How the ‘RHONY’ Cast Reacted to Luann de Lesseps’ Shocking Arrest

When Real Housewives of New York City star Luann de Lesseps was arrested for allegedly resisting arrest and assaulting a police officer in December, her castmates were happy to give their initial impression of the situation to Bravo cameras.

De Lesseps’ arrest was shown in the last few moment’s of last week’s episode of the reality show, but producers saved the reactions of her co-stars for Wednesday’s all-new episode.

Carole Radziwell admitted that her first thought upon hearing the former Countess had been arrested was that she had been drunk behind the wheel.

“I assumed that she had been drinking and driving,” Radziwell told the cameras. “I said, ‘Oh my God, she has a DUI.’ Then I Googled, and I found out that it was a little bit more complicated than that. I was scared for her, because that’s not a good place to be.”

De Lesseps was originally charged with four felonies in relation to her December Palm Beach, Florida arrest, but in May accepted a plea deal, where she only had to enter a plea of guilty to a lesser misdemeanor.

Co-star Tinsley Mortimer was also shocked to hear about the arrest, especially because she was also celebrating the holidays in Palm Beach.

“I was a few blocks away from where this whole thing went down,” she said. “And I feel badly for Luann, because I know how it’s probably going to be taken in the press and go a million different directions.”

After de Lesseps announced she was seeking treatment for her alcohol abuse following her arrest, co-star Dorinda Medley expressed her approval for her friend’s self-improvement, even in light of being accused of being a “drunk” earlier this season.

“Luann’s in rehab, she went to court, and she’s got some pretty major accusations,” Medley told the cameras. “I don’t think she is ready to be back in any kind of polite society.”

She even told Ramona Singer that there could be something karmic in the arrest. “Sometimes, God stops what you’re not recognizing you need to stop. And I don’t think she was in a good place before Christmas.”

Medley added that she was unaware that de Lesseps was heading down to Palm Beach, where less than a year prior, she had tied the knot with ex-husband Tom D’Agostino. “If I knew she was going to Palm Beach, I would have done everything in my power to stop her,” she said.

Singer also expressed her concern for her co-star, calling the situation, “not pretty.”

“Hey, we all can drink a little too much, have a little too much fun, but this was an out of control situation that became public. But worse than that, the police were involved, and that’s bad,” she added.

Bethenny Frankel, who had called out D’Agostino for his womanizing ways prior to the short-lived marriage, wasn’t able to predict what kind of reaction de Lesseps would have to her situation the next time she saw her.

“I have no idea what Luann’s perspective on rehab and her arrest is,” she told the cameras. “You know, Luann has myriad emotions. Luann could deny and blame, accept and evolve, cry and be vulnerable, there are a million ways that one can handle this.”

But she wasn’t surprised her friend’s cool demeanor finally cracked after the year she had, adding, “I think the pressure cooker just exploded.”

Since the arrest, de Lesseps has gotten sober and is now singing cabaret in her tour, Countess and Friends.

The Real Housewives of New York City airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on Bravo.

Photo credit: Bravo