July 20, 2010 | 9:16 am

Online Dating Hell - A Gold Medal Winner For Worst Date Ever

Posted by Ilana Angel

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I had a date last night with an interesting man.  By interesting, of course I mean that this guy is a gold medal winner for most disgusting date ever.  He could write a book on what not to do on a date.  It was the type of date that makes you wonder if dating is even worth the trouble.

We met for a drink, and I was happy to see that he not only looked like his online picture, but he was honest about his height and age.  He was on time, dressed nicely, had a great smile, and my initial impression was that maybe, just maybe, I would have a good date.

We order drinks, and as he is talking to me about his work, he belched.  Not a small little belch, but a real, authentic burp that was loud enough for people to look over.  He said nothing, and kept talking as if he had not just had horrible manners.  I was in shock and didn’t know how to react.

Cut to a few minutes later, when he does it again.  This time I asked if he was okay, and suggested we get him a glass of water, thinking a sip of something flat would help since he was drinking a beer.  He stared at me with a look of confusion as if I was the one being rude.  I think he was honestly offended.

Over the next 30 minutes, he proceeded to burp about another dozen times.  People are now looking and laughing.  The waitress is mortified and can’t come to our table without giggling.  I want to crawl under the table and slip away, but instead I sit there, being a lady, and knowing this will make the blog.

Just as I think the date cannot get any worse, he farts.  Not a subtle little toot, but a full on passing of the wind.  I cannot control myself and blurt out “Are you kidding me with the burping and farting?”  He tells me that releasing gas is important and he does not like to hold it in. He says people would be happier if they farted and burped more.

Even if you are a firm believer in releasing gas whenever and wherever is needed, how do you not have the manners to say excuse me?  You simply must know that not everyone views it as you do, and there is going to be some unfavorable opinions.  It’s common sense buddy.

I’m looking at him with a look of complete surprise on my face, and he responds to my expression with,  “You look like maybe you need to pass gas. Just fart. You’ll feel better.”  He ends his speech giving me permission, by releasing a great big gas bubble in the form of yet another burp.  I am now praying I get out without seeing someone I know.

I tell him I had a great time and need to go.  He tells me it was great to meet me and he would love to take me out again.  I’m thinking not in a million years would I go out with him again, and at the same time I know my teenage son would think this guy was hilarious.  I get up and walk out thinking that it may just be impossible for me to have a good date.

Another one bites the dust.  I will never understand how he thinks his burping and farting is acceptable on a date.  Even more fascinating, is the thought of what he must think is cool in private.  I’m giving this guy the gold medal in bad dating.  In terms of my next date on coming up on Sunday night, I’m keeping the faith.

July 20, 2010 | 8:33 am

Real Housewives of New Jersey is a Soap Opera and has Hit Rock Bottom

Posted by Ilana Angel

At some point Andy Cohen and the suits at Bravo are going to need to decide how important money is.  They had a great idea, we all bought in, we are invested, and have been supportive.  That said, we’re done.  You have flushed your brilliant housewives franchise down the toilet.

It’s much easier to watch this show if you think of it as a soap opera, not real people.  When you separate the real people, from the characters they have become, it’s easier to watch, but still not entertaining.  The women of New Jersey are completely embarrassing.

Teresa and Joe are fascinating.  In the beginning I thought they were adorable.  He loved her, they had beautiful children, and were old school in terms of their roles.  It was charming and you felt they worked hard, and lived life to the fullest.  Cut to now, not so much.

These two are not good people.  They may be loving great parents, but they are not good.  Their financial troubles are mounting, and while we don’t know the details of their situation, we can safely assume they are unethical, dishonest, and not handling things honorably.

Danielle is a mess, and she is harming her children.  She is mentally unstable and it’s not a healthy thing for her daughters to see.  I believe Teresa pushed her to this dark place.  She was the neighborhood cougar last year but she was not crazy until they messed with her.

