Real Housewives of New York is in hot water with Bravo fans. Viewers aren’t pleased with the new season and have criticized the cast for being inauthentic and crafting fake storylines. The controversy surrounding Season 15 made me think about the OG cast of RHONY and the iconic television they produced. The group was fearless, funny, and chaotic. If I had to choose one breakout star from the OG cast, I would pick Countess Luann de Lesseps. Sorry, Bethenny Frankel. Luann’s impact on the Bravoverse is unmatched. I’ll never forget her drunken fall into the bushes or when she told co-star Heather Thomson to “Be cool, don’t be all, like, uncool.”
A woman like Luann should always be on reality television. The fact that her (alleged) drunken make-out with Hugh Grant in the Hamptons wasn’t documented is a travesty. Bravo is missing out on a valuable resource!
Lu’s relationship with the network didn’t end after the OG cast was dropped from RHONY. She appeared on a short-lived spinoff show with her pal Sonja Morgan titled “Luann and Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake.” Her series with Sonja didn’t last but I still think Bravo should invest in another Luann-centered show.
Here is why I think Lu needs her own series.
Luann de Lesseps has a huge fanbase
Lu’s fame didn’t fade when she left Real Housewives of New York. The Bravo star remained in the limelight thanks to her cabaret career. Fans come from all over to see her show and take photos with the beloved reality star.
Lu spoke about her cabaret career in an interview with Page Six in October 2024, telling the outlet she’s glad to have a source of income apart from Bravo.
“I’m thrilled, cabaret is going great and my show at Sony Hall in November is sold out,” she shared.
She spoke about her dedicated fanbase in an interview with Today in February 2023. Lu revealed she decided to create her own show after realizing the crowd at her Variety Show (which featured several other Bravo stars) only came to see her.
“I realized that when somebody else would come onstage, everyone would get on their phones, go to the bathrooms, or get drinks,” she said. “So I realized that, really, they came to see me. And so, it morphed into my own show and, therefore, Countess Cabaret.”
I think Bravo would be smart to invest in Luann given her huge fanbase. Viewers would tune in to see what their fav has been up to since saying au revoir to Real Housewives of New York.
Luann is not afraid to cause chaos
Fans’ critique of the RHONY reboot is that the women are too buttoned up and series. It’s true, the new group of ladies has a lot to lose. They all have successful careers, so naturally, they are protective of their reputations. While it’s inspiring to watch a cast of girl bosses do their thing, I can’t help but miss the chaos of the OG cast.
Bethenny Frankel addressed the RHONY reboot criticism in a November 2024 TikTok, crediting the success of RHONY to the messy women she starred alongside.
“There must be an art to the disaster because we were hot a** messy,” she said. “I mean, I’ve seen Ramona sh*t on the floor, Sonja sh*t the bed…[and] Luann [fell] into the bushes…The powers that be must be writhing in pain that we really were the golden era of the Housewives…You’re welcome.”
Luann never failed to cause chaos during her time on the network. She feuded with every woman and flirted with every man. A true icon! I know Lu would stir up all kinds of trouble if she had her own show.
Luann is hilarious on television
If I had to pinpoint the number one issue with the new RHONY it is that the comedy is not there. The OG cast of RHONY were basically professional comedians. Every episode was so funny and the shady one-liners were plentiful. Lu never failed to make me laugh during her time on the show. I could fill a novel with all her iconic quotes. From insulting Alex McCord’s “Herman Munster shoes” to texting Ramona Singer, “Goodnight from the lower level” after she was unhappy with a room assignment, Lu was the comic relief of RHONY. Lu on TV in simply comedic gold. Come on, Bravo! We need her back on TV.
