Rox and I were their favorite bloggers and so I was very curious about her.

She would send me tweets saying hello, and when people would say they liked us both, she would always be gracious and say she was in good company with me.  I started to follow her on Twitter and began reading her site.  She is a talented writer with a kind heart, who has managed to remain decent.

She is able to write about people without judgment, and provides information without sounding like a trashy gossip rag.  Rox engages her readers in a way that they feel involved and connected.  I was intrigued so I wrote to ask if I could interview her.

I spoke with Rox this week and I was blown away.  She is not what I was expecting.  This is a remarkable young woman.  She is not even 20 years old, which makes me old enough to be her mother.  Having spoken to her, I now feel very protective of her.  This is a truly fabulous girl.

Roxanne is a full time college student, who has a job in addition to her blog. She is a first generation American, lives at home with her mother, and is gorgeous.  She should be on television, not just writing about it. With her movie star looks, and pure heart, she is special.

Rox started writing by accident.  She was a fan who joined Twitter to follow some of the stars.  One thing led to another and before she knew it she was tweeting, blogging, and creating her own website dedicated to reality TV. She is now hugely popular and a go to blogger.

She is not mean spirited or hurtful.  She stays out of the gutter, does not engage in Twitter wars, and stands on the sidelines to watch the craziness. She is aware of everything that goes on, just opts out of the drama.  She is young, but also mature beyond her years.  She is a grown up.

In a business where grown women act like high school mean girls, she is a voice of reason.  Some of the old hags who blog could learn a thing or two from this young girl.  Myself included because I get sucked into drama and I can take a tip or two from Roxanne.

Roxanne has a great accent.  It sounds like a mixture of east coast and Canada and it fabulous.  Her parents are originally from Iraq and they are very proud of their daughter.  Her father is amazed at how big her site has become and supports her 100% in her pursuits.

Her mother sounds adorable.  She thinks reality television is ridiculous and cannot understand why we care about these people.  I wonder that myself most days.  She is from a tight Catholic family and while they don’t exactly understand how this all happened, they love her.

Roxanne decided early on that she was going to be ethical.  She spends a lot of time fact checking and researching her stories. She also will not post stories that might be hurtful.  She is not out to humiliate anyone and does not write about a lot of things that are sent to her.

In the reality blogging world we all get things sent to us for stories.  People send pictures, private documents and damaging gossip stories about reality stars.  Roxanne reads everything, but rarely prints what is clearly crap being sent from someone with a grudge or agenda.

It is because of these choices that she is so close with many reality stars.  From housewives to mob wives, people like her and trust her.  They go to her when they want to talk because they know their voices will be heard.  This young girl has earned her stripes and it shows.

Roxanne is very open.  She was also supportive and kind to me. It was interesting to get advice from her. She could be my daughter, yet at one point in our conversation, she was like my mother. She spoke to me with a gentle firmness that I appreciated.

Rox has watched my Twitter struggles and let me know I did not need to worry.  She assured me the crazy people had no power and the people who read my blogs, herself included, could hear my voice and they were not paying attention the silliness that occasionally surrounds me.

She told me I won’t ever be able to please everyone so I need to please myself.  This is a remarkable woman and I found myself wanting to hug her.  I also wanted to protect her.  She is a doll and I want her to stay true to herself without getting sucked into the drama.

She may be young, but we can all learn something from Roxanne.  Reality bloggers need to pay attention to her because she is doing the job correctly. She is not jaded or bitter.  She does her job, does it well, and stares straight ahead without paying any attention to the trolls of Twitter.

I asked Roxanne to tell me three words that best described her and she chose grateful, ambitious, and confident.  I asked her if there was anything she wanted her fans to know about her and she said she was an open book and they already knew everything.  I love this girl.

I started the interview wondering why people lumped us together as their favorite bloggers, and ended our conversation flattered that I am being kept in her company.  Roxanne allowed me to set aside my jaded view for a minute and reminded me how great my job is.

There are a lot of reality television bloggers and there is a lot of competition.  That competition can lead to people being very unkind to each other and in the end it’s not like that for Rox and me.  We respect each other, like each other, and wish the best for each other.

I am inspired by this young woman and also proud of her.  She is building a life for herself, and she is going far.  I am so pleased I was able to speak with her and am lucky to call her my friend.  In the unreal world of reality TV, Roxanne is keeping it real.

26 Comments — Leave your comment

Share this post: del.icio.us Digg Facebook Google Reddit StumbleUpon Technorati YahooMyWeb

April 13, 2012 | 7:07 am

My Conversation With Melissa Gorga

Posted by Ilana Angel

I spoke with Melissa Gorga this week and I must tell you I was surprised. I invited her for an interview long ago and it never happened, even though it was confirmed.  It did not happen due to a young assistant who was in over her head and made a mistake, so there were no hard feelings.

I wrote about the interview not happening, and I moved on.  Thanks to her professional and very sweet publicist, along with Melissa feeling bad about the screw up and wanting to fix the situation, it finally happened this week. It was simply a comedy of errors and Melissa did nothing wrong.

I am pleased to report that Melissa said “Thank you Jesus” several times and it was fabulous because I would have been disappointed had she not.  We spoke about a lot of things and while some of it did not ring true to me, she was kind and surprisingly candid, so you take what you like from it.

Melissa is a woman of faith and like me she is unapologetic about it.  She believes in God and spends a lot of time praising Jesus for the blessings in her life.  She has been thanking Jesus since she was a little girl and it’s not just us who thinks it’s entertaining.  So does her family.

She goes to church every Sunday, and usually without Joe.  He generally stays home with the boys and she goes with Antonia.  She tells Joe he needs to go and he assures her he prays and talks to God so he does not need to go to church because they are in constant contact.

Joe tells Melissa God sees him and knows him so there is no need to schlep to church.  Important to note that before we started the interview I let Melissa know I was in fact in love with her husband.  She needed to know so there was no tension, plus I was not sure I could hide it.

