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Luann de Lesseps

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Luann de Lesseps
de Lesseps in New York in 2011
Born
LuAnn Nadeau

(1965-05-17) May 17, 1965 (age 59)
Berlin, Connecticut, U.S.
Other namesCountess Luann
Occupations
  • Author
  • model
  • licensed practical nurse
  • television personality
  • singer
Years active2008–present
TelevisionThe Real Housewives of New York City
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1993; div. 2009)​
Thomas D’Agostino Jr.
​
​
(m. 2016; div. 2017)​
Children2, including Victoria de Lesseps
Websitewww.countessluann.com

Luann de Lesseps[1] (née Nadeau, previously D'Agostino; born May 17, 1965)[2][3] is an American television personality, singer, model, and author. She is best known as an original cast member of the Bravo reality television series The Real Housewives of New York City, featuring in the first 13 of 15 seasons since its 2008 premiere. In 2018, she began headlining "Countess and Friends", a cabaret show of her own making.[4]

Early life

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Born LuAnn Nadeau, she was raised in Berlin, Connecticut, where she grew up with her six siblings, and where her father owned a construction company.[3][5] Her mother is French Canadian.[6][7] In an early episode of The Real Housewives of New York City, de Lesseps shared that she had captained her high school varsity softball team.[8]

Career

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de Lesseps was formerly a licensed practical nurse in Connecticut,[3] as well as a Wilhelmina model.[9][10]

She is one of the main cast members on Bravo's reality series The Real Housewives of New York City. For the sixth season, she was demoted to a recurring "Friend of the Housewives" role due to not living in New York City at the time of filming. In April 2015, it was confirmed that de Lesseps would be returning as a main cast member for the show's seventh season.

In February 2011, de Lesseps guest starred on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, in the episode "Bully", playing a socialite who makes a gruesome discovery.[11][12][13]

de Lesseps wrote a book, Class with the Countess: How to Live with Elegance and Flair (published by Gotham Books) released April 16, 2009, and released her first record, "Money Can't Buy You Class" (through Ultra Records), on May 25, 2010. She released her second single, "Chic C'est la Vie" in June 2011.[14] She released a third single, "Girl Code", on July 6, 2015. In June 2019, De Lesseps released her fourth single, "Feeling Jovani".[15] In September 2020, she released her fifth single, "Viva La Diva", with Grammy-winning songwriter and producer Desmond Child.[16]

In February 2017, de Lesseps played a role in the film Maternal Secrets in Bermuda.[17]

In May 2017, de Lesseps appeared in the celebrity roast of Michael Musto alongside Bianca Del Rio, Jinkx Monsoon, Orfeh, Michael Riedel, Randy Rainbow, Crystal Demure, Judy Gold, and Randy Jones. The roast, which was produced by Daniel DeMello and directed by Rachel Klein, was hosted by Bruce Vilanch and introduced by Rosie O'Donnell. [18] [19] [20]

In February 2018, de Lesseps headlined her own cabaret show, called #CountessAndFriends, at Feinstein's/54 Below in Midtown Manhattan.[21] The show features de Lesseps singing songs about her life as a countess and reality TV star, with appearances from celebrity friends like Rachel Dratch and Housewives co-star Sonja Morgan. In August 2018, de Lesseps announced that she was taking the show on tour, with engagements scheduled in Long Island and New Jersey.[22]

de Lesseps has been a guest on Monét X Change's podcast The X Change Rate.[23]

de Lesseps starred in the first season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, a spin-off featuring various women from The Real Housewives franchise, that premiered on Peacock in November 2021.[24][25] In 2023, she co-starred in a Real Housewives spin-off series with longtime castmate Sonja Morgan, titled Luann & Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake, which premiered on July 9, 2023.[26] de Lesseps starred in the fourth season of The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, which premiered in December 2023 .[27]

