Luann de Lesseps Leaves Rehab, Resumes Cabaret Shows: "It Was Just Therapy for Me"
The Real Housewives of New York City performer addressed her recent return to an alcohol treatment center.
The show is going on for Luann de Lesseps. The Real Housewives of New York City singer performed her first cabaret show following her recent stay at an alcohol treatment center this weekend.
Luann returned to the stage at The Paramount in Long Island, New York on Saturday, August 4 for a performance of her #CountessAndFriends cabaret show. And she didn't shy away from addressing her most recent stay in rehab during the set, even performing Amy Winehouse's "Rehab," according to PEOPLE. “I actually loved rehab," she said during the show, as reported by PEOPLE. "I loved it so much I went back.”
But all kidding aside, Luann expressed her gratitude to her fans for their support during this difficult time. “I felt like I needed them more than they needed me,” she told PEOPLE after the show. “Just being onstage, I couldn’t wait to get onstage. I’ve been through so much in the last year, and you know, most recently, so I needed to get out, and get here. It was just therapy for me.”
Luann checked herself back into rehab in July, six months after she completed a 21-day stay at an alcohol treatment center following her arrest on December 24, 2017 in Palm Beach, Florida. While speaking to E! News after her performance on Saturday, Luann shared how her second time in rehab was a different experience. "I feel great. I feel like I have more experience with the whole thing so I learned more, you always learn more and the second time around I learned a lot more about myself and it was very eye-opening and enlightening and spiritual and all of those things," she said. "I've realized that drinking doesn't work for me anymore; it just doesn't."
Luann returned to rehab before the taping of this season's RHONY reunion and therefore was unable to attend, but she said she was glad she made that decision. "I was taking care of myself, that comes first," she told E! News. "I like doing the reunion so I was sad to miss it, but my health came first."
She also said that the RHONY ladies have "all been great" during her recovery. "Especially Bethenny [Frankel]," she told E! News. "She's been to bat for me, so that's nice."
Check out the RHONY squad's messages of love and support for Luann in the above video. And then get a taste of Luann's cabaret from a performance featuring Sonja Morgan at Feinstein's/54 Below in New York City in February, below.