We spoke a little bit about how life has changed since they began on the show and she told me it has not changed that much.  She let me know life was certainly simpler when she didn’t need to explain herself all the time, but overall she thinks life is pretty much the same.

I think her response is silly.  You cannot go on a reality television with the type of following that RHONJ has, and tell me that your life is the same.  Her family has been ripped apart for the world to see so how has nothing changed? There were problems before, but going public changes it all.

Before the show Melissa was not on Twitter having people hate her and wish her harm.  I am on Twitter and I have seen people bash her as it their lives depended on it, so if she thinks I believe her life is the same now as it always was, then she must think I’m an idiot, which I am not.

She is surprised by the amount of time put into negative comments about her on Twitter.  She can read an attack in the morning, go to the gym, take the kids to school, grocery shop, clean the house, make dinner, and then check Twitter again and the same person is still talking about her.

She understand that people are interested in the show and she is grateful for that, but she has learned to not pay too much attention to the hate and truly likes Twitter, so she tries to keep it fun and not dark.  She also assured me that her sisters are not bullying on Twitter.

They are all busy with their kids and their husbands, and simply do not have the time to dedicate to Twitter in the way people think they do.  She enjoys Twitter and it makes her sad that so many people make it dark.  If you follow me on Twitter you know I’m going to agree on this one.

There are people on Twitter whose only job is to be on Twitter.  They stalk, bully, torment and actively try to destroy people and both their reputations and spirit.  There is a group of people on Twitter who hate her, but I have haters too so Twitter, while interesting, is not important here.

We spoke a lot about her husband Joe and I must tell you that when she talks about him you can feel her smile over the phone.  This is a woman in love with her husband.  She is old school in the way she views her husband and their marriage.  Talking about Joe was my favorite part.

Melissa says when Joe talks to you, he makes direct eye contact and all bets are off.  He is hypnotizing and magical.  She loves him, perhaps as much as I do.  She describes him as special and it is lovely. She told me she adores him and thanks Jesus for their marriage, which is solid.

It hurts her feelings when people say she is a gold digger because they built their life together.  She is his partner and proud of their life. She also says he wears the pants in their relationship and he is the king of the castle.  She is a throwback to another era in terms of her marriage.

Her and the kids are in love with Joe and when he speaks, they listen.  He is in charge and while she is no pushover, the final word on things is his and she likes it like that.  He protects her and her children and takes care of them physically, emotionally and spiritually.  He is the boss.

We also spoke about Melissa’s father, and hearing her speak of her dad made me want to cry.  Her pain is real and fresh even though he died when she was 17.  She misses him every day and is angry about the things he is missing.  She is also envious of her sisters time with him.

There is 10 and 12 years difference between her and her sisters, so they got to have their father walk them down the aisle when they were married, and he met their kids which makes her happy for her sisters, but sad for herself.  She saw him as a grandfather, but not to her own kids.

She believes her father watches over her, and so do I.  Joe supports her and her dreams in the same way her dad did which a great comfort to her. She is raising her children to love and respect their father as she did hers, and it is lovely.  The death of her dad has shaped who she is.

After we talked about her dad, we got to talking about family and of course Teresa came up.  I have done many interviews with reality television personalities and they are about the people not their shows, so while I appreciated that Melissa spoke about the show, I’m not going to.

This is an article about Melissa as a person, not a real housewife.  I don’t want you to think I am keeping any juicy news from you.  Melissa told me things about her coming on the show that we have all read in a million places, and that I’m not sure I believe, but what I think does not matter.

Melissa spoke at great length about her relationship with Teresa and I want to be clear that I did not ask specific questions, but she gave specific answers.  I like both Teresa and Melissa on the show for different reasons and it changes with each episode. I have flattered and battered both.

Melissa told me she is a believer in karma, which I found to be interesting. She also told me she has only seen one or two episodes of Teresa on Celebrity Apprentice. For someone who is so big into karma, she does not seem to worry about her own which is fascinating.

If we are to believe that family is the most important thing to her, I would expect her to be watching her sister-in-law on Celebrity Apprentice.  Even if they were not getting along, that would be an even bigger reason to watch her, because you are hoping she fails.

I do not believe that Melissa does not watch Celebrity Apprentice.  I do however question her motives in lying about it.  If she watches, she should be proud of her and say so.  If she is not watching, then her stories of their family being intact are not true and there is lots of tension.

I am not picking sides and I am not that interested or invested.  I’m simply saying that there are pieces missing in her story about Teresa and if I were a gossip columnist I would report them, but I’m not.  I am writing about Melisa as a wife and mother.  From that perspective, I really like her.

I asked Melissa to tell me three words that best describe her and she used loyal, impulsive and friendly.  She also said she was sassy and a chameleon.  She said she can have dinner with the President of the United States and a homeless person, and find a way to talk to them both.

Love or hate her on the show, Melissa Gorga is charming.  The love she has for her family is epic and so in that way she is just like Teresa.  There are two camps when it comes to Mel and Tre and I understand opinions from both sides.  At the end of the day we don’t see everything.

Can we see a few hours in the life of these people, read a few magazines, follow them on Twitter, and know what the real story is?  Not a chance.  We know about these people what Bravo wants us to know and only the people living these lives can tell us what is going on in their lives.

I interviewed Teresa and I liked her.  I interviewed Melissa and I liked her too.  It’s not my job to pick a side, and while as a fan I have a side, it’s not my job.  At the end of the day Melissa Gorga is a mom and a wife, trying to do the best she can under intense scrutiny and judgment.

The upcoming season will be interesting and I’m sure Melissa will give out a few more “exclusive” interviews before it starts.  We will and pick a side, but that is what reality television demands of us.  If the commercials are any indication of what’s to come, sides will form quickly.

I am going to watch the new season and I will blog it for as long as I can stand to watch.  I wish Melissa well with the show and I am happy she is there.  She is a nice girl, caught up in a big life and that is exciting and scary.  I thank her for taking the time to talk to me.

