When Luann de Lesseps was arrested in Palm Beach, I felt sorry for. The marriage to Tom was humiliating for her. She was doing lot of self-medicating. Her drunken behavior was awful. She deserved to be punished. She was lucky to have a very slick attorney who got her a great plea deal. All she had to do was follow the deal and prove she had learned her lesson. Instead today Countess Luann is back in handcuffs.
But she didn’t. Or perhaps couldn’t. Instead of being humble and contrite, she was arrogant and entitled. She told her probation officer she didn’t have time for public service or AA meetings. She’s also a cabaret star and a special kind of alcoholic. She’s the kind who continues to drink because that’s what you do at a cabaret job. She’s the special kind of alcoholic who claims she only had two mimosas.
So today she was in court in Palm Beach in handcuffs. The judge gave her a stern talking to. about the terms of her probation. They are not optional. They apply to cabaret stars.
Luann’s New Parole Conditions
Then the judge added new conditions to her probation. She has to have a breathalyzer in her car. She will have to blow into it to get the car to start every time she drives around in upstate New York. She had to go to a psychiatrist once a month. In addition to monthly therapy she is require to have weekly counseling by phone.
And finally she has to take Antabuse daily. Antabuse will make you violently ill if you drink on it. I’ve always wondered how they know if you take it or not. Do they test you for the Antabuse?
After seeing Luann on RHONY this season, I have no compassion for her in this case. She’s lucky she didn’t get any jail time. There was no mention about extending her probation. If they did not extend it, or restart the clock, then she only has about two months left on her probation.
Try to keep your nose clean, Luann. Literally.
UPDATE!
You can click here to see a video of some of what happened in court today. Luann still seemed to think she needed special treatment. The judge took her into custody and slapped some handcuffs on her. Apparently, she had to wait her turn. The Horror!
UPDATE TWO!
There seems to be some confusion about what “taken into custody” means. You are taken into custody the moment you are handcuffed by a police officer. She was not taken to jail. The judge just wanted to remind her who was in charge of the court room.
Unfortunately Luann deserves what she gets right now, I’ve been rooting for her but she just doesn’t get it…
Exactly. She’s become arrogant and entitled. She hasn’t learned from her mistakes.
I agree that she’s arrogant & entitled but I think that’s just who she is. She got what she deserved! Too bad she didn’t get jail time. And what exactly is a “special alcoholic”?
Were I the judge, she’d go to jail. That’s about the only come-to-Jesus that gets her attention. THEN she’d be required to pass random sobriety tests.
Maybe seeing the psychiatrist will help. Maybe she has deep rooted issues that need to be resolved. We never did see her grief over her first divorce. Seems like she was unfazed. Hope she begins to appreciate her real friends.
I think more than once a month psychiatry is needed here. And furthermore, IMHO, she needs therapy and to be placed to serve hours at a place where she will be beat down a few notches on her superiority arse!
Again, IMHO.
She has to go to therapy once a week and a psych doctor once a month. That seems appropriate.
The weekly therapy is by phone. So she can have a cocktail during that…
lol
A psychiatrist can’t cure narsisistic personality disorder which Luann clearly has. She got off easy. I doubt she’ll take the Antabuse, she’ll say she had an allergic reaction or something like that.
Why didn’t they just give the Lohan anklet?
“About the terms of her probation. They are not optional. They apply to cabaret stars.”
OMG too funny I shouldn’t be posting (much less reading) I’m at work but won’t stop laughing unless I do!!!!
Hot damn, this judge may really throw the book at her. I also thought she was stuck in a bad situation last year and needed a helping hand out. But now that she’s biting the hands who’ve been feeding her, “The Countess” may need some “tough love” for a change.
I still don’t think she needs prison time (at least, not yet?). However, she may need to return to rehab. And this time, instead of going to some “destination facility” that Hollywood stars check into for “exhaustion”, she’ll need some actual, longer-term treatment.
