March 31, 2010 | 1:00 am

Wendy Williams, Darryl Strawberry, Richard Castle, Shannen Doherty, and The Simpsons

Posted by Ilana Angel

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This morning I am going to meet Wendy Williams, and I am really looking forward to it.  I blogged last week about how much I love her, and her show.  The producers saw my blog, and invited to meet her while she is here in L.A. this week.

I feel like I am going to meet a girlfriend.  She feels familiar somehow.  We view things the same way, we are almost the same age, we both have one son, we are both occasionally misunderstood, and we are both girly girls, with huge balls.  I’m a fan, she is an inspiration, and today will be special.

Darryl Strawberry is a quitter.  It’s not that shocking really.  He has ducked out on child support, been arrested for soliciting sex from an undercover policewoman who was posing as a prostitute, and been in and out of drug rehab.  He is a professional star, and a personal mess.

He is a hero.  He is a great baseball player.  He is a legend, and he is beloved by many who love the game, and praise his talent.  It is because of his professional accomplishments, that his quitting Celebrity Apprentice is so shocking.

He caved, and bailed on not only his team, but also his charity.  He was not going to be fired, it would have been Michael Johnson.  Strawberry just wasn’t into it.  At one point he stood outside, and smoked.  It was sad.  To see a star athlete, standing on the street with a cigarette, was depressing.

I didn’t really know who he was before Celebrity Apprentice.  I knew his name, but was not aware of his legacy.  It’s such a shame that when given an opportunity to shine, and raise money for something important to him, he was just a quitter.  Shame on you Darryl Strawberry.

Richard “Rick” Castle, is a fictional character portrayed by Nathan Fillion in the ABC crime series Castle.  I love this show.  It does not have the highest ratings, but it should.  A friend of mine recently went to the set, and met Nathan.  He was fantastic to her.  Charming, sincere, and kind.  It’s so nice when a fan, gets to meet a celebrity, and has a wonderful experience. 

Richard Castle is a mystery novelist who is called in to help the NYPD solve a copycat murder, based on his novel.  Detective Kate Beckett, is the detective he is assigned to, and he uses her as the model for the main character of his next book series.  It’s funny and smart, and if you have not watched, you should.

Shannen Doherty got the boot last night on Dancing With The Stars, and I must say I am quite surprised.  One could argue that she left because not enough viewers remember who she is.  When you think about how far Tori, Jenny and Ian got, that makes no sense.

She was totally not the worse dancer, and should have stayed a little longer.  It could have been because she pulled the sympathy card too soon, or because she went from shy to cocky in a week.  In the end, I think Shannen didn’t get enough votes, because people hated Brenda.

I have never watched an entire episode of The Simpsons.  I’ve see chucks of a episode, know who some of the characters are, recognize the theme music, and could probably name a few of the actors. That said, I have never watched an episode from start to finish.  Until now.

Yesterday, my son and I watched the episode where The Simpsons go to Israel.  Actually, he started to watch it on the dvr, and I was working in the same room, so I started listening more than watching, but I was quickly hooked.  I thought it was hilarious.

I’m not sure I will ever watch another episode, and by not sure, of course I mean I will never watch it again, but it sure was funny.  I love Israel and it’s a great spot to visit, Jewish or not.  I have not been back in almost 25 years, but my son went a couple of years ago on a school trip.

It is a beautiful country.  I still have a lot of family there, from my mother’s side.  My mom goes every year on holiday, and I’m not really sure why I have not been back. My dream would be to go with my son, and see it through his eyes.  Will we, like the Simpsons, go together one day? I’m keeping the faith.