Luann de Lesseps on Finding Confidence in Cabaret on ‘The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast’

When you think of Real Housewives of New York, there’s one name that always comes up: Countess Luann de Lesseps. She’s been everything from a nurse to a model to a European countess, and of course, a Bravo legend. But as she reminds us on The Skinny Confidential Him & Her Podcast with Michael Bosstick and Lauryn Evarts Bosstick, her story doesn’t stop at reality TV—it keeps unfolding in surprising and empowering ways.

Over the course of the conversation, de Lesseps discusses her resilience, her decision to lean into cabaret as a second act, and the joy she finds in connecting directly with her audience. The episode reveals the woman behind the Countess persona, showing us how she’s managed to reinvent herself while staying true to who she is.

From surviving the chaos of Housewives to taking center stage in a cabaret show that’s entirely her own, de Lesseps proves there’s always room to create a new chapter, no matter where life takes you.

Countess Luann de Lesseps explains how cabaret became her next stage

For de Lesseps, cabaret was about following joy. She recalls a friend encouraging her to turn her love of singing, hosting, and storytelling into something bigger. “You love to sing for your friends, you love to host parties, you love to tell jokes. You should be doing cabaret,” she shares.

That nudge turned into a full-fledged second career. She describes her creative process with the same mix of humor and passion fans have come to expect: “What I do is I pick a song I love and I go, what story is gonna bring me to that song?”

It’s not just about the music—it’s about building an immersive experience that makes her fans feel like part of the show.

Why her cabaret connects with fans

On stage, de Lesseps goes beyond performance to create a sense of community. She loves mixing in fan-favorite songs like Tina Turner’s “What’s Love Got to Do with It” while weaving in her signature storytelling. “I’ve had people that go to Beyoncé, they go to Taylor Swift, and they have more fun in my show because they can relate to me and they can talk to me,” she says.

That relatability is key. Audiences don’t just watch her—they engage with her. As she puts it, “They come to my show and they say, we have the time of our lives because they’re immersed in my world, right? And they get to interact with me.”

It’s that combination of glamour and realness that has kept fans invested in her for decades, from Bravo screens to theater stages.

Taking ownership of her story

Unlike the Housewives franchise, cabaret allows de Lesseps to be fully in control. She loves the freedom to design the show, select the songs, and steer creative energy wherever she wants it to go. “I’m in the driver’s seat,” she explains. “I could do anything I want, say anything I want, sing any song I want.”

That ownership has transformed cabaret into her main stage, literally and figuratively. It’s where she’s found confidence, humor, and connection outside of the sometimes-chaotic Housewives spotlight.

Owning her confidence, on and off stage

When asked about critics who dismiss her singing, de Lesseps doesn’t flinch. She remembers the words of a legendary director who came to see her show: “’You blew my fucking mind. First of all, you can sing, you’re funny as shit, and you wear a dress like no woman I’ve ever seen. You’re gonna be a big star.’”

Moments like that remind her—and her fans—that confidence is about showing up, creating joy, and refusing to let negativity define you.

Why this era might be her best yet

If Housewives gave us the Countess, cabaret gives us Luann. It’s a space where she celebrates music, humor, and community on her own terms. Her ability to reinvent herself while staying connected to fans is proof that life after reality TV can be just as thrilling—maybe even more so.

And as she continues to tour and expand her cabaret empire, one thing is clear: Countess Luann de Lesseps isn’t just surviving the drama. She’s thriving in her own spotlight, making this next chapter her most empowering one yet. Her journey is a testament to the fact that with determination, resilience, and a willingness to embrace change, we can all create our own empowering next chapters.

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