Perhaps where the “common folk” go…. and have to use MediCal/Medicaid to get help! She needs to be schooled In downtrodden!
We actually have a serious problem here in Nevada where we don’t have enough space (in facilties) or staff to provide enough care for our folks in need, and I know we’re not the only state with this problem of inadequate mental health care and substance abuse resources. If Luann were to be sent to one of these facilities, she and so many others would be in for one very rude awakening.
Why shouldn’t she be in jail? Were she NOT a reality star, that’s right where entitled behind would be!
She clearly has a substance abuse problem. And as irritating as she’s been on TV, I still don’t think she’s some kind of “hardened criminal” who deserves jail time. IMHO, Luann needs an actual rehab program that will address her problem rather than “check boxes”… Or “lock her up”, for that matter.
I agree with all of your comments.
I’m surprised she isn’t wearing an ankle bracelet as well.
Antabuse is no fucking joke either.
One of my best friends in high school had a brother a couple of years older than us. I remember him being forced to take Antabuse but he was a minor so his parents could enforce it. Even then I remember my friend telling me he wasn’t taking it.
I haven’t heard of Antabuse since. I thought then and still think now it doesn’t really sound legal for the government to make you take drugs. And again, the enforcement. Do they send you down to corner drug screening place or doctors office to take it in front of people?
My Dad was taking it and drank with it. It didn’t affect him at all. Of course I’m sure it affects everyone differently. I would never chance it lol.
Brenda – I wonder if your dad wasn’t faking it. I just wikipedia’d it. It basically chemically changes alcohol so you go into instant hangover.
I am wondering if she was given an option of antabuse or something else that was more embarrassing – I could see Lu opting for it even though it has serious side effects.
TT – I remember hearing a rumor that a friend’s brother either didn’t believe it would make him sick (or maybe he took cough medicine) or one of his asshole friends slipped him something, and his being super sick from it.
If she couldn’t comply with the super easy shit – I suspect this is not the last time Luann will be before the judge in the hot seat (and NOT being congratulated for 100% compliance).
Not sure how it works in the US but I wonder if it works how methadone and subutex scripts work in the UK. They have to report daily to a specialist pharmacy/drug agency and take it in front of the pharmacist. If subject to a DRR (drug rehabilitation requirement) their probation officer is notified if they don’t attend or don’t take it. It can be transferred to a partner dispenser in another city if they are traveling for evidenced work. I can’t see Luann liking that!
My father in law took anibuse, he wasn’t above drinking vanilla extract if it contained alcohol. He had to cut out the mouth wash and anything that had even a hint of alcohol in it. He was a police officer and could not stop. A few years before he died he threw the pills away thinking he too was a special kind of alcoholic, sadly he found out there’s only one kind of drinker similar to him and they sat in a circle to keep themselves sober and he decided not to. The only positive was my kids witnessed this and to this day are terrified to drink. Anibuse is not a joke but if she doesn’t want to take it I doubt anyone would know. Best of luck to you Luanne, I’m wishing you to get your shit together if only for your kids.
Luann had told her probation officer after she failed not one, but two alcohol level tests, when the probation officer offered her the ankle bracelet – her response was that it was “too restrictive to her cabaret performances, it might “show”, and she does dress changes – it’s all about the cabaret. As far as testing – yes, they can test for Antabuse – instead of just testing for alcohol, they can run your urine through the whole panel of drugs to detect and I’m sure they have Antabuse, if judges do order it, on the list. I think I read as well that she only has 2 months left on her probation, so she will be off the Antabuse as soon as that happens unless she fakes an allergy perhaps/allegedly – unless the judge is extending her probation period because she wasn’t following the probation rules – haven’t heard that. My husband has been sober from alcohol for 24 years and when I mentioned to him Luann’s “I’m a special alcoholic”, he burst out laughing and said, “Yep, right there is her problem because she’s not special, she’s just an alcoholic – a lot of alcoholics have that “I am special” mentality – they don’t succeed at remaining sober until they realize they are just alcoholics.” Thank you for the update on Luann’s court hearing, TT!