On September 29, 2023, de Lessups was telecast judge of the 72nd Miss USA pageant held at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nevada. She also competed in season 10 of The Masked Singer as "Hibiscus" and was the first contestant of Group C to be eliminated during "One Hit Wonders Night".[28]

In July 2024, it was announced that de Lessups would be starring in a Real Housewives dating show spin-off titled Love Hotel on Peacock, alongside fellow housewives Gizelle Bryant, Ashley Darby and Shannon Storms Beador, with filming taking place in Cabo San Lucas and expected to premiere in 2025.[29]

[edit]

In December 2017, de Lesseps was arrested in Palm Beach, Florida on charges of disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest, battery of an officer, and making threats against a public servant. She was later released on her own recognizance, but was charged with a third-degree felony on January 25, 2018.[30][31] After her release she entered an alcohol treatment program.[32]

In July 2018, de Lesseps settled the charges stemming from her Palm Beach arrest, by agreeing to plead guilty to the misdemeanor charges of battery, disorderly intoxication, and trespassing. In exchange, the felony charge of resisting an officer with violence was dropped, and de Lesseps agreed to fulfill 50 hours of community service, attend two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings a week, and to abstain from drinking alcohol for one year.[33]

In May 2019, de Lesseps was taken into custody over her alleged probation violations and later released.[34] She completed her probation in August 2019.[35]

In 2021, de Lesseps dined at Le Diplomate, an upscale Washington, D.C. restaurant, and left without paying the bill. Several days later, de Lesseps paid her outstanding bill. [36]

Advocacy

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de Lesseps has donated to many charitable organizations, including: The American Cancer Society, GLAAD, and ACE Partnership for the Homeless. She has most recently partnered with The Fortune Society, which supports formerly incarcerated inmates by helping them reenter into society.[37][38][39][40]

Personal life

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In 1993,[41] she married French Count Alexandre de Lesseps, an entrepreneur and pioneer of microfinancing in developing countries. He is a descendant of Ferdinand de Lesseps, the famous French diplomat and entrepreneur who built the Suez Canal and started the Panama Canal. Together they have two children, Noel and Victoria.[3] They divorced in 2009.[42] On December 31, 2016, de Lesseps married Tom D’Agostino Jr., losing her “countess” courtesy title in the process.[43] In August 2017, de Lesseps announced that she and D'Agostino were getting divorced.[44] In October 2017, it was reported that the divorce had been settled out of court and would be finalized "imminently".[45]

Her niece is artist Nicole Nadeau, who was on Bravo's Work of Art TV series.[46]

On July 16, 2018, de Lesseps' RHONY co-star Bethenny Frankel announced that de Lesseps had chosen to skip the filming of the show's reunion to re-enter an alcohol treatment program.[32] de Lesseps left the facility after just under three weeks.[47]

On March 16, 2022, de Lesseps was filmed taking over the microphone and saying obscenities to the crowd at a piano bar in New York City.[48] On March 18, 2022 de Lesseps released a statement apologizing for her actions and admitting her struggle with alcohol is still real.[49]

Singles

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List of singles as lead artist, showing year released and album name
Title Year Album
"Money Can't Buy You Class" 2010 Non-album singles
"Chic C'est la Vie" 2011
"Girl Code" 2015
"Feelin' Jovani" 2019
"Viva la Diva"
(Desmond Child featuring Countess Luann) 		2020
"What Do I Want for Christmas?" 2021
"F-Bombs on the G with the OG's"
"Marry F Kill" 2024

