by Chandra Clewley

 

This season,the elegant Countess LuAnn de Lesseps of The Real Housewives of New York City Season 3 juggles being a mother, staying active with her favorite charities, a fledgling singing career, a couple of heated conversations, and a divorce! Today, she spoke with Reality Wanted about dating again, keeping her kids out of the spotlight and the simple fact that money can’t buy you class (which happens to be the title of her new song). 

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: What was taping Season 3 like for you?

A. LuAnn: It was fun! I had a good time, I love working with the girls in an ensemble cast, and I enjoy it.

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: Your divorce is finalized this season. How do you feel about that?

A. LuAnn: Well, I’m very sad of course that things didn’t work out, but I’m moving forward and keeping my chin up, you know, being there for my kids and dating again.

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: In the previews we see that there is a strained conversation between Bethenny and yourself. Can you give us any insight into what happens?

A. LuAnn: I just tell her what is on my mind and she doesn’t seem to like it too much. There are shifts of alliances going on this season, and we have our issues and we work on them.

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: From the previews there is also a boat ride where Ramona gets a little heated with you, what happened?

A. LuAnn: Well, Ramona gets heated because she doesn’t want to apologize to me for something her husband (Mario) said which was out of line. When I asked for an apology she takes the defense of her husband and that is where that story line is going.

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: What are your thoughts on the new cast mates?

A. LuAnn: Sonja (Morgan) is someone that I know, who is socially a friend. She is a lot of fun, she adds a little “Sex In The City” to the mix, a little crazy but fun! Jennifer (Gilbert) I just met, so I didn’t really know her before. 

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: Who would you say you have grown the closest to in the cast?

A. LuAnn: Jill 

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: On Bravotv.com there is a tour of your Hamptons home. Do you still have the apartment in the city as well?

A. LuAnn: No, no, I have actually moved our home base back to the Hamptons and I have taken a pied-a-terre in New York City, to go in and out, because I need to be in New York as well. We are based in the Hamptons but I commute in and out. 

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: You had mentioned it before, but can we expect to see you dating this season?

A. LuAnn: Well, I can’t give away the story line but I can tell you that I have been dating!

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: How would you say the show has affected your life? How about the lives of your children?

A. LuAnn: I have always been in television and it’s not something that is new to me. Reality TV of course, is new to me. I would say that it has affected me in a positive way, I get to promote my charity work that I do, I got to write a book about my life and now I am working on some music which really makes me happy because I love to sing. A lot of people don’t know that because I have sung on the show before but you don’t see it because there are no rights to the music that I sing, so I decided to make my own song. The song kind of goes along with my philosophy in life, which is Money Can’t Buy You Class. That is the name of the song.  I was going to shows (during fashion week) but most recently I walked in a show for Malan Breton, and I’m doing a little bit here and there but not really back fully into modeling. I do charity work for the American Cancer Society, the ACE Partnership, and The Auditory/Oral School of New York. My book is Class with the Countess, which I wrote in the second season of the show and it just came out in paperback. The kids aren’t on the show much, I try to keep them off the show except to do things we enjoy doing together. You’ll see them a bit this season, but it’s about my life, it’s not really about their life, otherwise it would be another show. With all of these women, it’s about our life, our connections and what we do, and the kids are a really small part of that. In the show at least! I try to keep them out of the spotlight. When I do though, they say “I was in that scene! How come I’m not there?”(she laughs).

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: What inspired you to originally come on to The Real Housewives of New York City?

A. LuAnn: I actually met Jill Zarin and Jill asked me if I would do a show like this and it was basically through Jill that I got on the show.

 

Q. Chandra, Reality Wanted: What is your beauty secret for staying so healthy and fresh?

A. LuAnn: I think to stay young you have to stay active. It’s keeping busy, and exercising and eating right. Taking care of your skin. And drinking lots of water! 

 

The Real Housewives of New York City Season 3 will be airing on March 4th at 10/9c on Bravo.

 

The Real Housewives of Orange County will be airing this Thursday night at 10/9 c on Bravo.

 

(Image courtesy of Bravo)

 

 

Follow Chandra at twitter.com/ChandraClewley

 

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