LuAnn de Lesseps: No Longer a Countess, Still Never a Princess

[Trooper York]

I am on Luann's side in this one. If they want to film the wedding they have to pay. If they filmed she would have to invite her frenemies that didn't make the cut. 

You have to pay people a lot of money to put up with Bethenny and Carol.

[b2H]

It is her party.  RHONY had nothing to do with her meeting or dating Tom.  They did not include him in the season's filming.  NOW, Andy wants to fight about the broadcasting of a wedding that Bravo provided no money for, no support for?  

I stand with Luann.  If that is the end of her part on the show, I can be done too.

[zoeysmom]

If you pay someone six figures for a wedding special, isn't that essentially helping pay for the wedding? 

I think Luann, who has a pretty healthy ego, wanted the day to be about her and not some Bravo shenanigans.  Since the wedding was filmed by others, Bravo can certainly request to use that footage.  They used the People Magazine photos.  Andy said he hopes Luann getting married shakes things up for RHONYC. 

I also don't believe Bravo really wanted to film as the production company goes dark for the second half of December, you would be asking the crew to give up a holiday and with the non-invited cast scattered to the wind on vacation what would be the upside?  It is not like when they do fake Christmas mornings on RHONJ.  The wedding has to be filmed in real time.

It feels like the want to make the storyline all about Luann's wedding.  It just isn't happening.  Granted it is 10 times more interesting than anything Carole and Adam bring to the show but sometimes a RH is smart enough to realize it is smart to say no to a Bravo storyline.

[b2H]

7 hours ago, zoeysmom said:

If you pay someone six figures for a wedding special, isn't that essentially helping pay for the wedding? 

I think Luann, who has a pretty healthy ego, wanted the day to be about her and not some Bravo shenanigans.  Since the wedding was filmed by others, Bravo can certainly request to use that footage.  They used the People Magazine photos.  Andy said he hopes Luann getting married shakes things up for RHONYC. 

I also don't believe Bravo really wanted to film as the production company goes dark for the second half of December, you would be asking the crew to give up a holiday and with the non-invited cast scattered to the wind on vacation what would be the upside?  It is not like when they do fake Christmas mornings on RHONJ.  The wedding has to be filmed in real time.

It feels like the want to make the storyline all about Luann's wedding.  It just isn't happening.  Granted it is 10 times more interesting than anything Carole and Adam bring to the show but sometimes a RH is smart enough to realize it is smart to say no to a Bravo storyline.

I can't find anything anywhere to back that Bravo gave her six figures for the wedding.  Her salary is six figures but the rights to the footage were bought by People Mag for 20 grand.  Help me out here - where is the evidence that Bravo offered anything.  The one article I read said Bravo goes dark the last two weeks of the year, so it would have been seriously expensive for them to film this.

[zoeysmom]

8 minutes ago, b2H said:

I can't find anything anywhere to back that Bravo gave her six figures for the wedding.  Her salary is six figures but the rights to the footage were bought by People Mag for 20 grand.  Help me out here - where is the evidence that Bravo offered anything.  The one article I read said Bravo goes dark the last two weeks of the year, so it would have been seriously expensive for them to film this.

Read my post, I never said they offered Luann six figures.  So save yourself the trouble of looking.  My point is the other wedding specials the women were paid six figures and the pay for the special offsets the cost of the wedding.  There is no confirmation how much Luann was paid for People Magazine having the rights.  Someone just made up a number. These women don't show up for $20k  let alone sell the rights.

I never said Bravo offered anything so please don't put words in my mouth.  I said Bravo goes dark the last two weeks in December.

[b2H]

"If you pay someone six figures for a wedding special, isn't that essentially helping pay for the wedding? "

My apologies, but this was the start of your post and that's where I got the notion.  It came across as though there was at least an offer by Bravo.

[motorcitymom65]

On 1/19/2017 at 8:23 PM, b2H said:

It is her party.  RHONY had nothing to do with her meeting or dating Tom.  They did not include him in the season's filming.  NOW, Andy wants to fight about the broadcasting of a wedding that Bravo provided no money for, no support for?  

I stand with Luann.  If that is the end of her part on the show, I can be done too.