Re’ Luanne’s “special alcoholic” comment. It’s really no big deal. You hear at least one person say some variation of it at every AA meeting. It’s our thinking, none of us wants to be an alcoholic. so we deny, bargain (it’s like the first stages of grief! ) I’m sober almost 26 year and sometimes I still think, “maybe I’m different! Maybe I can drink white wine once in a while” LoL. Yeah, no.
TWO UPDATES TO THIS POST HAVE BEEN MADE.
I can’t say I’m surprised, Luann thought she was above the law. After such public humiliation you think she would have, at the very least, abided by the terms of her probation, but it’s clear that she was drinking during filming even. I don’t feel sorry for her in the least bit, she got off easy the first time and blew it.
Bye Felisha
Unfortunately Luann, like lots of alcoholics, has long been using alcohol to self medicate to cope with underlying issues – to the point she became hopelessly addicted. Time and again on RHONY we saw her very drunk, but treating it always as a one-off.
This means her drinking has gone way beyond being a choice for her. Deep inside she has been using it to survive, kidding herself she is OK and has choices. I think the new, tougher conditions recognise that.
Antabuse will help her manage her ability to avoid alcohol, because she has proved she cannot stop drinking via will power at this point. The psychiatrist will try to get into dealing with the underlying issues and help her find better ways to cope.
I do feel sorry for Luann and the waste of her life that has happened. She is a very beautiful woman who has obviously kept pretending things in her life could be covered up and her glamorous facade would be enough to save her from ruin.
So she has had further to fall than ordinary, non-glamorous or wealthy women before facing facts. The handcuffs, I think, were the judge getting her to face her total downfall, as well as demonstrating she now had no control over her life. Now she can hopefully sort herself out and be in charge of her life, instead of it being run by alcohol.
??GREAT COMMENT ??
Thank you for getting this and stating it so clearly. Luann doesn’t drink because she is entitled, she drinks because she has an illness and can’t stop. It takes a lot.
Some of you should take the time to become familiar with issues addiction. Perhaps you could learn some compassion. Even Bethenny with her hard crust understands and tries to help
Thank God you have arrived and in your very first comment want to educate us on addiction and measure our level of compassion. However have we gone withour you for so long?
Well put first time commenter. Luann doesn’t belong behind bars. We see a snippet of this woman on tv and are not in a position to judge.
All of my pro bono cases have been alcohol related. Judges are well versed enough to look for solutions for addicts that don’t involve prison time. I had a trained chef/second DUI that had to use his skills in a soup kitchen.
“We see a snippet of this woman on tv and are not in a position to judge” That’s all we do here every damn day.
Here are some of your judgments.
“i think white collar criminals should be in half way houses, not jail. Let them pay the restitution and not drain the resources of the prison system.
Rich kids get into colleges because they fund the education of all of the rest of you people who didn’t save for college, but think your kids should get a free ride. Private colleges can admit whomever they want Btw.”
Here’s another
“Dorinda’s nastiness toward Luann to me stems from being “outed” as an alcoholic on national tv, but it was Bethenny who actually called her a drunk. She must have gotten a ton of shit about her drinking. In the end, Dorinda exposed herself.
The red face could be from the bottle(s) of wine Dorinda has stashed in her luggage. Just a possibilitiy.”
And this one
“I would have agreed with you a few years ago about Rinna (Munchausen, Kim is near death stuff….), but now I think she is pretty freakin awesome. Amazing how opinions can change. I remember being a LVP loyalist the first two seasons, but I do have a brain. She’s slimy and underhanded. Glad LVP’s ship is sinking fast. She’s about to ruin Vanderpump rules as well with her expanded presence on that show. And her nasty husband can’t get away with his treatment of women for much longer.
