Luann de Lesseps is calling out fellow former Real Housewives of New York costar Ramona Singer. “Wishing you all a blessed & happy new year!!” Singer, 67, captioned an Instagram post on Monday, January 1. In the photo, she’s posing in front of a fireplace in Beaver Creek, Colorado. Hanging above the mantle is a Native American portrait. “Have you no self-awareness????,” de Lesseps, 58, commented on the post, which garnered a slew of replies from followers. Comments on the post have since been limited, but the ones that are visible are split in terms of Singer’s photo.
De Lesseps’ comment comes in the wake of Singer’s N-word scandal. Singer, who was a RHONY cast member from 2008 to 2021, was named in an October 2022 Vanity Fair exposé about Bravo. In the article, she was accused of using the N-word in conversation with a Black crew member. The incident apparently occurred during the filming of Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip: RHONY Legacy which premiered last month.
Singer appeared to use the word a second time while texting a Page Six reporter about the claims made against her, according to screenshots of the apparent messages. Following the scandal, Singer’s name was removed from the list of BravoCon attendees and she was not present at the three-day November 2023 convention in Las Vegas. (Singer’s daughter, Avery, 28, did make an appearance at the event.)
At the time, a source told Us Weekly that Singer was “very upset” over the entire situation. “She’s been distraught,” the insider added. “She will lay low right now.” The initial source claimed it was a “mutual decision” between Singer and Bravo that she wouldn’t attend the fan convention. “Ultimately, she made the choice that she didn’t want to go, and Bravo thought it was a good idea given everything going on,” the source added. A second insider told Us that the network did make the final decision about her appearance. “Ramona was told she is not coming to BravoCon,” the source shared. “It was not her choice to not attend.”
While Singer has become one of the most controversial RHONY alums over the years, De Lesseps has also had her moments in the past. Some fans raised eyebrows at her Instagram comment, citing her 2017 Halloween costume which was showcased during the RHONY season 10 premiere. At the time, de Lesseps dressed up as Diana Ross and was accused of blackface — accusations which she denied. “I’m horrified!” she said during a 2018 episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. “I never meant to hurt anybody’s feelings. I love Diana Ross and I totally respect Diana Ross. It was really kind of a tribute to her, and it was Halloween.”
She added, “I had bronzer on that I wear normally like the rest of my skin. I’m tan, like right now. So, I didn’t add anything to or would ever, ever, ever dream of doing blackface, ever. I’m very sorry to everyone out there if I offended anyone.” She also apologized in a social media statement at the time. “I would like to clear the air, I love and respect Diana Ross, this was my tribute to her, I was showing my sincere admiration,” she shared via X (formerly Twitter). “I in no way altered my skin color and I did not mean to offend anyone.”