Wait, he didn't film this season? I hadn't heard that anywhere.  

[Jextella]

LuAnn's wedding makes me sad.  I don't have high hopes for "forever".  Same with Katie and Tom on VPR.

[AndySmith]

With regards to the title...I thought divorcees could keep their title upon remarriage?

[HunterHunted]

22 hours ago, AndySmith said:

With regards to the title...I thought divorcees could keep their title upon remarriage?

Technically, she shouldn't have been using it before she married Tom. She had the courtesy title of Countess because of her marriage to Alex. Because the title is not from her family nor is she nobility or a peer, she really shouldn't have been using it after the divorce or before she married Tom. The Countess title stays with Alex's family otherwise there would have been 4 Countesses de Lesseps running around.

Over on Ladies of London, Caroline Fleming lost her title of Baroness when she married her ex husband, who is a commoner.

[zoeysmom]

On ‎1‎/‎22‎/‎2017 at 8:40 PM, HunterHunted said:

Technically, she shouldn't have been using it before she married Tom. She had the courtesy title of Countess because of her marriage to Alex. Because the title is not from her family nor is she nobility or a peer, she really shouldn't have been using it after the divorce or before she married Tom. The Countess title stays with Alex's family otherwise there would have been 4 Countesses de Lesseps running around.

Over on Ladies of London, Caroline Fleming lost her title of Baroness when she married her ex husband, who is a commoner.

Here is an article about Luann and the usage of the title after divorce apparently we should have been calling her Luann Countess de Lesseps.  How awkward.   http://jezebel.com/5192252/will-real-housewife-countess-luann-lose-her-beloved-title

[918lux]

On 1/30/2017 at 6:50 AM, zoeysmom said:

Here is an article about Luann and the usage of the title after divorce apparently we should have been calling her Luann Countess de Lesseps.  How awkward.   http://jezebel.com/5192252/will-real-housewife-countess-luann-lose-her-beloved-title

I actually don't think that this article is correct- if Alex had an English peerage, then yes- she would have been granted the right to use the title between her first and last names...when she was married she would have been Luann, The Countess de Lesseps, then once divorced she would have lost the definite article and just been, Luann, Countess de Lesseps.  However, Alex's title is French and since France does not have "nobility" anymore, there really aren't any hard and fast rules.  Alex is allowed to be called "Count" as part of his legal name- and can pass it on to his first born son.   Alex's wife can call herself "Countess" all(s) she wants, but it doesn't have any legitimate standing anymore. 

[AndySmith]

[RMc17101]

 It was all set for Bravo to go down and film some of the wedding if not the ceremony, the crew were said to be there on December 31. What ever happened in the middle that was shot down and Bravo were asking guests to submit pictures & videos from the event that Lu's publicist approved of. Trust me season nine is going to be a lot of buildup to Lu's wedding anyway so we probably been spared

[chick binewski]

I do not understand how these women get actual work. I know it's not a segment of the Marvel universe and maybe if a RH is in a production there's some press coverage where none might normally exist. But we've seen Luann try to act like she and Tom have the best relationship ever and that wasn't even remotely plausible. 

[HunterHunted]

5 hours ago, chick binewski said:

I do not understand how these women get actual work. I know it's not a segment of the Marvel universe and maybe if a RH is in a production there's some press coverage where none might normally exist. But we've seen Luann try to act like she and Tom have the best relationship ever and that wasn't even remotely plausible. 

Luann was terrible in her cameo on Law & Order: SVU. She and Sonja were just OK in their Difficult People episode.

[Sun-Bun]

10 hours ago, chick binewski said:

 But we've seen Luann try to act like she and Tom have the best relationship ever and that wasn't even remotely plausible. 

Her whole relationship with Tom makes me kinda sad ---she's so desperate to prove that she's truly met her "soulmate" and that he's her knight in shining armor. Never mind that he's a boozy cad with a sketchy career who's known to boink any moneyed Manhattan woman over the age of 30 that'll have him. She's obviously the kind of woman who can't live without a man in her life. It was interesting to witness just how insecure and lost she seemed back when she was single on the show for a hot minute; then she met Tom and acted like the cat who caught the canary, back to her confident, "cool" self, smugly cackling over yachts and penthouse suites.