Melissa is a sweet girl and I think she is doing the best she can under a lot of pressure.  Fame is enticing and it can take some time to understand how it all works.  I think once she gets into the swing of it, people will see that she was not mean, but simply misguided.

Once the season begins I will be unkind at some point, because I am a fan and get sucked in.  I will be honest, and I will change my mind often.  At the end of the day, regardless of the show, I like Melissa Gorga.  She puts herself on display and for the most part, keeps it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

30 Comments — Leave your comment

April 11, 2012 | 8:27 am

Shahs Of Sunset – Poppa Can You Hear Me?

Posted by Ilana Angel

It’s a drag this season is only 6 shows because we are just starting to get into it and they will be gone.  It’s been interesting to meet these people and I hope when they return for season two, Ryan Seacrest lets go of the fake situations and just lets it flow.  These people are good television and they don’t need lame reality scripting.  We’re in Ryan, so respect us.  Let these fascinating people do their thing and let us watch.

This week starts with GG and Asa shopping together, which is ridiculous.  I’m not buying for one second that these two hang out and the awkwardness of GG makes it all painfully clear.  These forced situations are boring and just not needed.  They hate how each other dresses so how can this be enjoyable for them?  These two grabbing a drink would have been weird, so shopping is just too much. It’s cliché one liners from GG and nothing from Asa.

Reza’s mom is over visiting him and let’s be clear, this man is a star.  He is articulate, authentic, and oddly attractive.  From the facial hair, to the insane amount of product in his hair, this man is simply delicious and I love him.  He is reminiscing with his mom and it’s very sweet but sad.  She is a Muslim, and his dad is a Jew who converted to Islam to marry her.  It is a very sad scene but also riveting and impossible to turn away from.

His mom loved her husband, he cheated on her, and it was painful.  The pressures of religion were stressful and a family was torn apart.  She is clearly still scarred by it all and says she had a nervous breakdown after the divorce.  Reza is crying for the family he never got to have, she is crying for the family that she lost, and I am crying as I watch a grown man relive the pain of his childhood, and a mother weep for the pain of her child.

Sadly we jump from Reza and his beautiful mom to GG planning for a girls night out.  I really like her but she is very one dimensional and insanely predictable.  She is going out for ladies night and lets the camera know nobody better get in her face.  Really?  We know she is going to fight with someone so this whole badass persona she has going on is just silly.  There is more to GG and it’s a drag we are not getting to see it.

The girls are out for dinner and quite frankly, it is stupid because they are not all friends, and the ones who actually know each other have tension.  This group would never hang out for dinner so it’s disrespectful to us that Ryan thinks we are buying this scripted crap.  Everyone is having fun, there is no drama, and then GG decides she needs to confront MJ at dinner after she just said she will find an appropriate time to address her issues with her.

Dear Lord. It’s fake and I’m bored.  Why would GG confront MJ for coming late to her parent’s party in front of this group?  MJ is saying she was working, which I’m not buying.  MJ has a very complicated life between work and her parents and she was late.  It happens and GG needs to relax.  Asa gets involved, Asa’s friend Sunny gets involved, and Anita is chomping at the bit to get involved.  Anita wants to be a Shah, but she’s not.

Anita then confronts MJ about what happened in Vegas a million years ago. GG jumps on the bandwagon and says MJ was wrong in Vegas.  GG is supposed to be friends with MJ, but she is throwing her under the bus, which is gross. They are talking about Vegas and Sunny says GG is mean, Asa agrees, and the kabob is hitting the fan.  Sunny is on her feet telling GG she is not a nice human being and a mean girl.  GG then crosses all lines.

Sunny is telling her she is not nice and GG tells her she should go prostitute herself to make a few dollars.  It’s not entertaining, but then it just gets funny when GG tells the camera the last thing she wanted for the night was drama.  Really?  GG is all about the drama and it’s not cute.  Asa is annoyed and embarrassed.  She comes back to tell GG she was wrong. Then leaves with her friend.  Asa is calm and kind, but not authentic.

Asa is a beautiful girl who dances to her own beat and I love that about her. That said, there is something that simply does not ring true about her.  How does she live the life she lives?  I assume her Dad supports her, yet she seems to be judgmental of GG who does the same.  GG owns that she is spoiled and supported by her parents, but Asa keeps it quiet which is not cool.  Diamond water is not paid for by her music career.

GG is retelling the story of girls night to her sister and I’m skipping over it because it’s lame and boring.  MJ goes to see Sammy and she gets her birthday gift.  I like MJ and I like Sammy but this entire scene was just not needed.  It was out of place, and was a time filler to set up the trip to NY with Reza.  MJ says Sammy needs to settle down and meet a nice girl, which I guess is a set up for something next week in the finale.

Reza is going to see his dad after being estranged for years.  His dad left LA when he was a teenager and he has not had contact.  The father left not only the mother, but his child.  Reza lets us know his paternal grandmother is a million years old and the reason the marriage did not work. The conversion to Islam was too much for her and she contributed to the end of the marriage. Reza is going in with an open but broken heart.

Sidebar:  MJ talks about how she has been best friends with Sammy for 20 years, yet tells Reza the Shabbat dinner in New York will be her first.  How is it possible that her best friend, who is Jewish, would never in twenty years invite her to Shabbat dinner?  It seems odd to me that a group that claims to be so close, would not share something as basic but important as a Shabbat dinner.  Not sure why, but that bothers me.

MJ and Reza arrive to dinner and as they get ready to go in to see his family, Reza tells MJ to have his back and if they start to go after him, she needs to save him.  It is heartbreaking.  This grown man is scared and nervous and I want to hug him and tell him it will be okay.  The family embraces him and it’s awkward but lovely and once again this show is making me cry.  Reza sees his dad and I am bawling my eyes out.

Reza is nervous and it’s very sad.  They show the grandmother and I just think it’s mean.  This woman is very old, clearly unaware of the smack talk, and I think it’s unfortunate that they are showing her at all.  She is ancient, loved her son, and was broken when he left her faith.  It was a different time and a different place and while that does not make it right, it was unkind to humiliate her in this way.  I didn’t like it.