Filmography

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References

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  1. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (January 13, 2017). "Luann de Lesseps Is Officially Mrs. D'Agostino... Everywhere". Bravo TV Official Site. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  2. ^ "twitter status". Twitter. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  3. ^ a b c d La Ferla, Ruth (April 16, 2009). "TV Royalty, but No Longer a Housewife". The New York Times. Retrieved April 27, 2009. She is LuAnn Nadeau, one of seven children of a Connecticut building contractor. She boasts, often, that she is half American Indian and that, albeit briefly, she worked as a model in New York.
  4. ^ "Luann de Lesseps: #countessandfriends". Feinstein's 54 Below. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  5. ^ Eaton, Phoebe (July 1, 2008). "Ramona Singer on the Real Housewives of New York City". Harper's Bazaar. Archived from the original on July 1, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2011. LuAnn Nadeau, who grew up with six brothers and sisters in the small town of Berlin, Connecticut, where her father owned a construction business after marrying her French-Canadian mother.
  6. ^ "Class With The Countess: About". ClassWithTheCountess.com. Archived from the original on March 18, 2009. Retrieved April 27, 2009.
  7. ^ "Class With The Countess". LuAnnDeLesseps.com. Archived from the original on March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 25, 2011.
  8. ^ "Last Call, Morocco". June 9, 2011.
  9. ^ Eaton, Phoebe (July 1, 2008). "Countess LuAnn de Lesseps for Ford Models". Harper's Bazaar. Retrieved May 2, 2009.
  10. ^ DeLeon, Kris (February 27, 2008). "The Real Housewives of New York City: LuAnn de Lesseps Talks About being a Countess". BuddyTV.com. Retrieved April 27, 2009.
  11. ^ "Kate Burton, Renee Fleming and LuAnn De Lesseps to Guest Star on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  12. ^ Nededog, Jethro (February 23, 2011). "'Real Housewives' LuAnn de Lesseps: 'SVU' role is part of her 'second chance' at life". Zap2it. Archived from the original on February 27, 2011. Retrieved February 23, 2011.
  13. ^ Stanhope, Kate (January 27, 2011). "Real Housewives' LuAnn de Lesseps to Stop By Law & Order: SVU". TV Guide. Retrieved January 27, 2011.
  14. ^ Zimmerman, Edith (May 14, 2010). "Countess LuAnn Debuts Second Dance Single, 'Chic, C'est la Vie'". New York. Retrieved August 1, 2011.
  15. ^ "RHONY's Luann de Lesseps Releases Glamorous New Music Video for New Song 'Feelin' Jovani'".
  16. ^ "WATCH: Luann de Lesseps Releases Music Video for New Single 'Viva La Diva'". People. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  17. ^ "LuAnn de Lesseps filming in Bermuda". bravotv.com. February 17, 2017. Retrieved February 17, 2017.
  18. ^ "Theatre Columnist Michael Musto in Crosshairs of Celebrity Roast May 22 | Playbill". Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  19. ^ "The Stars Came Out to Celebrate (and Roast) PAPER's Own Michael Musto - PAPER". Retrieved March 10, 2023.
  20. ^ "Bruce Vilanch Emcees the Michael Musto Roast". May 25, 2017.
  21. ^ Dodes, Rochel (February 23, 2018). "The Show Goes On for Arrest 'Housewife' Luann de Lesseps". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  22. ^ Hendricks, Jaclyn (August 2, 2018). "Luann de Lesseps returning to cabaret after rehab". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2018.
  23. ^ The X Change Rate: Luann de Lesseps, January 16, 2020, archived from the original on December 20, 2021, retrieved March 4, 2020
  24. ^ Vena, Jocelyn (April 26, 2021). "The Real Housewives Are Planning the Ultimate Series on Peacock". Bravo. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  25. ^ Gugelimi, Jodi; VanHoose, Benjamin (April 26, 2021). "Ramona Singer, Teresa Giudice, More Real Housewives Stars Confirmed to Appear in All-Stars Spinoff". People. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