I just don't see this union lasting, but I hope I'm wrong; as self-absorbed and elitist as she can often be, I still have a soft spot for Lu and wish her well. She's a fun broad who likes to party hard((that's the pirate-loving Countess that I prefer to see!)), and I can't hate on that. Plus, I live for her battles with Bethenny---she ain't afraid to go toe-to-toe with her, which is always fascinating to watch.

[HunterHunted]

22 hours ago, Sun-Bun said:

Her whole relationship with Tom makes me kinda sad ---she's so desperate to prove that she's truly met her "soulmate" and that he's her knight in shining armor. Never mind that he's a boozy cad with a sketchy career who's known to boink any moneyed Manhattan woman over the age of 30 that'll have him. She's obviously the kind of woman who can't live without a man in her life. It was interesting to witness just how insecure and lost she seemed back when she was single on the show for a hot minute; then she met Tom and acted like the cat who caught the canary, back to her confident, "cool" self, smugly cackling over yachts and penthouse suites.

I just don't see this union lasting, but I hope I'm wrong; as self-absorbed and elitist as she can often be, I still have a soft spot for Lu and wish her well. She's a fun broad who likes to party hard((that's the pirate-loving Countess that I prefer to see!)), and I can't hate on that. Plus, I live for her battles with Bethenny---she ain't afraid to go toe-to-toe with her, which is always fascinating to watch.

As long as Tom doesn't publicly humiliate Luann, she'll stay with him forever. The thing that she kept repeating was that he kissed the woman in public at the Regency where their friends go. She put up with Alex cheating until he started bringing his girlfriend out. Lu really does need to be with a man. I imagine she's never been without a man even casually for more than a week or two. Hell, she went out with Rey and banged him on two different continents even though it was pretty obvious that he was a weirdo.

[Jextella]

2 hours ago, HunterHunted said:

As long as Tom doesn't publicly humiliate Luann, she'll stay with him forever. The thing that she kept repeating was that he kissed the woman in public at the Regency where their friends go. She put up with Alex cheating until he started bringing his girlfriend out. Lu really does need to be with a man. I imagine she's never been without a man even casually for more than a week or two. Hell, she went out with Rey and banged him on two different continents even though it was pretty obvious that he was a weirdo.

The special they did about LuAnn's life was pretty telling.  She's up for adventure and she does appear to love men and was rarely without one.  I have no problem with any of it.  That's her thing.   She also said in one of the episodes last season that she didn't like it that the count was not monogamous. She seemed genuine and a little sad about it.  I think she prefers monogamy but she prefers being with a man more. 

[Sun-Bun]

33 minutes ago, Jextella said:

I think she prefers monogamy but she prefers being with a man more. 

You're just missing one key word in this true statement: "...she prefers being with a rich man more." 

Obviously she'll put up with most anything so long as he's wealthy enough to keep her lavished with luxury and doesn't flaunt his side pieces. I don't see her bothering with a poor man unless it's a fun little fling a'la Captain Depp Pirate or crazy drunk Rey.

Edited February 21, 2017 by Sun-Bun

[Jextella]

19 hours ago, Sun-Bun said:

You're just missing one key word in this true statement: "...she prefers being with a rich man more." 

Obviously she'll put up with most anything so long as he's wealthy enough to keep her lavished with luxury and doesn't flaunt his side pieces. I don't see her bothering with a poor man unless it's a fun little fling a'la Captain Depp Pirate or crazy drunk Rey.

Money is part of it but I think the desire for money is driven by a thirst for adventure.  Takes the former to get the latter.  She wants a guy who has the same passions and experiences - and for LuAnn, money is required for both.  Although maybe I'm giving Luann too much credit.  It's clear that public perception is about as high on her list of priorities as men and money.   Status is mixed in there too.

Edited February 22, 2017 by Jextella

[MyAimIsTrue]

On ‎2‎/‎19‎/‎2017 at 9:47 PM, Sun-Bun said:

as self-absorbed and elitist as she can often be, I still have a soft spot for Lu and wish her well. She's a fun broad who likes to party hard((that's the pirate-loving Countess that I prefer to see!)), and I can't hate on that. Plus, I live for her battles with Bethenny---she ain't afraid to go toe-to-toe with her, which is always fascinating to watch.