The other ladies talk about how she is trying to take down “the family”, but the fact is they have been trying to push her over the edge for a long time.  To listen to her at the fighting ring in front of her children is heartbreaking, and shows how disgusting Bravo is to let it continue.

Kim G is the newest housewife and she is troubling.  She is stirring the pot, playing both sides of the fence in the war of the ladies, and she is not well if you ask me.  I feel bad for her because she is adorable and there is something lovely about her, but she has gone into the deep end.

When this show started, we watched because it was interesting to see how wealthy women lived.  They did not work, they raised their kids, had beautiful homes and loving husbands.  It was a life that was interesting to take a peek into.  They were wealthy, but regular, and it was great.

Over time it has become clear that these were not regular women as much as they were embroiled in a mess of secrets, lies, and unethical behavior.  This show is everything that is wrong with reality television, and Bravo has an obligation to these women, and the viewers, to stop it.

The only good thing about the housewives of NJ is that if alien life forms are watching us, planning to take over our planet, they will see these chicks and bail.  If people outside of the US are watching this show, it paints a horrible picture of what suburban life is like in America.

Caroline has been my favorite.  I feel for her in terms of getting ready for her kids to be gone, but she needs a reality check.  News flash Caroline, Ashley did not do what she did to protect her mother.  She did it because she is an out of control teenager who feels trapped at home.

Caroline has a way of twisting every bad thing that happens in a way that makes her friends and family look innocent.  As the weeks go on it would appear she spends a lot of time spinning the truth into things that we are just not buying.  Her credibility is gone.

Danielle is a mess, Danny is in love with her, and watching them is uncomfortable.  I find it disturbing to watch all the plotting.  Danielle says to Danny that she “wants to live her life without validation”.  What does that mean?  This woman needs to be getting help, not on television.

Albie reads the letter from school to his parents, and Caroling has to ask what it means.  These women are hard working wives and dedicated parents, but they are uneducated, unsophisticated, and not smart enough to walk away from a show that makes them look ridiculous.

Danielle presses charges against Ashley.  It may not be a popular position, but I think it’s good she did.  Ashley needs to learn there are consequences for her actions.  For Danielle to have let it go would have been a mistake.  She’s crazy, but in this matter, her actions are justified.

Caroline calls Jacqueline over and tells her Albert got a call to say Danielle was pressing charges.  Why are people in the police department, or the courthouse, calling Albert to tell him what is happening? Something stinks in New Jersey and it’s getting worse with each second.

This is my last blog about the ladies of New Jersey.  I can’t tell Andy Cohen to cut these ladies loose and continue to watch the horror show.  This show is unwatchable, and I’m done.  Will Bravo walk away from the money and do the right thing by these women?  I’m keeping the faith.

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July 18, 2010 | 11:24 pm

Weekend In Review: Faith is Restored by the Kindness of Strangers

Posted by Ilana Angel

I had a very interesting weekend.  It was filled with laughter and tears, joy and sadness.  It was one of those weekends where you go to sleep exhausted, and wake up with gratitude that you got a new day.  Here is a recap of what my weekend looked like.

1) I wrote a blog about a reality television show, and all hell broke loose.  A group of devout fans felt I crossed a line by criticizing a show they loved.  Most people let me have it by letting me know they were angry, but a select few decided I was evil, and shared that the reason my opinion was so wrong, was because I was a Jew.  “A dirty, lying, selfish and stupid Jew.”

2) I went to services on Friday and saw my ex-boyfriend for the first time in months.  He is a man I once respected and loved.  He was there with someone I believe is a truly horrible person.  We were best friends once, and he never came over to say hello to my son or me.  He was a hero to me, and in the end he proved to be not worthy of my admiration or friendship. 

3) On Saturday morning I went on a hike up Runyon Canyon here in Los Angeles.  I go every weekend with a group of friends.  They gingerly stroll up the hill, while I huff and puff and complain my way to the top.  We started at 7 am and by 7:30 it was in the 80’s, and I wanted to call a helicopter to air lift me out.  I think my hiking days are over for the summer unless we start at 5 am.

