UPDATE: Saturday, March 19 — Luann de Lesseps has issued an apology for her actions.
“This week, after a regrettable incident I was faced with the truth,” the Real Housewives of New York City alum wrote via Instagram on Saturday. “I want to apologize to the staff at Townhouse and anyone else I may have offended by my behavior. Clearly my struggles with alcohol are real!”
She continued: “While I’ve made great strides over the years, there’s been times I’ve fallen. It’s one day at a time! I’m in recovery and taking steps to ensure this doesn’t happen again. I’m grateful to my family and my friends for their constant support.
Original story:
Don’t be all, like, uncool. Luann de Lesseps denied a report that she was kicked out of a gay bar for drunken antics — and she thinks bar patrons should mind their own business.
“I went out and I was feeling all Jovani, but clearly money can’t buy you class, especially with an audience who doesn’t appreciate my music,” the Real Housewives of New York City star, 56, told the Daily Mail on Thursday, March 17. “[There is] certainly no girl code anymore. But I live to see another day — chic c’est la vie!”
Earlier this week, Page Six reported that the reality star was kicked out of the New York City piano bar Townhouse on Wednesday, March 16, after allegedly taking over the mic and requesting her own song “Money Can’t Buy You Class.”
The Class With the Countess author told the outlet that she was “tipsy,” but she denied their sources’ claims that she wanted to sing her own hits. “I got up and sang a few Broadway songs they were playing,” she said. “I realize I was a little bit tipsy, but we were having fun, and it was getting late. I’d been rehearsing, and I was in the mood to sing a few songs.”
Her companion for the evening, Broadway producer Jim Kierstead, added that the bar patrons were actually the ones who asked her to sing. “She was met by legions of her fans and was convinced to sing for them,” he claimed. “Of course she was the belle of the ball as usual.”
The Bravo personality has been open about her struggles with alcohol over the years. In December 2017, she was arrested for disorderly intoxication in Palm Beach, Florida. The following year, she pleaded guilty to charges of battery, trespass and intoxication and was sentenced to one year of probation. She also had to perform 50 hours of community service, attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and was subject to random drug and alcohol testing.
In July 2018, she checked into rehab for the second time, missing the taping of RHONY‘s season 10 reunion. “Bravo supports Luann’s decision to focus on her health,” the network said in a statement at the time. “She is part of the Bravo family and we continue to stand by her as she copes with this challenging situation.”
During season 13 of RHONY, which aired last year, de Lesseps claimed to be sober, and she provided support to castmate Leah McSweeney, who’d also made the decision to stop drinking. In December 2021, the “Girl Code” singer launched her own brand of nonalcoholic rosé called Fosé Rosé.
“I’m really hoping it can help take away the stigma of making the choice not to drink,” she told Page Six at the time. “This product was really born out of necessity. My daughter [Victoria] and I both don’t drink and we were tired of being at the mercy of a mixologist. This is an elevated drink that helps you feel like you’re still part of the party.”