Reza takes his dad out for a private conversation and I have now gone into a full blown ugly cry.  Reza’s dad is trying to explain his mistakes and Reza is crying and begging for him to love him.  They are both emotional and it’s very sad.  Reza is telling his dad he hates his grandmother, but the fact is he will under understand the pressure that was placed on everyone in this family.  The pain is deep and it is upsetting.

Reza hugs his dad and tells him he loves him.  MJ pushes them to embrace like they mean it, which is really sweet.  It’s sad because we see Reza’s pain, we see MJ’s pain, and we see how fragile families are.  You can have all the love in the world but even that is not enough to hold families together sometimes.  I feel exhausted after this episode and really hoping they come back next season without the crapfest and just the reality.

Next week will be the season finale and it’s a drag.  There has been a lot of controversy around this show in terms of how it depicts the Persian community, but if you can look beyond that, these are interesting people, living interesting lives.  They are good television and giving us only 6 weeks is not fair.  We need to get them back and it needs to happen quickly.  Shahs of Sunset is reality television that actually tries to keep it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

10 Comments — Leave your comment

April 9, 2012 | 8:33 pm

Celebrity Apprentice – Lou is Finally Fired

Posted by Ilana Angel

Last week this show went from slow and boring to fabulous, so hopes are high they keep it going.  Aubrey ran off like a spoiled kid, while Arsenio lost his mind.  Lisa took credit for everything, and Dayana was once again punished for being beautiful.  I am reinvested, ready for more, and really hoping someone punches Aubrey in the face.  Just kidding.

This week starts with Arsenio still fuming about Aubrey.  He is spot on and I’m digging it.  Arsenio calls Aubrey a bitch and a whore and Lisa gets pissed off and says it’s rude.  Really?  The filthiest female comic in the world is upset he called her a bitch and a whore?  She is telling Arsenio every woman in America is going to hate him for using that language.

News flash Lisa, we freaking LOVE Arsenio for calling Aubrey out and we think you are a bitch a whore.  Lou and Dayana come in and when Lisa sees that Debbie has been fired she loses her mind again.  She tells them both they are stupid losers and storms off.  Lisa is a nightmare.  She is low class, ignorant, and ridiculous.  She is not good television.

Sadly Aubrey gets over her silliness and comes back.  I was so hopeful she would bail.  She is talking about being bullied by Arsenio and Clay, and it’s lame.  She was a bitch and got called on it.  That’s not bullying, but she is a complete moron so you can’t blame her for not knowing what bullying is. Teresa is PM for her team, and Dayana is leading hers.

Aubrey confronts Arsenio, lets him know she was hurt by what he said, and tells him she is a fan.  He says he’s a man for admitting he was wrong, but he doesn’t admit he was wrong.  It was funny and totally fake.  They hate each other and it was painfully insincere.  Over with the others, Penn needs to go to another gig and Lisa is pissed she is stuck with morons.

The editing on this show sucks.  The continuity is non-existent and you have to wonder exactly how much here is fake.  I’m guessing about 99.9%.  They need to do a commercial for Entertainment.com, which is a fun task.  Sidebar: Teresa Guidice is fabulous on this show.  She is beautiful and the other real housewives of New Jersey must be pissed about it.

Lou is pissed that as an actor, he was not selected to be in the commercial. Hilarious.  I don’t get why they feel the need to do sub-titles for some of his lines.  We understand him and it’s not nice.  Lou is trying to help direct but they are not into his suggestions.  It’s so predictable.  They are annoyed with him, they will lose, and he will be the one to go.

Paul is made up to look like a regular guy and it’s strange to see him that way. He looks handsome and I love him for jumping in and doing what needs to be done.  Teresa is digging saying action as the director and Aubrey is throwing her under the bus to the camera, but smiling to her face.  Aubrey O’Day is evil and if she had a career, her time on this show would kill it.

Lou is still talking about how he wanted to be in the commercial.  He is sweet, but enough already with the broken record.  Lou needs simply stop talking.  He’s so totally getting the boot that watching this feels like a waste and I want to fast forward over the task and get to the boardroom.  I could never blog this show live because I need to skip a lot.

Lisa is working well with Dayana, so she has no choice but to bag on Lou.  Lou tells Dayana if he didn’t like the commercial he would tell her, and assures he like it.  He then tells the camera that he does not like it.  It’s so obvious he is going home that it’s not really fun to watch.  I am an hour in and all I want to do it go to the boardroom because I’m bored.

The presentations happen and we see both commercials.  Teresa’s team has a video based on sexual innuendos.  It’s funny and cute but Aubrey is painful and it’s a shame they cast her because she is nauseating.  Dayan’s video is super cute but Lou is bitching, Aubrey is bitching, Lisa is bitching, and it is now so clear Lou is being fired that I’m annoyed.

Dayana is proud of her team, but when asked who the weakest link is, she says it is Lou.  Surprise!  Lisa says Lou was useless and Dayana was great.  Lou then goes over the edge.  He says Lisa is lucky to be a woman because if she was a man he’d throw her out the window.  Lisa tells him to not threaten her, but Ivanka calls her out on being mean to Lou.

Lisa denies she calls Lou a loser, and they are going at it.  Lisa says Lou needs to get ready for an elevator ride, which I thought was an awesome line.  Nobody is willing to admit they heard Lisa call Lou a loser, but they all did. I love a woman with balls but Lisa is not ballsy as much as she is bitter, angry, negative and nasty.  She is just not nice.

Clay says Teresa is the nicest woman on his team, which we all know.  Apart from the fact that Aubrey is a rotten child and not a woman, Teresa is doing well and handling herself in a way that is surprising to those who watch her on Housewives.  I am a huge fan, and I was not always, but she is rocking it and I hope she is in the finals.  Time will tell.

Teresa says she will bring the entire team back into the boardroom because everyone was excellent and there was no week link. Aubrey looks constipated, then annoyed when Ivanka calls her out for taking over and answering questions for Teresa when she should have shut up.  I dig Ivanka Trump and love it when she throws out Jewish lingo.