The only strange thing is that the dog issue is so benign compared to what she has done in the past. LVP met her match in Teddi.”
These are all judgments from a TV show. It’s kind of the whole point of this site.
But with Luann, we have way more than just ten or so years of her behavior on a TV show. We have her in on camera telling a cop, probably not even the one she assaulted that she needs to be let out of the car in a very DO YOU NOT KNOW WHO I AM? Sort of way.
We have two videos of her in court on two separate occasions where she again felt entitled to go first and make it snappy.
We have her coming for Bethenny this season for no discernable reason. Bethenny got her the fancy lawyer who gets all the entitled rich fucks out of jail in Palm Beach and SENT HER TO REHAB TWICE. Because no good deed goes unpunished these days.
And a whole season where she shows no contrition and has no shame.
We also have an entire group of people here who have posted about their own experiences with alcoholism.
And then in strolls new commenter who wants to waltz in, and has clearly never read any comments and will not read this on either who wants to explain how her opinion on the subject is the right one. And we should all be happy she showed up to tell us what to think.
What MANY of us think is that Luann has not hit her bottom yet and than a week or too in jail LIKE ANY NONE RICH PERSON WOULD GET might get her there. Before REHAB ATTEMPT NUMBER THREE which Bethenny, I would imagine will not be paying for.
So your judgment from watching a TV show is in no way superior to anyone who thinks she needs to spend some time in a cell with Big Bertha and some off the street person detoxing from heroin because she’s a homeless prostitute that doesn’t have Bethenny Frankel or your random pro bono benevolence to send her back to her non existent house in the Hamptons.
LIKE
Tamara, I have never been more in love with you than I am right now! Thank you for everything.
Oh please, the first time commenter didn’t violate any of your commenting rules, so why be so nasty?
Pro bono is a requirement and in no way random or even benevolent. It’s mandatory.
Try defending people charged with a DUI, drug possession, sleeping in a car while homeless and intoxicated…. You might have a different perspective– mine was never intended to be superior than anyone else. I’ve seen a lot of good people take a wrong turn and get judged by random assholes. And as far a pulling a sampling of the things I’ve commented on, GEEZ.
Because the first time commenter had clearly never read a comment here and was merely dropping in to tell us to “educate ourselves.”
We are over quota on people who dictate and dash.
SHE STARTED IT, MOM!
What I have seen is certainly people who behave in very obnoxious ways on alcohol, from all levels of society. Especially grandiose and “arrogant”, “entitled” behavior when drinking – which with an alcoholic addict is close to always until teetotal.
Some have been very close to me. For my own sanity I have chosen to see the bad, hurtful behavior as the alcohol talking.
Eventually one or two escaped the drink curse and were thereafter very different to be around – much more average, kinder and easy to be around in behavior. They became their true serves at last.
If Luann has been binge drinking for around 30 years, the alcohol has been talking for her a long time. All the years I have watched the show, for sure. I do hope she too can escape addiction and find peace.
As a victim of a couple of alcoholics I only want alcoholics helped to be well. Prison is a total last resort for addicts and a holding pen only, and just more hurt for the people who love the alcoholic.
Sorry! true selves, not serves. ?
I still love you kdwagz. It was just a bitch first comment. When you get moderate a shit ton of comment everyday, you may go off on one now and then. Not everyone reads and comments this deep.
Luann is addictd AND an entitled brat. Yes, there is disease and underlying mental problems, but she thinks she should be allowed to preferential treatment because she is SPECIAL — and a special alcoholic — and the rules don’t apply to her. I am surprised she didn’t get the ankle bracelet and cover it with one of her SPECIAL STATEMENT NECKLACES and use it as a new shtick in her show.
I’m kind of glad this happened. Maybe now she will be forced to look at herself in the mirror before she hurts someone.
She still seemed entitled and arrogant in the courtroom. But I do think she asked her attorney if he was sure she wasn’t going to jail in the clip I saw. I’m kinda deafish so I do a lot of lip reading.