Yes, yes, and more yes.  Despite her occasional "airs" LuAnn will always be my favorite HW out of any franchise and deep down I hope she's happy.

[Mozelle]

This is random, but every time I see a celebrity wearing a Naeem Khan dress, I think of LuAnn acting as though her possibly wearing his dress for something like Life & Style was going to do *him* a favor. This only came to mind because Gabrielle Union shared a couple pix on Instagram of her wearing one of his dresses. 

Gabby and D. Wade

Edited March 20, 2017 by Mozelle

[chick binewski]

18 hours ago, Mozelle said:

This is random, but every time I see a celebrity wearing a Naeem Khan dress, I think of LuAnn acting as though her possibly wearing his dress for something like Life & Style was going to do *him* a favor. This only came to mind because Gabrielle Union shared a couple pix on Instagram of her wearing one of his dresses. 

Gabby and D. Wade

Luann is going on and on about this right now as Bravo is showing the S5 reunion. Clearly she always put on airs from the beginning, but I think I forgot her bemused condescension and level of grandiose b.s. particularly when she's dealing with someone she deems beneath her. Alex from Brooklyn and single girls Bethenny and Carole. I find the rules of class warfare some of these women follow both fascinating and gross. But mostly gross. 

[Mozelle]

2 hours ago, chick binewski said:

Luann is going on and on about this right now as Bravo is showing the S5 reunion. Clearly she always put on airs from the beginning, but I think I forgot her bemused condescension and level of grandiose b.s. particularly when she's dealing with someone she deems beneath her. Alex from Brooklyn and single girls Bethenny and Carole. I find the rules of class warfare some of these women follow both fascinating and gross. But mostly gross. 

I'm always sort of amazed by those who come from humble beginnings who, when they get some coins to rub together, then act as though they've *always* had access to a diamond-encrusted titanium spoon. LuAnn is this way (as is Nene...). 

[seasick]

I would hope that Lu didn't want to have a Bravo wedding considering the clown show her engagement party was.  The entire "show" aspect--especially on a women-clawing hate-filled, twat-exposing circus that it's become--would diminish any legitimacy and sincerity that LuAnn is trying to establish about their relationship that it's not just a 'showmance".  

I also have a soft-spot for Lu and I'm hoping that she does truly have a modicum of class from her middle-class upbringing and a desire to separate some of her real life away from the grubby, filthy hands of Andy et al.    

I don't agree about Lu going after riches--I don't think Jaques was wealthy--not sure but don't recall that.  But certainly a woman of some means would want a man who has a few bucks himself.  I hope she's so happy and content that she bows out of the Bravo mess.   

I would miss her haughty condescending attitude toward Bethy--often looking down on her like she's a bug and needling her like busting B's chops about her copying Lu's hairstyle.  ("well it looks just like mine"--"No it's not!!! not it's not!!!!")   Something about LuAnn too where she can get away with sleeping with pirates and vacay pick-ups in a way that many can not.   That bugs the hell out of Bethy too.   I mean, seriously.. Lu's a grown single woman having a few getaway dalliances when she can, and then some.    I can't see anything tawdry about it by anyone's standards today but Bethanny rips her as and tries to shame her as if we're back in the 50's.  She's gotta be jealous of how Lu just does not care , has her fun and continues to walk tall.   I think it's something about that time she spent in Europe that makes her sexual attitudes more 'okay' and natural--like those awful speedos.  It's just what they do.

[AndySmith]

Quote

I don't agree about Lu going after riches--I don't think Jaques was wealthy--not sure but don't recall that

Jaques was very well off and wealthy. I think he has more money than Tom does.

Quote

but Bethanny rips her as and tries to shame her as if we're back in the 50's.  She's gotta be jealous of how Lu just does not care , has her fun and continues to walk tall

I'm not sure if it is jealousy so much as hypocrisy. Back in the earlier seasons, Ramona was giving Bethany advice about going out and have fun, playing the field, etc, and Lu was all condescending in her "That isn't how *I* live my life/would do things" (which could be translated as "I am lady, while you are a nasty slut"), because Bethany would have developed a bad reputation had she done that. So Lu could just be getting a taste of her own medicine.