4) On Saturday night my son went to a birthday party for a friend, and I went on a date.  He had a wonderful time with some really great kids, and I spent an hour listening to a man tell me all the great things about his ex-wife.  By ex-wife, of course I mean the woman he is currently separated from, and trying to get back.  Good thing he dates while waiting for her to return.

5) Late Saturday night my son returned from the birthday party with a friend who was sleeping over.  That is a pattern in my home.  He goes to a party, and inevitably returns with a group of boys. At midnight, I made them a pizza, baked some chocolate chip cookies, listened to the recap of the party and went to bed with a full heart and cool mom status.

6) On Sunday morning I awoke to a fresh batch of hate mail, caught 5 minutes of Hope Floats on television, enough time to break into tears at the romance of it all, made a delicious breakfast for my child, and had a great discussion about faith, anti-Semitism, my blog, his goals, dreams and fears.  I began my Sunday as I had ended my Saturday, with a full heart.

7) I believe that this weekend in Los Angeles was slightly warmer than most of Africa, so we escaped the heat by going out to lunch and seeing a movie.  We saw Cyrus and it was funny, tragic, uplifting, and overall a great film.  There is something very special about the relationship between a single mom and her son.  They showed a quirky but touching view.

8) I got home from the movies and found the loveliest emails waiting for me.  Complete strangers, some who have read my blog in the past, and some who found me by accident, took the time to write and let me know they supported me.  They took it upon themselves to apologize for those who did not think there was anything to apologize for.

It is a wonderful feeling to be shown kindness from a stranger.  It can brighten a dark day, and remind you to be grateful.  If given an opportunity, do something nice for a stranger.  It can be as simple as opening a door, waving them through at an intersection, or making eye contact and giving them a smile.  It takes very little effort, and cost nothing, to extend kindness.

I am going to make a point to be kind today, particularly to faces I do not recognize, for no other reason than it is a blessing to be kind for the sake of kindness.  To those who were unkind, I wish you peace.  To those who were kind, you gave me peace.  At the end of the day, I have my son, friends, family, and strangers, to lift me up when I am down, and remind me that everything is easier if I keep the faith.

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July 17, 2010 | 9:40 pm

The Reality of anti-Semitism

Posted by Ilana Angel

I love reality television.  I watch it, write about it, and support it.  Some shows are garbage, many are good, and some are fabulous.  VH1 celebrity wannabe shows are on the bottom of the pile, and ABC’s Boston Med is the gold medal winner.

I like the Housewives franchise on Bravo.  I watch it with complete fascination.  Some of the women are inspiring, some are painful to watch.  There are women who are featured on the show who have soared, and many who crash and burn. 

I think some of the ladies are glad they participated, and some wish they had never been contacted by Bravo.  It would have been better, in my opinion, if they had changed casts each season for each city.  Fame seems to have changed a lot of the ladies, and not necessarily for the better.

I am not a television critic. I don’t get paid by Bravo to write about their shows.  I’m just a woman who writes for a major website.  The blog is not about TV, it’s about me, my life, my opinions, my stories.  It’s about being over 40, Jewish, a single mother, looking for love, and having faith.

I wrote a blog about Bethenny Frankel, who was featured on The Real Housewives of New York City, now her own show, Bethenny, Getting Married.  I simply shared my opinion, which I do every day, and things got real ugly, real fast.

Those people who did not agree with my view of Bethenny’s show, started attacking.  I was told my opinion was stupid, and the reason it was stupid, is because I am Jewish.  I was called ignorant, bitter, pathetic, angry, ugly, fat, lonely, obsessed and embarrassing.

Everyone is allowed to have their opinion certainly, but why make things so personal?  Why are people so invested in television, and people they don’t know, that they would lash out at another human being for having an opinion?  It is really sad that this behavior is acceptable.

I posted most of the comments the blog got.  I did not post the ones where profanity was used about me or my faith.  There is no need for my son and his friends, who occasionally read my blog, to see the hate directed at me, for no other reason than I am Jewish.