I saw the same thing TT. It wasn’t until her lawyer started talking to her did I see her swallow heavily. They should’ve taken her behind the door and put her into the cells to wait. That would’ve made it more real. Give her a green bologna and plastic cheese, dry sandwich for her to recoil in horror from. What a pretentious twat she is.
Green baloney! You must have been at that there fancy jail with the meat and all.
Speaking of which, today I just discovered Jailbirds on Netflix. What a time suck.
TT – I thought the same thing!! The look on her face during the entire video SCREAMS, “why am I here”? I too thought she asked if she was going to jail (which she should have been required to do).
Oh she is definitely arrogant!
I need someone to figure out what she says that prompts the judge to say, “I am NOT apologizing to you.”
I don’t enjoy seeing someone at their lowest point, but my goodness she’s been beyond insufferable. It’s just unreal. I don’t see how she will get better until she adjusts her signature arrogant attitude, but her natural inclination is to bitterly fight against any display of humility
Exactly. I don’t have the best hearing. I played that part of the video several times. I thought he said to HER. Not to you. It sounded to me like THE COUNTESS was late to court and Luann gave some half assed excuse involving some other lady and she gave some sob story said he should apologize to HER. It wasn’t very clear. And the person reporting didn’t know that taking someone into custody in a court room doesn’t mean they are going to jail. Neither did Luann. Which is why I believe her big dollar attorney came to reassure her and she was perturbed and asked “Are you sure I’m not going to jail?
But that was simply how I filled in the gaps. So … who knows. What I do know for sure is that Luann was entitled and defiant in court. And her ass should have been locked up. Attorneys have had to sit in jail a few days for less contempt of court than that.
Antabuse is no joke. I had a friend who had daily therapy and took it there. I guess that it is rarely prescribed now because you can die. Also pretty sure that it is probation not parole.
They don’t play around in Palm Beach (not to be confused by West Palm Beach where Tom D’Agostina resides).
They are just like a small, southern town Sheriff’s office and court.
There by the Grace of God go every Housewife on Bravo…there have been plenty of opportunities for other gals to fund themselves in this position! They all drink like fishes in NY, and unfortunately Lu got got in a REALLY bad way! Who’s next? Sonya? Tins? B?
Lu needs to get off RHoNY and get herself together. She’s a Countess for Heaven’s sake!
I can’t stand these housewives that are so entitled and think the law doesn’t apply to them. She got just what she deserved and I have no sympathy for her.
They were talking about this on Radio Andy this afternoon on the Amy Phillips show at 4. They thought that she was given the kind of breathalyzer that you wear on you 24 hours a day and it beeps at you between 3-7 times in a 24 hour period. Once it beeps, you have 60 seconds to blow into it. That sounded like a great idea to me, until a caller called in and said she is a hairdresser with a client that has one of those, and, if it beeps when she is at her salon, if she happens to be drinking a glass of wine, someone else just blows into it for her!! So, that defeats the whole purpose of the thing….Luann would probably hire someone on salary to “blow” for her….I do think it is really sad to see Luann’s spiral. She keeps up a good facade, as if she is living the fabulous life, etc…but, if you think about the incredibly privileged and over the top life that she was leading before, while married, to where she is now, singing in seedy little night clubs, it is a pretty drastic change. I wonder what her ex – the Count – and her kids really think about what she does for a living now?
I assume she’s been drinking.. It will be interesting to see how she does without. First will be a way for her to not have to start her car. I’m shocked antibuse was ordered. Isn’t that for life saving measure type (can’t stop drinking no matter what?) Serious and should be humiliation somewhere from her. I don’t know about anyone else, but even if I am not in trouble, judges scare me!!
Not able to start her car without an alcohol blow? Humiliation enough . . . Still
can’t believe it’s gone this far!! Still hope for the Countess!
