"Real Housewives" Countess Dumped By Her Count

Luann de Lesseps, the countess from "The Real Housewives of New York," is single. The 40-something American former model has been dumped via email by her 60-something husband Alex, with whom she has two kids.

Tuesday's NY Post confirms the rumors first reported Monday by New York Social Diary.

From the NYP:

A close pal said, "They decided to separate. She got wind he was seeing somebody and he didn't answer her when she called. He finally sent her an e-mail saying he was with an Ethiopian woman in Geneva and he was serious with her."

The revelation came as a shock to the countess, who celebrated her 16th anniversary with her husband on March 16.

"Luann was blindsided. She was just devastated," the close friend told Page Six. "They have basically lived apart for many years -- he lives in Europe and comes and goes as he pleases, but she never thought this would happen.

Monday's NYSD wrote:

Word comes from across the sea, that New York Housewives' Luann deLesseps has flown off (desperately?) to Europe to see husband Alex in an attempt to save their crumbling marriage. Alex, the Count de Lesseps has, it is said on the streets of Geneva, taken up with a beautiful Ethiopian beauty who is not only quite a bit younger than he but also quite a bit younger than his wife.

In the meantime, the sixty-something count has slimmed down, tanned up and looks years younger, according to friends, which once again raises the age-old question: Ain't love grand?

Luann plans to keep the title, though. Her book on manners, "Class With the Countess," comes out next month.

Comments

[evolution1223]

Can someone explain to me how Simon can be the general manager of a hotel, but they have a family of four living in a closet while they re-do their disgusting apartment?
Why can't they stay in a room or suite in his hotel? Or does he actually have a job? They are sooo creepy--
Betheny is funny to me. A little funny-looking too.
LuAnn is living in unreal reality--You're a countess and nobody really cares but you.
Ramona is a loony lunatic.
Jill talks incessantly and her voice is like nails on a chalkboard ala Fran Drescher.
And Kelly---OMG is she nuts or what? How exactly does she make a living writing an article a few times a year?

[mcclue]

Now just a minute! I am one of those who can't get enough of the housewives, and I heard Anderson Cooper say the same thing last week on "Ellen"! I am especially fascinated by the New York cast, as opposed to Orange County and Atlanta. Sometimes I cringe, mostly at Ramona and her declarations on various subjects -- "class is ambience" --and her animal aversion to Simon. When I found out he was a hotel General Manager, it was easier to peg his faux-suavity, but I found it odd of him to confront Ramona at the fasion show. Jill makes the most sense to me, but then she too had a hissy fit when (last season) she was seated in the second row of a fashion show instead of front row. They all must do lots of wonderful altruistic loving things, but the producers wisely show us only the petty, catty stuff. And if only my friends would watch too, I wouldn't have to comment here, where I am denigrated as a wasteland-viewer.

[evgolightly]

I know what you mean. I chanced upon one of these shows and found myself riveted. NYC is far more interesting than the others, but I was surprisingly drawn to Atlanta and OC too.

Meanwhile, Kelly knocked outher boyfriend, Alex got fired and LuAnne got dumped.

Was there any doubt that the Count was fooing around? I could tell just by looking at him.

[igorz]

Now if they'd only dump her from the TV show, everything would be right with the world

[Saidas]

"They have basically lived apart for many years -- he lives in Europe and comes and goes as he pleases, but she never thought this would happen." Then she isn't much of a thinker is she? Denial must be very high up on her list of personal traits. Does money make people stupid or is it just intensified?

[Chaimirija]

I think she is happy to be out...she prob hired an excellent atty quite awhile ago...no sympathy here cuz of the way she treats her kids...pro­b just had them for leverage

[evgolightly]

Trust me, she's NOT happy. She was proud as punch to have landed that pompous dweeb.

[roshni]

Not at all. She is one insecure woman and used her title as her blankie.

[gifu]

The real tragedy is that black nehru jacket the Count is bustin'.

