'Real Housewives' star Luann de Lesseps says she's 'in recovery' after 'regrettable' incident
“Real Housewives of New York City” star Luann de Lesseps is taking her sobriety one day at a time.
On Saturday, March 19, the 56-year-old reality star issued a public apology to the staff at the Townhouse of New York, a local LGBTQ bar after she allegedly made a scene inside while under the influence.
"This week, after a regrettable incident I was faced with the truth," Lesseps said on Instagram Saturday morning.
"I want to apologize to the staff at Townhouse and anyone else I may have offended by my behavior," she continued. "Clearly my struggles with alcohol are real! While I've made great strides over the years, there's been times I've fallen."
"It's one day at a time!" she added. "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. Sincerely, LuAnn."
Lesseps' post comes after Page Six reported that the “Real Housewives of New York City” star was kicked out of a gay bar in Manhattan for hogging the mic and yelling at onlookers in the establishment.
Townhouse allows guests to have an interactive experience by giving them the opportunity to sing songs by the piano.
According to Page Six, Lesseps was "liquored-up" when it happened, and she insisted on singing her song — "Money Can’t Buy You Class" — at the bar, even though the piano player didn't know it.
However, they report that Lesseps kept belting out the tune, as well as other "jumbled versions of songs" that were so bad the crowd "began booing her." At that point, Lesseps allegedly began yelling at everyone and told them, "I’m a cabaret star!’” before Townhouse's staff had enough and ended up throwing her out.
The next day, Lesseps told Page Six through an intermediary that she arrived at the bar with “Kinky Boots” producer Jim Kierstead after she had dinner with Broadway producers and went to rehearsals for her upcoming cabaret show, "Countess Cabaret Starring Luann de Lesseps."
She said that since “there were a bunch of people singing" and the crowd was "fun" and "boisterous," she decided to take the mic.
“I got up and sang a few Broadway songs they were playing,” Lesseps 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. Then Jim said to me, ‘Lu, I have an early rehearsal,’ and then we left around midnight, 11:30 p.m.”
In 2017, de Lesseps was arrested after attacking a police officer in Palm Beach, Florida. She was charged with disorderly intoxication, battery of an officer/firefighter/EMT, resisting arrest with violence and threatening a public servant.
In 2018, she was sentenced to a year of probation relating to the arrest. She had no prior offenses before her arrest and was ordered to fulfill 50 hours of community service and abstain from alcohol to meet the terms of her probation. In May 2019, she faced allegations of violating the terms of her probation.
“The outcome was that I got stricter probation rules until the end of August,” she told Andy Cohen on an episode of “Watch What Happens Live” in July 2019. “So I’m almost done. Then this will be behind me — 100 percent — but I paid very dearly, for the last year, for one very big mistake.”
She added that, despite everything that’s happened — from her arrest to two stints in rehab — “I look at it right now as kind of a blessing, believe it or not, because it really made me step back and take a look at my drinking, etc. I feel fortunate.”
In August 2019, de Lesseps successfully completed her probation, saying at the time, “I’m humbled and grateful for this life lesson and ready to put the past behind me and move on with my life,” she continued.