  26. ^ Crist, Allison (May 22, 2023). "Luann de Lesseps and Sonja Morgan Are Back! Get a First Look at Luann and Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake". Bravo. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  27. ^ Franklin, McKinley (August 2, 2023). "'Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy' Swaps Dates With 'Ex-Wives Club'". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  28. ^ Rice, Lynette (November 1, 2023). "'The Masked Singer': Hibiscus on Failing to Stump Jenny McCarthy and Why She Wants it to Rain Men". Yahoo! Entertainment. Yahoo! Inc. Archived from the original on November 2, 2023. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
  29. ^ Quinn, Dave (July 26, 2024). "Peacock Sets Real Housewives Dating Show Spinoff with Luann de Lesseps, Gizelle Bryant and More (Exclusive)". People. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  30. ^ McKenzie, Joi-Marie (December 24, 2017). "Real Housewives star Luann de Lesseps arrested". ABC News. Retrieved December 25, 2017.
  31. ^ Koerner, Allyson (January 25, 2018). "Luann de Lesseps' Charges From Her December Arrest Are Official & She's Facing A Felony". Bustle.
  32. ^ a b Quinn, Dave (July 16, 2018). "Luann de Lesseps Checks Back Into Rehab: It's the 'Healthiest Choice,' Bethenny Frankel Says". People. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  33. ^ Coleman, Oli (July 23, 2018). "'RHONY' star Luann de Lesseps reaches plea deal in New Year's Eve arrest, avoids jail time: report". Fox News. Retrieved July 24, 2018.
  34. ^ Hirsch, Chelsea (May 23, 2019). "Luann de Lesseps ordered back to jail after violating probation". The New York Post. Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  35. ^ "Luann de Lesseps Reveals She's Completed Probation: 'Humbled and Grateful for This Life Lesson'". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved May 21, 2020.
  36. ^ McDougall, AJ (December 14, 2021). "Real Housewife Busted Doing a Dine-and-Dash at Schmancy D.C. Eatery". Daily Beast. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
  37. ^ "Luann de Lesseps Shares Shocking New Details About Her Arrest". E! Online. May 6, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  38. ^ "LuAnn de Lesseps Photos Photos: 21st Annual GLAAD Media Awards - Show". Zimbio. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  39. ^ "luann de lesseps Archives". ACE New York. August 24, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  40. ^ "Unseen Moment: Luann's Charity Event". Bravo TV Official Site. September 20, 2017. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
  41. ^ Piromallo, Januaria (July 26, 1993). "The Countess from Connecticut: LuAnn de Lesseps". Gstaad Life. Müller Medien AG. Archived from the original on December 17, 2019. Retrieved December 16, 2019.
  42. ^ Dillon, Nancy (April 11, 2009). "Royal breakup for "Real" Housewife". Daily News (New York). Retrieved February 4, 2016.
  43. ^ Russian, Ale (December 31, 2016). "RHONY's Luann de Lesseps Marries Tom D'Agostino Jr". People. United States: Time Inc. Retrieved December 31, 2016.
  44. ^ McKenzie, Joi-Marie (August 3, 2017). "Real Housewives star LuAnn de Lesseps to divorce". ABC News. United States: American Broadcasting Company. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
  45. ^ "Luann de Lesseps and Tom D'Agostino Agree to Finalize Divorce Amicably: 'It's Sad'". People. October 4, 2017. Retrieved March 19, 2022. de Lesseps and D'Agostino settled their divorce out of court, and it will become finalized imminently.
  46. ^ "Wet Paint in the Wild: Artist Nicole Nadeau Surfs Her Way Through the Hamptons and Parties with the Art World on Long Island". July 14, 2022.
  47. ^ Corinthios, Aurelie (August 2, 2018). "RHONY's Luann de Lesseps Leaves Rehab After 3 Weeks for Upcoming Cabaret Dates". People. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  48. ^ Drunken Luann de Lesseps kicked out of gay piano bar | Page Six Celebrity News, March 18, 2022, retrieved March 23, 2022
  49. ^ "Luann de Lesseps Apologizes for "Regrettable" Incident at NYC Bar Amid Alcohol Struggles". E! Online. March 19, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
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