[Mozelle]

14 hours ago, seasick said:

 But certainly a woman of some means would want a man who has a few bucks himself.  I hope she's so happy and content that she bows out of the Bravo mess.   

Oh, I'm not of the mind that it's wrong or morally reprehensible or whatever for someone to seek a partner who is either a financial equal or who makes loads and loads and loads more. I just don't have the patience for the haughtiness or the looking down one's nose once they start running in the highfalutin' circles, yanno? My thoughts on this aren't even specific to LuAnn--Ramona is often on that bull (as is Sonja) and I find it annoying. 

[AndySmith]

Quote

 I just don't have the patience for the haughtiness or the looking down one's nose once they start running in the highfalutin' circles, yanno?

The way LuAnn acts, you'd think she was born a Countess, not someone who married into the wealth and title and social circles that came with that marriage.

Kind of like yes, with Sonja. She married a Morgan.

[This2getsold]

On 1/7/2017 at 4:43 PM, Celia Rubenstein said:

So does anyone know what business Tom is actually in?  And how well he is doing?  Because I don't understand Luann claiming he is much wealthier than the grocery store family and then turning around and saying she makes more money than he does. 

Something does not compute.  

He sells promo items. Like you'd put your company name on pens, stress balls, etc. Very competitive business, its all about pricing. Unless he developed something special no one else can sell, he's one of 1000 of these businesses in NYC. 

We just got back from Panama a week ago. Luann former husband family member (Frederick ) did NOT build the Panama Canal. He started to build it, had tons of problems with yellow fever and malaria, went bankrupt, took off and left the mess behind. The diseases were horrible and killed many workers. So Fred had a lot going against him. The US came in and finished it. WE built most of it. Which is why the US owned it till about the late 90's. Did not know any of this till our trip. Liar Luann. 

There is the largest in the world suspension bridge being built near there between France and Panama. (Yes bigger than the one in Norway.) The french want to call it the Fredrick de Lesseps bridge. Doubting if Panama wants to name it after a loser. They should name it after the US engineer who finished it. Sorry don't remember his name as he has no relative on the RHW shows.   

[Almost 3000]

11 hours ago, This2getsold said:

There is the largest in the world suspension bridge being built near there between France and Panama.

???????

[chaunchy21]

I thought it was the Suez Canal

[zoeysmom]

It was the Suez Canal

[Almost 3000]

Yeh, a bridge between France and the Panama would be quite the feat.

[glowbug]

Ferdinand de Lesseps did build the Suez Canal, however, he later tried to replicate his success with the Panama Canal but financial problems, malaria and yellow fever stopped him from completing the project.

(Wikipedia Link)

[This2getsold]

Thank you glowbug.

Ok laughing about the geography perception. The bridge is a joint project in Panama and France. Near the canal. Suppose to be done in 2018. 

But we had hired a top rate tour guide who is licensed by the the country of Panama. He told us the story. 

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1899-1913/panama-canal    Here's the evidence.     

Edited March 26, 2017 by This2getsold

[One Tough Cookie]

On ‎3‎/‎24‎/‎2017 at 1:10 PM, chaunchy21 said:

I thought it was the Suez Canal

I thought it was the Statue of Liberty one of Alex's relative had something to do with?

[WireWrap]

1 minute ago, Social Piranha said:

I thought it was the Statue of Liberty one of Alex's relative had something to do with?

Both!

[zoeysmom]

On ‎3‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 5:19 PM, Social Piranha said:

I thought it was the Statue of Liberty one of Alex's relative had something to do with?

Someone from his family delivered on behalf of France to the US.

[ryebread]

On ‎4‎/‎11‎/‎2017 at 10:41 AM, QuinnM said:

Yeah, that apartment is not that fabulous.  Any one of B's, including the one they use for an office are better apartments.  I'm wondering where all of Lu's clothes are in that match box.  Probably out in the Hamptons.

Ohhh. I heart Tom's apartment.  A wrap-around terrace like his is pretty special in NYC.  Bethenny's apartment in Tribeca may have sold for asking price but it didn't have so much as a balcony.  I'd even take Tom's view and outdoor space over Sonja's small ground floor garden any day. 

