Luann de Lesseps Reveals How She "Fell Off the Wagon" Amid Family Drama: “The Children Weren’t Happy”
"I found out about this whole story with the ex-count that I was getting sued," the RHONY cabaret singer says about the events that triggered a relapse after months of being sober.
Last month, Luann de Lesseps returned to rehab for a second time following a relapse, having previously spent 21 days at an alcohol treatment center in January following her arrest on charges of battery on an officer, disorderly intoxication, resisting arrest with violence, and crimes against a person in Palm Beach on December 24, 2017. The Real Housewives of New York City cabaret singer left rehab earlier this month and resumed her cabaret shows. And now in an interview with Megyn Kelly TODAY, she's opening up about this chapter in her life — and the events that caused her to relapse.
"I fell off the wagon," she said, before explaining that it was some family drama over her wanting to sell her Hamptons home and purchase another home upstate that led to some personal turmoil. "The children weren't happy about that because it's their home and I understand that, but I just wanted to move. I felt that I needed more privacy and a lot of people know where I am and I just needed a fresh start. The ex-husband came to visit and he decided to block me and sue me. I let him stay in my house because we have a great relationship and we still do. I understand why he did it because I was really going big up there, upstate, with a very big property and since then, I've decided to take something smaller and keep my home for the children because I love them."
It was also how she learned about the house-related drama that caused her to fall off the wagon. "I found out about this whole story with the ex-count that I was getting sued in the press. That was devastating. I felt betrayed. I felt so hurt by that because I really wanted to move on and I just really wanted to flip this house and get the other one," she reflected. "I was devastated and so I lost it. I had a girlfriend with me and she goes, 'I love making watermelon martinis.' I said, 'I'm in,'" she recalled, noting she "had two or three" of those drinks as well as "two or three bottles of rosé" by herself and "probably a six pack of beer or something."
She noted, "I can't have one drink ... I don't know when to stop."
As for what's next, Luann said, "I feel good. I feel great actually, but every day is a struggle. I take it day by day. I'm going to be 30 days sober tomorrow, so I'm celebrating, and I have this whole new life," she said. "I have to be on probation. It's good because I can't drink, and really at this point I feel like I'm almost allergic to alcohol because I can't be like most normal people and have a glass or two of wine. I'll drink the whole bottle and then I'm looking, where can I get another bottle? It just doesn't work for me. I'm just not wired that way."
You can watch Luann's journey on RHONY, every Wednesday at 8/7c.