All the other slams to me were posted because I feel if I am allowed to share my opinion, then those who take the time to read my blog, should be afforded the same opportunity.  Even though I like to think I’m tough, I must tell you, my feelings were hurt by the personal attacks.

I’m not 100% innocent as perhaps my words may have hurt another.  I write honestly on my blog.  It’s just my opinion, and it’s not written in stone.  You don’t need to agree, but you should embrace that we live in a country where I can write freely.

At the end of the day, it’s not a big deal I suppose.  My feelings were hurt, the world is not ending.  The thing is, I love my blog.  I write about my life, my hopes, and my faith.  The hate that is directed at me makes me sad not for myself, but for my child.

There are kids dying in Iraq, oil killing wildlife and hurting families, people unable to pay their mortgages, parents stressed about how to feed their kids, women scared to leave their husbands, and people in hospitals right now praying for health.  Those are the things that matter.

I am grateful.  Grateful for my child, for my family, and for my fabulous friends.  I am grateful to the Jewish Journal for allowing me to speak my mind, and not backing down from bullies.  I think the world would benefit from people finding gratitude in their lives.

I stand by my blog, and by people having the right to disagree with me, and giving them an opportunity to tell me.  To the people who felt the need to attack me and my faith, I’M JEWISH and I’m fabulous.  In the end, all the hate does is give me the strength to keep the faith.

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July 16, 2010 | 10:27 am

Has Bethenny Frankel Created Her Own Fake Reality?

Posted by Ilana Angel

Let me begin this blog by saying that I think Bethenny Frankel’s behavior is mortifying, and should no longer be on television.  I watched her wedding, and wished her well, but seriously, this chick is out of control.  If you love her, just don’t read it.  It’s probably best.

I’m not saying anything about her wedding because it was her special day, and good for her.  The peeing in a bucket, whoring herself to the paparazzi, being rude to her new husband, self-absorbed outbreaks, and overall nastiness will not be commented on by me.

We arrive in St. Barts with Bethenny and Jason for their honeymoon.  God forbid this chick does anything in private.  It’s fascinating that she is unable to pee without a camera, yet blasted Jill for doing everything in front of the camera. 

They decide to take a swim and Bethenny strips down and jumps in naked.  How is it possible that Jason was annoyed she would walk around in a thong in front of Max, but she can be naked in front of a cameraman?  This show screams, “watch us! we’re fake!”.

Bethenny is complaining about how ugly she is, and Jason is being charming.  He calls her Mamma, which is sweet.  You forget for a minute that he must be a celebrity whore on some level to live this life with her.

An animal of some kind has wondered into their room and pooped on the floor.  She is freaked out and thinks she might puke.  Really?  Wait until your baby starts projectile vomiting while having diarrhea.  She is in for a rude awakening with what will come out of her baby

Jason is waxing her stomach and I wonder why this is on television.  Nothing reads authentic about them.  She has become a caricature and is incredibly rude to her husband.  They are talking about babies and have no clue.  They are unprepared.  Loving your baby does not make it easier.

Jason is taking a wind surfing lesson and Bethenny has another cry. I don’t buy it when she cries.  She is always complaining about how hard her life was, but maybe Bethenny has created stories in her head, which she now believes.

If Bethenny’s mother is so horrible, why isn’t she talking smack about Bethenny for money?  It makes no sense.  Perhaps her mother is mortified by her daughter, and wants nothing to do with her?  Maybe Mommy Dearest is more classy than trashy.

We are now going to spend forever watching Bethenny and Jason eat. For ten minutes, we are watching them eat, with nothing to really say to each other, and both of them so aware of the camera that you half expect them to turn to the cameraman and offer him a bite.

They are at their last dinner in St. Barts and it’s the same thing over and over because they have nothing to talk about. The entire time, Jason talked about how he wants to be involved.  Cut to New York and Bethenny is doing everything for the baby’s room without Jason.

She selects every single piece of furniture for the baby’s room, without Jason which is not cool or nice.  I think that is the bottom line with Bethenny.  She is not coming across as nice.  She appears to be selfish and quite garish. \ I’m not sure she can sustain another show.