Trump asks why Dayana did not use her team in the commercial, and Penn says he was too old.  Trump plays a long and says he hates “those people”, referring to older men with younger women.  I love me some Donald Trump.  He’s great television.  Not at all Presidential, but he is good television.  Lou tells Trump the other team did a better job.

It is a desperate and insane way to try to save himself, and the whole thing is sad because Lou just looks like a fool.  I wanted him to do well because I love the idea of him, but in the end the idea of Lou Ferrigno is better than the real Lou Ferrigno.  Watching Lisa beat up on Lou is depressing and I think was wrong in terms of the editing.

Lisa is humiliating and embarrassing him and I think he deserved a little more respect.  You can’t edit out that he is a bit of an idiot, but he made himself look bad so having Lisa beat him up was just not nice.  Lisa is a bitter shrew and I want her to go down in flames.  FYI, her make-up is brutal.  I’m guessing Gibson left her make-up bag behind.

Trump calls out Lou for saying the other team was better, and Lou is trying to take it back.  The boardroom is an hour which is stupid.  There is no reason this show should be two hours.  In the end Teresa wins $60K.  The bad news is that we now need to watch Lou get beat up for another twenty minutes, which is going to be gross.

The public beating of Lou continues.  Lisa is a pig.  Paul says he does not want to work with Lisa so you know he going to be moved to her team next week to make it even.  Penn says Lou did not work too hard, Dayana says Lou did not work too hard, but Lisa is calling him out as a useless human being and I have no respect for her and never will.

Penn is safe.  Dayana, Lou and Lisa are up for firing.  Lou knows he is going home and tells Dayana and Lisa it was a pleasure working with them.  Dayana says nothing, which is rude and mean.  Lisa does not care about what he says and rather than accept his generosity towards her, she is rude and abrasive, confirming she is a classless pig.

Lou has been talking for weeks about how is hearing loss is not a factor and he does not want to be judged on it, yet now he is saying he takes longer to understand things because of it.  It was sad.  He was pulling the deaf card when he needed the sympathy and it did not sit well since he’s been fighting against it for weeks.  I feel bad for him.

Lisa calls out the manipulation of his hearing issues, and Lou is saying her profanity is uncalled for.  Lisa can’t get over his being there when he does nothing, and Lou can’t get over her calling him a loser on national television. Lou says Trump should fire Lisa, then changes it to Dayana being fired, as she was the Project Manager.

Trump fires Lou for being disloyal and Lou asks him to take it back because he does not want to be fired.  It’s heartbreaking.  He leaves without hugs to anyone and I’m not sure why, but it made me want to cry.  This show was not great for Lou.  In the end his turning on his team was more about hurting them, than it was about keeping it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

8 Comments — Leave your comment

April 6, 2012 | 11:51 am

An Open Letter to Bethenny Frankel

Posted by Ilana Angel

Dear Ms. Frankel,

My name is Ilana Angel and I am a writer for The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles.  I write a blog about my life and worldview called “Keeping the Faith”, and a blog about reality television called “Keeping it Real”.  As you know, I write about you a lot.  I know you know because you are talking about me. The world is small, we know people in common, and so it makes sense I would hear things about you and I assume you hear things about me too. I think we would both agree that we are very aware of each other.

As a bit of a back story, I met you years ago while working at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills.  I watched you on Martha Stewart’s Celebrity Apprentice, then on the Real Housewives of New York City. I was a fan, and on those early years on RHONYC you were charming, funny, entertaining and great television.  I’m not sure when or what it was exactly that things changed for me in terms of how I viewed you, but at some point you stopped being funny and started to be obnoxious.

You have lost many fans over the years, which I imagine does not matter to you since you picked up more than you lost.  The thing is though, the fans from the beginning are the ones, like myself, who liked you when you had nothing.  We were your fans not because you sold us something, but because we wanted you to get to the place where you could sell us something.  We are not Kool-Aid drinking fans who think you care about us because we buy your stuff.  We liked you before you had so much stuff.

With your success, which is impressive, you have become mean and rather vulgar.  I am of the opinion that it’s too bad because when you were uncensored you were fabulous, but there is a thin line between racy and fun and vulgar and mean.  I no longer find you appealing to watch, but I do because I am paid to, and because I keep waiting for you to settle into your fame and fortune and get back to who you were before you became this new Bethenny.  I could be wasting my time, but whatever, I’m waiting.

I think you have been lying about a lot of things and have written as much. Your stories simply do not make sense to me, and while I am smart and educated, it does not take a scientist to put together the pieces of your stories and see that they do not add up.  From tales of your dad, your mom, your childhood, your relationships, your education, and your fame, there is something that simply does not make sense.  That said, it’s just my opinion and clearly has no impact on you or your life, or me and my life.

I like reality television and make a living writing about it.  I am not a hobby blogger, but rather someone who is employed as a writer.  I have an opinion and I share it.  I understand the game of reality television, don’t take too much of it seriously, and appreciate it as a form of entertainment.  It would appear however, that you take my writing more seriously than I take your show, so perhaps it’s time for us to talk about it.  Let’s see if you are ready for a little dose of reality into your reality television life.

On your show last week, you said that the “tow boat guy” spoke to “The Journal” and he lied.  Well, I am the writer who spoke with Tim Russell after he “saved” you, and I don’t think he was lying.  Of course I have only spoke to him and not you so it’s one sided, but this was a lovely man who was clear with his story and his opinion, and he said you lied.  Immediately after he spoke with me, you placed a gag order on him so he could not speak with me or anyone else again.  That spoke volumes about you, not him.

He was adamant that there was no emergency, you fabricated your lost at sea story, and I believed him.  Rather than call me to say it was not true, you put a gag order on him and made no attempt to set the record straight.  Now, having seen the episode of your boat trip, it would appear that it was really not a dangerous situation as much as annoying.  Why would you work so hard to hurt this man and his reputation?  If he lied then so what?  You say people lie about you all the time, where are all those gag orders?