[roblabrousse]

It should be"The Real Hags of New York". I love to watch how this scripted show tries to have meaning. It's like children acting out a story in the garage, playing house. It's so tacky. They're not even true housewives. I mean how much time do they spend overseeing their homes?

They're all brash, loud and totally ill-mannered and oh yeah self-centered and selfish. You got to love it. Oh yeah and pretentious and loud oh yeah and really loud. Anyone who takes this show seriously needs an adjustment of some sort. Even Luann comes across as a"been- around -the- block- type". And Romona from Pomona needs drastic psychiatric attention. And Bethannnnnny, this girl gives gutter snipe a whole new meaning. Jill gives Jewish mavens a really bad name and continues the stereotype. Oh and that Blond thing with the neophyte husband who spend their time buying clothes, the poor thing needs reconstructive maxillary surgery. But ya gotta luv 'em. I do.

[carolinealicia]

I only happened to catch a few episodes of Real Housewives of Atlanta -- ughh. If that's how rich people (gold diggers in some cases) really spend their day-to-day lives....t­hen I'll take being middle-class any day. Hopefully it's just an act for the camera and ratings.

[Fremon]

Money doesn't take the middle or lower middle class out of the girl. If they lose it they will be right back where they started. What we are accepting here is that they married well and nothing more. Any upper class, real classy, or well bred woman would never appear on one of these shows. Same for those that show their mansions and homes on TV.

[kellec]

oh - i am so becoming one of your fans
great writing - comic relief we all need!

[totaldisbelief]

I wonder where The Count gets all his money?

[Chaimirija]

he loans small amounts of money at really high interest rates to poor people

[treetrunk]

you are the best housewife on that show you are what i wished i could be you go girl take him to the cleaners then get you a real man

[Samirah1368]

you wish to be her?????

[gifu]

Oh, dear god!!

[RoadCrossingChicken]

WTF?

[DCCommuter]

That was pretty predictable seeing as she is his 4th wife.

[joceeco]

I watch the show and I remember the episode where one of her friends tried to introduce her to their limo driver as LuAnn, and she refused to shake the guys hand and she told her friend to never introduce her to the help by using her first name. she probably knew that he was cheating on her and not just with this beautiful Ethiopian woman. LuAnn just liked the title of "Countess.­" Ol' hag!

[glorialovelace]

It's not even a real title. See:

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/magazine/feature-articles/real-housewives-new-york-city-0708-3

[Agentlady007]

Oh put a tiara on already and get out of your bad mood.

[notconfindtweenhatnboots]

Yes... it was a french title bestowed by Napoleon the 3rd less than a hundred years ago... Like Napolean 3 was royalty and had any authority to give out titles....­... And France got rid of all their royalty during the French Revolution anyway...

[QueenCeleste]

I love some of the comments. "Who watches that stuff?" "Who cares about them?" "They're so self-absorbed," and so on. Well, to answer, I do, I do, and so what? Wouldn't we all come off as self-absorbed if cameras followed us for weeks or months?

It's very entertaining, far more so than scripted sitcoms or dramas. It's fun to watch others' lives, especially those who are a bit over the top. It's also interesting to see life in other cities. And several of the women are really quite amusing (Bethanny is a card!) and most donate time and money to charity. Why the need to criticize harmless television, especially when so much else is a sea of dreck?

[marbou888]

She was blindsided­....they have basically lived apart for many years. Am I missing something?

[glorialovelace]

What you're missing is the sentence which belongs after "they have lived apart for many years" :

"What the heck did she expect?"

[katlade]

I have never watched any of these "Real Houswives" shows but even the commercials put me off. These women have to much time on their hands and are shallow and classless. Who watches this stuff/

[SLEdwin]

I was this show! It's the funniest thing on TV. Almost as funny as the many people who comment on it who claim not to watch it.

[dc2nm]

Most of us really don't watch stuff like this. We have enough stress in our real life and don't need their petty drama.

[Oonagh]

Who cares about the lives of these very uninteresting self absorbed people.... never watched the show, hit on it surfing and left as soon as I realized what it was.....

[JZ735]

There are levels of reality show wasteland and this is near the top of the junkpile.