We’re back in therapy listening to Bethenny complaining.  Is the only woman to have ever had a baby?  Get married?  Have issues with her parents?  She’s lives in Bethennyville where the only thing that matters appears to be her, which is not great television.

It’s yet another naked photo shoot with Bethenny which is interesting since her husband has issues with her always being naked.  Bethenny is at a doctor’s appointment and the most surprising thing is that she decided to let Jason go too!  So sweet. 

Next week the baby comes.  She tells Jason the baby’s room is apple green and he is surprised.  It’s sad that he finds out she did it all without him, in front of us.  I want so much to like this show and her, but she is making it really hard.  As for next week, I’m keeping the faith.

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July 15, 2010 | 7:43 pm

The Real Housewives of New Jersey :  Teresa is Trash

Posted by Ilana Angel

I find this show painful to watch.  I will go as far as to say that I am embarrassed I even watch this show.  It is mortifying for the ladies, their families, their children, and themselves.  Let’s start with the facts, Teresa is vile, and if I were at that party, I would have decked her.

Danielle is pathetic, and while she is out for fame, there is no way on earth that this woman is a good enough actress to have been faking her performance this week.  I have not been shy about saying I think Danielle is a skank, but this week I’m on Team Danielle for the first time.

There is no point in going through the entire episode because it’s simply too gross, but let’s make a few things clear about these ladies of New Jersey.  The women we loved in the beginning, the same ladies who we wanted to live next door, are now just a bunch of bitches.

Danielle:  This chick is a whore.  Who cares?  There are worse things to be than a whore.  I can be friends with a whore, however I can’t be friends with a liar, or someone who endangers her children.  She is not innocent, and her history with these women is now coming into play big time. 

That said, Danielle did not deserve what Teresa did to her in this weeks episode.  It made me question all the times I thought she needed to be locked up, and wonder if maybe it’s really not all Danielle.  That Bravo is continuing to broadcast this show is insane.  At some pint should they not be decent?

Jacqueline is an idiot.  She is an uneducated moron who married well.  She got pregnant as a child, and how she got to where she is, I would imagine is quite similar to the path that Danielle took.  She started out as the sweet one, and in the end she is simply the stupid one. 

Teresa is a piece of garbage.  Seriously, if someone needs to say all the time how nice and great they are, chances are it’s probably not true.  The only thing more horrific than her behavior at the event, was her recounting what happened to her husband Joe. 

It’s like dumb and dumber with these two.  They are trash and it pisses me off they are on television.  They spent money so freely, knowing they were filing bankruptcy, and that says everything we need to know about who they are.  Any good thoughts about this woman are gone.

Teresa is an instigator and a bitch.  She is a fur wearing, animal torturing, lying piece of white trash who happens to have money.  Correction, had money.  Teresa’s actions on this week’s show ended my love affair with the ladies of New Jersey.  I am not watching anymore

Caroline tries to stay clean and out of the drama, but I’m not sure she can stay clean for much longer.  She may not be in the fire, but is fanning the flames from the sidelines and like she says, if you hang around with garbage long enough, you start to stink.  Hey Caroline, you stink.

I am not going to watch these chicks anymore.  I will tune in for the reunion show because that will be interesting, but my weekly participation has come to an end.  I have nothing to say to these women but to their children, you’ll all make it out okay if you keep the faith.

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July 15, 2010 | 10:41 am

Bristol Palin is the Perfect Example of Why Gay Marriage Should Be Allowed

Posted by Ilana Angel

I want someone to explain how it is possible that celebrity whores Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston can get married, and loving gay couples cannot.  It is fascinating that these two kids, who clearly have no idea what they are doing, can have the blessing of the government, but others cannot.

How is it that people can say gay marriage mocks the institution of marriage, yet these two kids getting married does not?  I know so many gay couples that have the type of relationship I want for myself, and have marriages that I want my son to aspire to.