I've lived in NYC and partied on terraces, that were tiny compared to the size of Tom's, overlooking the city at night.  It's magical.  And when you're inside?  Thunderstorms, snowstorms, the change of seasons, even the quality of the light from sunrise to sunset are spectacular when you're that high in the sky. Sign me up. 

I think Tom's apartment fits the narrative that Lu envisions her new life to be.  Wealthy UES couple of retirement age with a smallish but awesome place in the city and a house on the water in the Hampton's.  I can see her turning her eye to Tom's dalliances for that.  She did for the Count.

[ryebread]

You can find damn near everything on the internet.  Behold a floorplan of Lu's new digs.  And @QuinnM.  You were right:  no closet space.

Dinky master bath but 2 private elevators.  Lu should hang an Out-of-Order sign on the service elevator ala Sonja and use it for a clothes closet and cleaning supplies.  

And only one bedroom.  Hmmm. That might be a dealbreaker.  But I stand by my obsession with a wrap-around terrace on a high floor.

I wonder where Noel and Vicky are living.

[biakbiak]

13 minutes ago, ryebread said:

Dinky master

I wouldn't call 280 square feet dinky. In addition to the four closets in the master there are three decent sized ones near the elevator. She can store clothes in storage like many NYers do or at her house in the Hamptons. If she has room for that ugly ass Ralph Lauren she wore to Sonja's clearly she has enough room for her clothes.

[WireWrap]

10 minutes ago, ryebread said:

You can find damn near everything on the internet.  Behold a floorplan of Lu's new digs.  And @QuinnM.  You were right:  no closet space.

Dinky master bath but 2 private elevators.  Lu should hang an Out-of-Order sign on the service elevator ala Sonja and use it for a clothes closet and cleaning supplies.  

And only one bedroom.  Hmmm. That might be a dealbreaker.  But I stand by my obsession with a wrap-around terrace on a high floor.

I wonder where Noel and Vicky are living.

There are 4 closets in the MB, "CL" and 2 closets between the "wet bar" and the elevators, with another (most likely a coat closet) in the "gallery".

[izabella]

Are those stairs across from the gallery?  Is there a second floor, maybe with more bedrooms?

Edited April 14, 2017 by izabella

[biakbiak]

6 minutes ago, izabella said:

Are those stairs across from the gallery?  Is there a second floor, maybe with more bedrooms?

Stairs but no second floor just the building stairs.

Street Easy did available photos and floor plans for the cast. 

[ryebread]

41 minutes ago, biakbiak said:

I wouldn't call 280 square feet dinky. In addition to the four closets in the master there are three decent sized ones near the elevator. She can store clothes in storage like many NYers do or at her house in the Hamptons. If she has room for that ugly ass Ralph Lauren she wore to Sonja's clearly she has enough room for her clothes.

I mentioned that the master 'bath' is dinky.  One of the closets in the bedroom, across from the dinky bath, is probably a linen closet. And the other 3 equal about 14 sq ft if they remain as seen in the floor plan. The ones backing the elevator are okay but I'd still need more space. That said, I wouldn't kick that apartment out of my bed for eating crackers.

Also...no washer or dryer? Unless it's in the kitchen or stacked in a closet?

[Mommytocax]

On 4/14/2017 at 0:39 AM, ryebread said:

I mentioned that the master 'bath' is dinky.  One of the closets in the bedroom, across from the dinky bath, is probably a linen closet. And the other 3 equal about 14 sq ft if they remain as seen in the floor plan. The ones backing the elevator are okay but I'd still need more space. That said, I wouldn't kick that apartment out of my bed for eating crackers.

Also...no washer or dryer? Unless it's in the kitchen or stacked in a closet?

Don't they have "people" to do their laundry?   

[MMLEsq]

I never really liked Victoria and this news (she was arrested for DWI earlier this month) doesn't really do anything to change that.

 http://people.com/tv/real-housewives-of-new-york-luann-de-lesseps-daughter-victoria-arrested-for-dwi/

[rhys]

Gak. A bathroom right next to the kitchen?! Glerg

[Mozelle]

Oh, wow. Victoria's blood alcohol level registered nearly double the legal limit.