It seems that you are able to have opinions on everyone, but nobody is able to have an opinion about you.  This man had a lot of details about your trip, and I spoke with him at great length, in addition to speaking with the Coast Guard, and the fact is Bethenny, you were never in danger.  It was an unfortunate experience that was made up for television, or perhaps was not made up for TV but simply a case of the doctor not being that talented of a sailor.  Either way, you set up this story to crumble.

You are on your show talking about how people are trying to set you up to be caught in a lie but come on, it’s not that hard.  You have lied about your mom, your dad, your childhood, your road to success, and your friendships.  People lie.  The issue here is that you are believing your own lies and it makes you look like a compulsive liar, not a woman who is being screwed over by those who are envious of her success and want to tear her down.  I can assure you I am not one of those people.

I write about reality television and someone who had an issue with you contacted me and I wrote about it.  I am not out for blood as you told your therapist, I am just writing what was told to me.  It is not envy driven criticism, it is simply spelling out the story of Tim Russell, and he was there. You are on your show ripping him apart and it’s not nice.  You are worried about your credibility, but this man has been working on the sea for 30 years and you don’t seem to mind killing his credibility.

If I am going to be completely honest, I dig you Bethenny.  You have overcome a lot of heartache and struggle to create a life for yourself that is full.  You are a mother and how you view your own mom is shaping what kind of mother you are to your own child.  There are weeks when I want to scream at you to stop lying, and others when I want to hug you and tell you I am proud of you.  At the end of the day that is the reality of reality television I suppose.  I would have sat back and done my job, but you have now brought me in.

I don’t get paid more if I write about you, and the only one getting rich off of you is your mother.  You are talking on your show about how you are going to go after everyone who lies about you, but I have yet to hear from you.  I broke the story about Tim Russell and many outlets picked it up, yet you have not written to me to say it was not true, only put a gag order on Tim Russell. Who by the way insists you did not tip him or appreciate his generous gesture of coming out to get a boat that was not in danger.

Could he be disgruntled?  Of course.  Could he be lying?  Absolutely.  Let’s talk about it.  I invite you to get in touch wit me and I will happily share with you what was shared with me, and you can set the record straight.  I am happy to have that conversation with you and your husband.  I resent you telling everyone I am a liar when you have not proven in any way that what I wrote was a lie.  If I was wrong, I will print a retraction.  I will let everyone know I was wrong, and Tim Russell was not honest when he spoke to me.

Until you stand up for yourself with me, his story stands, and my opinions stand.  I don’t understand why you are on your show clearly talking about me, yet what you are saying is again not ringing true.  You are saying you are going to stop bloggers from writing lies about you, you are clearly referring to my blog, but I have not heard from you.  I am here, I am willing to talk to you, and I am willing to say I was wrong if I was.  If you are serious about wanting people to know the truth, then get in touch and tell the truth.

I am not out to hurt you Bethenny and I’m certainly not getting rich by writing about you.  I am a single mother in my 40’s who is working hard, searching for love, and trying to do it all with my faith in tact.  Rather than hating me for hating you, perhaps you need to stop being a victim and realize there is no hate in sharing an opinion, and you have the power to set the record straight.  Get in touch, or don’t, but stop attacking me for doing my job.  I have done nothing but share a man’s story, and my opinions.

Not everyone is going to like you, or respect you, but more importantly, not everyone is out to get you, or is jealous of you.  Some people, like myself, are happy for you and wish you well, but are tired of the vulgarity, the lies, and the victim stories.  The important thing for you to know is that even when we don’t like you, we are on your side, and you could probably win a few of us back.  I think I’m officially out, but I will listen and again, if I was wrong, I will say so.  I am a writer, and my reputation is based on keeping it real.

Sincerely,

Ilana Angel
jewishjournal.com

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

36 Comments — Leave your comment

April 5, 2012 | 4:29 pm

The Watch What Happens Live Hour of Garbage

Posted by Ilana Angel

Has Andy Cohen lost his mind?  He is a really charming man and I appreciate all he has done for Bravo, but this hour of television was a complete and total train wreck.  It was 60 minutes of ass kissing and sucking up and I watched out of shock, not interest.  This was an embarrassment.

I really just do not get the purpose of this show and if we are going to be totally honest with each other, it was stupid.  It was not made for us fans at home, but rather for them as fans of each other, which is weird because they all love themselves but are clearly embarrassed of each other.

You could tell that some people were annoyed to not be featured on the show.  By some of course I mean everyone who did not get face time on camera with Andy.  It was like a popularity contest.  Who does Andy like the best?  Who gets to talk to him?  Who is he going to ignore?

They showed new shows that will premier in the coming weeks and honestly, I’m not sure any will be winners.  I will watch, at least once, but time will tell if they are interesting enough to get all of us to come back. Bravo is a reality television factory that produces 24 hours a day.

We need to figure out if it is a state of the art factory with air conditioning and good lighting, or if the factory needs to be shut down for subpar products.  I love reality TV but this show did not excite me about the shows as much as it embarrassed me for admitting I watch them.

The new shows are Gallery Girls, Decades, SUR, Silicon Valley, Miss Advised, and The Kandi Factory.  I could tell you what they are all about but I fear if I actually give them any thought my head might explode.  You’re all on your own with these new train wrecks.  I need an intervention.

Andy does a contest between east coast and west coast housewives and it made me want to punch things.  By things of course I mean housewives.  We meet the 3 new housewives of NYC and learn they are interesting, but we see Jill would have been great in new mix.

This is an hour long commercial for Bravo where there has been nothing entertaining or exciting.  It would have been better to not have all the people there, but rather just show us clips of the news shows and trailers of the ones coming up.  Bravo does not get us.

The show took a sad turn when the stars of Top Chef played a game with Andy.  I love this show and they have always been above the garbage level of the others, yet here they are making fools out of themselves.  In the end even gorgeous Tom is just another fame whore.