Bristol and Levi say they will be married within the next 6 weeks.  Really?  What’s the rush?  If they are serious about getting married and staying married, why don’t they take a year to mend what was broken, so they can start fresh?  I’ll tell you why.  SEX.

They say they want to practice abstinence until marriage.  Dear Lord.  Grow up kids.  We all know you’ve had sex.  YOU HAVE A BABY.  Have sex and build your relationship.  We will respect you more if you take your time, rather than rush to the alter just so you can get it on.  Your choices show how immature you are.

This entire situation is sad.  As a mother looking at the farce that surrounds these kids, I am sending prayers to Sarah and Todd Palin.  It’s a crushing blow when your kids make mistakes and all you can do is watch.  To Bristol, slow down, take a deep breath, and keep the faith.

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July 14, 2010 | 9:25 am

Bristol and Levi Are Getting Married and I Feel Bad For Sarah Palin

Posted by Ilana Angel

Bristol Palin and Levi Johnston announced this morning that they are getting married.  I am shocked by this news and would never have guessed that this girl felt so poorly about herself, that she would not only take him back, but agree to marry him.

I can only imagine what Sarah Palin must be feeling about this turn of events.  According to Bristol and Levi, they “reconnected” during they custody battle, and have been engaged for 2 weeks.  Bristol says she was scared to tell her mother she was back with her baby daddy.

Sarah and Todd released a statement saying they wanted what was best for their children, but they cannot possibly be thrilled about having Levi Johnston as a son-in-law.  I imagine that beyond Sarah feeling embarrassed and pissed off, she must just be so hurt. 

That her daughter would want to have a life with a man who was so hurtful to her, must be crushing. While Levi admitted recently that he lied about things he said regarding Sarah and her family, he was not lying at the corner bar to his buddies.  He went public, and he went big, talking smack about Sarah.

The most shocking part of this story, is that Sarah and Todd found out about the engagement at the same time we all did.  I think this little girl has no idea what she is doing.  She is going to marry a man who could not have been more disrespectful to her and her family.

They say they both believe in abstinence, are not living together, and will not live together or have sex, until they are married.  I’m not buying it.  I think this is a bunch of crap, and I would be willing to bet that she is pregnant right now.  Something is just not kosher about this story.

Regardless of what you think about Sarah Palin and her politics, you must feel for her as a mother.  If my child decided to be with someone who had been so hurtful and mean to me, I would be devastated, and it would crush me.  It is a very disrespectful choice for Bristol.

I can appreciate that it is romantic to think they could reconcile and be together, but come on.  This guy tried to ruin her mother.  How can they ever get past it?  How can he ever think he will be welcome in her home?  It’s only a matter of time before he messes up again.

If Bristol wanted to forgive Levi, she could have done that without marrying him.  She could have fostered a relationship between him and his son, taken the high road, and been a great mother.  Instead, she has compromised her credibility, and put her child in harm’s way.

That baby knows who his dad is, and spends time with him.  He is of the age where he will now remember they are all living together, and will have a sense of family by having his dad there every day.  When their relationship ends, and it will, Tripp will have a sense of loss.

Bristol did not tell her parents what she was doing because she knows it is wrong.  They would have told her she was making a mistake.  It is such a shame that children can have the capabilities to have babies, but not be smart enough to make good decisions.

I’ve got $20 that says there will be a reality show about the wedding of Bristol and Levi.  Maybe Kathy Griffin will get ordained and marry them in Alaska.  That would be reality television gold, and there are probably meetings happening about it right this second.

It will be interesting to see how this story plays out.  I will watch the wedding special if there is one.  I will continue to think Levi is a pig, and that Bristol is making a huge mistake.  I feel bad for Sarah and Todd that this nightmare continues because as parents, this hurts.

I hope the wedding is televised and Kathy Griffin is there.  I pray Bristol is not knocked up so when he dumps her again, she won’t have to support two kids alone.  To delicious baby Tripp don’t you worry because Grandma has got your back, and I’m certain she is keeping the faith.

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