Yeah, plus if you blow over and there is a record of a lock on your vehicle, your probation officer is notified. You can go back in front of the judge. I know some people who have had some similar legal issues that the Countess is facing.
I wonder if Lu is worse off than we think. Antabuse and a car breathalyzer?
Wondering how far Bravo will go for a felon? Aren’t there uninsurable ppl that keep them from continuing their filming? Like movie actors who can no longer get hired because they are so troublesome the insurance to pay is far beyond their star attraction? Charlie sheen comes to mind…and who was the actor that was seriously taken down by addiction who starred in tons of films…deemed uninsurable so couldn’t get hired? Can picture his face but can’t Think of his name at the moment…help me out people!
Technically, she’s not a felon, as she took a plea deal the first time and they were downgraded to misdemeanors and her probation rule violations were why she was in court today.
Robert Downey Jr. But he recovered and made a come back – he’s proof that it’s possible
Antabuse does react differently in everyone. However, everyone cannot take it because it can easily and severely damage your liver. In fact, you have to get liver function tests periodically done while on antabuse. If you already have liver damage, you won’t be able to take it – If not, you only take a small amount. Any more and you WILL damage your liver.
And many people can and do drink through it….Flushed face and all. Try enough times, and eventually, you won’t get sick. You’ll just screw up your liver.
There are many other meds that suppress the desire to drink – all with side effects.
Hope she gets some help. But serious, long term rehab would probably help.
Great points bc. I recently watched the first few seasons of rhony and to see how different Lu’s life is now compared to back then is crazy! She’s used to putting up a certain refined and sophisticated facade and being the center of the universe. She’s in denial and I dont think she’s hit rock bottom yet.
What will she do after rhony, the cabaret shows and random TV appearances end? She will be broke without any staff kissing her ass and enabling her lifestyle. Maybe she will realize it then. Her poor children.
Are we all just going to overlock why she is required to have an ignition interlock in her vehicle? They only do that for people who are convicted of drunk driving, I should since I am a victim of three DUI’s.
You’ve been hit by three DUI drivers? That’s like being struck by lightning twice. ‘
I relied on secondary sources and even the local news didn’t know what it means to be “taken into custody.” But that is what they were claiming AND THEY WERE IN COURT. HOWEVER they were also in court when they said she was taken into custody (true) and like thrown in a cell or something on social media.
So sources are sort of unreliable on this even though they are ACTUAL NEWS SOURCES in South Florida. Is pot legal in Florida? Because, piss poor reporting.
They dont have AA in upstate New York? If she has time to furnish her round home she had time to go to AA- if it were a priority.. I live in a town of 2500 and we have AA three times a week.
Could she have put in a Cabernet I mean cabaret show for charity and donated the money and have it count towards community service?
If this were any ordinary person , they would be in jail for awhile. These celebrities and their privilege make me sick. Mike- the situation Sorrentino was indicted about 6 years before he finally went to jail for less than a year. Tax evasion too!!
?. I got carried away at party with shots and wine and like an idiot drove. Got a DUI and in my state, blowing above a certain number, you get treated as a second time offender. I had an ignition interlock for TWO years, had to go to a substance abuse class 2x a week for six months where we were randomly tested, and had to test with my court referral officer for a year and had to attend AA. Oh, and I went before the judge, plead guilty and he sentenced me to 72 hours jail. Talk about a rock bottom wake up call! She obviously hasn’t had hers yet.
You know what? I humbly did it all and never failed or no-showed anything because I was so devastated I did something that stupid and endangered others. I know she is in denial and has a substance abuse problem but I feel zero sympathy for her. It’s grotesque how nonchalant she is treating this whole thing. She should thank her lucky stars she’s not in jail! Parole criterion is not optional.
Thank you for sharing AGaby.
Luann isn’t taking responsibility like you did. I thought I saw a glimmer last season, we know how that ended. I’ve been hoping for the very best for her but I’m scared for her now.
Man that picture of her freaks me the f out. She looks kinda like a serial killer.