The much hyped “live” singing of Melissa Gorga and Countless are nothing more than lip syncing karaoke performances.  The singing was mortifying and after Melissa sang the camera shows Tabitha and her look of total confusion pretty much said it all.  She was disgusted.

This show was a complete waste of time and left me annoyed.  The viewers are making this network rich, yet they treat us like we are stupid.  They need to give us our garbage TV and save their love fest for themselves.  There was no reason to put this “party” on TV.

I could have spent this hour doing much more interesting things.  Like watching my hair grow, or taking out the trash.  Andy needs to spend less time using his network to entertain his friends and more time entertaining his viewers.  Time to put down the cocktails and start keeping it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
LIKE ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

8 Comments — Leave your comment

April 4, 2012 | 7:57 am

Shahs of Sunset: Colonic Anyone?

Posted by Ilana Angel

We start this week with Reza going over to GG’s for lunch. She is pretty and Reza is divine, but it felt a little too scripted to me.  I’m not sure if Bravo or Reza scripted it, but he got out of having to go the anniversary party of GG’s parents, and we were stuck watching an awkward exchange.

GG collects knives, likes to shoot guns, and has an apartment full of books on anger management.  It’s funny I suppose, but the scene was silly in my opinion.  Sammy is off to see Mohamed who is back.  I dig Sammy.  He is trying to impress Mohamud and it’s cute.  Again, the scene was not needed.

GG is out for lunch with her dad, who seems lovely.  He is telling her she needs to curb her spending, which is odd since he is the one who created this life for her.  She was a little disrespectful to her dad in telling him since her bills comes to his house, he is responsible to pay for them.  Not too nice.

GG tells us her parents have threatened to cut her off and I wonder why they just don’t.  GG needs to get a job and a therapist.  There is clearly more to her anger issues, and her dependency on her parents, but I like this girl.  I’m sure we’ll learn more, but even with what we know now, I like her.

Reza is over at MJ’s to walk the dogs.  MJ blames her parents for how their choices affected her, and Reza is looking to reconnect with his estranged father and wants MJ to go with him.  I love MJ and appreciate what she is saying.  I love Reza and hope his dad does good by him.

Reza thinks he is obese, and MJ needs to lose weight.  They have a history that spans decades and how they speak to, and about each other, is hilarious.  We see their truly authentic friendship and it’s fabulous.  I don’t think either one is obese, but I’m laughing out loud that they do.

GG and her sister go to buy their parents a car for their 40th anniversary. Her sister used to date Mike, is not as pretty as GG, and seems a little bitchy, but we are seeing her for 2 minutes so it’s impossible to know how she really is.  That said, in our first meeting she’s not that appealing.

Mohamed is back and Sammy is giving him a tour of what he did when he was gone.  Mohamed is hardcore and intimidating.  He is also oddly attractive, but if he cut his hair he’d be much better looking. Mohamed calls out Sammy for calling him anal and Sammy just rolls with it.

Asa is talking about her music and again, I just don’t get her.  She is beautiful, sweet and kind, but a little odd. I think it’s weird that she does not talk about how she can afford her lifestyle.  She owns a home, drives a nice car, and makes diamond water so is she also bankrolled by Daddy?

I like her music and if I understood the words I might like it better, but she is not willing to bend her artistic vision so one can assume she is a bit of snob, who is only working for the Persian community, and does not need to worry because her dad will cover her.  She should come clean.

Sidebar:  People wrote me to say MJ’s mom Vida was an anti-Semite who bashed Jewish women and were upset I did not call her out.  I think she is old, sad, bitter, and misunderstood.  On some level she hates her life, not Jews, and is there for controversy not comic relief.

Vida is over at MJ’s for her 34th birthday dinner with Reza.  They live in the same building which is fascinating.  Vida is difficult and I find myself stressed watching her.  One never knows what she will say and it’s nerve wracking.  Reza says Vida is the type of mother who eats her young.

I love Reza.  Vida has been alone for a long time and she is bitter. She is also very pretty.  Reza is sweet with Vida, and tells her she is excited to go and see his dad in New York.  There is a lot of pain for Reza and the visit is going to be intense.  Speaking of intense, here goes Vida!

Vida tells Reza what happened between his parents has nothing to do with him and he needs to let it go.  Vida says it’s okay for Reza’s dad to be a playboy and cheat around, then tells Reza to not put his dad in a cage and let him cheat.  MJ is mortified and Reza looks at her like she is crazy.

MJH shares that her mother cheated on her father and it’s sad.  Vida does not realize that the choices she made for herself have altered the life of her child and it’s sad.  I love MJ and find myself feeling sad for Vida.  She will never change so all MJ can do it love her, which is also sad.

Sammy buys some diamond stud earrings for MJ’s birthday and it’s a sweet gift.  They are very close friends and he loves her.  To Sammy, my birthday is on Saturday so let me know when we should go shopping.  This scene was about showing the spending of money and had no real value.

MJ and Reza are having birthday colonics and it’s hilarious.  Reza thinks it will help MJ lose weight.  The entire colonic scene reminds me of Lucy and Ethel.  Reza could carry his own show, and when he is on the table getting flushed, he looks really handsome which is simply weird.

With each passing week we get to know these people more, well the side of them Bravo wants us to see, and I like them.  They are authentic people, who are part of a community and culture I am not familiar with, but they make me want to know more which is good.

Reza is on a blind date with someone described as the best looking man ever, and all I can say is really?  He is a child, not at all attractive, and I simply do not believe his real name is Cheyanne. He is lacking in personality and a sense of humor and I don’t get it.

Reza is 38, this kid is barely legal, and I feel Reza’s pain.  We’ve all been on horrible dates and you can’t help but laugh.  He was brave to do it on camera and even braver to sit through the whole thing. Camera or not I might have bailed. Reza’s got balls and I applaud him.

It’s the anniversary party for GG’s parents.  She looks very pretty and the party is lovely.  Her mother is stunning and her parents make a beautiful couple.  The girls give them the car and the reaction is funny.  Mommy is thrilled and Daddy realizes he must have paid for his own gift.

