The Real Housewives of New York’s Luann de Lesseps was the focus of much of Season 11–for better or worse. All roads led to Luann and we took exhausting trips with her down Sobriety Lane, Cabaret Court and Narcissist Boulevard. At times, it was enough to make you want to smash your GPS and take a trip to anywhere but New York City or the Hamptons.
Bethenny Frankel was one of Luann’s biggest supporters at the start of the season, having just helped get her into a rehab facility. By the time the cast went on their Miami trip, however, Bethenny was fed up with Luann’s self-centeredness and exploded at her in a restaurant in an epic meltdown. The two never quite got back on track as friends and continued to spar at the reunion. So, where does their relationship stand today?
When asked if she had been in touch with Bethenny since she announced her departure from the show, Luann told US Weekly, “I have not. It’s been a minute.”
Of course, we know that many of the women don’t stay in touch during the offseason, but wouldn’t it have been nice for Bethenny to contact Luann to say, “Hey Lu, I am not coming back?” Especially since they have filmed eight seasons together. I guess that’s what press releases are for!
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Luann shared that the ladies don’t always keep in touch when not filming. She explained, “You know, we film a long season and then when we have our time off, we’re all doing our thing. I’m busy with my cabaret show, she’s [Bethenny] busy with her things, doing great things with helping out in relief efforts.”
Of course, we all know that the likelihood of Tinsley Mortimer, Ramona Singer or Dorinda Medley casually turning up for an off-season cabaret show without cameras present is practically nil. No pay, no cabaret! Even the chance to hear Luann off-key warbling Feelin’ Jovani is probably not enticing enough to make the ladies sit through another Countess Cabaret Extravaganza.
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According to Luann, the ladies need a bit of a breather from each other during the offseason. She stated, “We’re all busy, and when we have a break we kinda do our thing and with our families and, you know, we tour and so we’ve both been very busy.”
I am not aware of Bethenny hitting the road with her own cabaret show, but I get what Luann means. After some of the things that go down during the season, your co-stars are probably the last people you want to see if you are a Housewife. Save the drama for the camera! Plus, seeing each other in the off-season can result in embarrassing ammunition for your co-stars during the next season. Yes, that means you, Sonja Morgan!
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RHONY has survived Bethenny leaving before, so I am sure the show will carry on as always. Maybe she will even return someday. My only question is if Luann has proposed to the show’s producers that they fill the gap from Bethenny’s departure with more cabaret, cabaret, cabaret?
TELL US- WHY DO YOU THINK BETHENNY AND LUANN HAVE NOT SPOKEN ABOUT HER DEPARTURE? SHOULD BETHENNY HAVE TOLD HER CO-STARS SHE WAS LEAVING BEFORE SHE ANNOUNCED IT PUBLICLY?
[Photo Credit: Heidi Gutman/Bravo]