Mike turns up to the party and lets just take a moment to say yummy.  Asa also shows up which is nice.  By nice of course I mean scripted. Asa and GG are not friends so it’s weird she was even invited.  Asa is recognized by some of the party guests, so now we know whey she is there.

MJ is hours late and GG is going on about her anger issues.  There has got to be something big coming up that is going to explain the anger build up, but it’s boring already.  GG has anger issues, we get it.  Show us something or move on.  MJ was so late she should have not gone.

MJ comes and says she was busy and could not get there, then gives a dig to GG about having a real job.  GG is fuming, MJ is oblivious to how rude she is, but GG will let her know at another time.  Something big is coming and it’s going to be good.  It might be sad, but it will also be good.

Next week we see the visit with Reza and his dad, and yet another blow out from GG.  I love this show and dig these people, but Bravo needs to give us what we want and not drag it along.  We are watching, we are in it, we’re not leaving, and we can take it, so stop teasing and keep it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
LIKE ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

11 Comments — Leave your comment

April 3, 2012 | 7:28 pm

Dancing With The Stars Gets Personal

Posted by Ilana Angel

This week is about the stars dancing to a song from a memorable year for them.  It is sappy and dramatic, everyone cries telling their personal stories, and the sympathy vote is put into play.  Some were actually quite touching, but others were hilarious.  Sorry, but come on! This was some funny stuff.

Jack Wagner:  He is crying and talking about how his adult daughter, who he did not know existed, found him last year.  He is crying and it’s gross.  He is going to dance to one of his own songs, then dedicates it to her because he loves her so much.  The song starts with a line about how their kiss gets him going.  Interesting song selection. He is an overly animated dancer and I am hoping to see Heather Locklear come to watch, but he needs to go.

Maria Menounos: She talks about how her parents were Greek immigrants and they worked cleaning nightclubs at night.  They would take the kids to work because they could not afford a babysitter.  She says when she was cleaning she would find quarters and put them in the jukebox and dance to Madonna.  Are their jukeboxes in nightclubs?  Made no sense, but the dance was beautiful.  She is a great dancer and painfully annoying to listen to.

Gladys Knight:  She picks 1957, she was 13, and it was the first tour for her and the Pips.  She dances to a song by Sam Cook, who was on her tour.  She is a legend, an entertainer, and a brilliant voice.  I really like her as an artist and as a person.  She looks pretty, but she will stay because she is Gladys Knight, not because she is a brilliant dancer.  I met her at the taping last week and this woman is divine.  I ain’t got nothing but love for her.

Roshon Fegan:  This is a cute kid.  He picks a Michael Jackson song from 1996.  I met him last week and he was beyond lovely to my 10 year old guest. He is a great dancer, his number was fun, and while I have absolutely no idea who this kid is, I like him and hope he sticks around because he’s doing great.

Gavin Degraw:  He picks a Billy Joel song from a concert he saw in 1998, which is when he moved to NYC to be a singer.  He speaks of how he was struggling and his dad came to see him and helped him get a gig.  It’s a lovely story, and he is very sweet.  I really like his personality and I think he is charming.  He was bottom two last week, but nailed it this week. I think he’s in the bottom because of lack of recognition, not because he sucks.

Sidebar:  Brooke Burke is a horrible MC.  She is awkward and weird and all she does every week is embarrass herself not enhance this show in any way. I have said it from her very first show and will say it again now:  she does not belong here and is not needed.  Tom rocks this show all by himself and they should dump her.  She is beautiful and very sweet, but she can go.

Katherine Jenkins: She picks 1996, when she was 15 years old, and her father passed away from cancer.  It was a heartbreaking story, a beautiful dance, and while I had not known of her before this show, I love her now. There is something really special about her.  She is talented, beautiful, charming and lovely.  I cried through her entire video and song.  I hope she will be in the finals, where she will have my vote.

Sherri Shepherd:  Sherri picks the year her son was born and Dear Lord I am crying again.  I am in awe of parents who have children who are ill and to hear Sherri spoke of her son is moving.  I’m crying, clapping, loving her dance, and loving when she went over to kiss her baby.  I am giving Sherri a vote and cheering her on.  Last week at the taping she was the nicest of the stars and really lovely to my young guest.  She is also a peanut!  Very, very short with killer boobs.

Melissa Gilbert:  She picks last year when she broke her back while on tour with Little House on the Prairie, The Musical.  Really?  That musical is enough for me to kick her off.  That and her dancing sucks.  I’m not a fan and think she should be the one to go.  Plus I think Max is an ass.

Jaleel White:  The rumor mill is saying that at rehearsal this week Jaleel stepped on Kym’s foot and then lost it on her.  He allegedly called her an idiot and asked producers why he was paired with such a stupid partner. Really?  If there is even a sliver of truth to this story then beyond my wanting him to go, he should be asked to leave.  Ungrateful schmuck.  His crying about wanting to entertain people was lame and I am over him.

William Levy:  He chose 1995 as his most memorable year because it’s when he left Cuba for America.  I love him.  LOVE HIM.  He danced beautifully, sang along to the words, showed his chest, and was perfect.  I love the American dream, he is living it, and he got my vote.  Bravo William.  Bruno hitting on him with his bedroom eyes was a perfect reality television moment, and William’s look of confusion and fear was even better.

Donald Driver:  He picked 2010, when his best friend died of cancer.  His dance was divine, he looked handsome, and you could feel the importance of the dance for him.  I love him and it’s not just because the Green Bay Packers are the greatest football team ever.  It was a brilliant job and he got a vote from me.

This was a really good week.  In the end it was Jack Wagner who got the boot, and I’m good with that.  We will continue to eliminate the weak and the strong will rise to the top.  I love this show.  It’s fabulous when a reality show is real.  Let’s also hope America uses her votes to keep it real.

FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER HERE
LIKE ME ON FACEBOOK HERE

4 Comments — Leave your comment