Most people know Michael Burchill as the concierge who asked Luann de Lesseps to take a shot off his face in Real Housewives: Ultimate Girls Trip. The former countess said it was all just harmless flirting (though he’s married), but their communication didn’t end on the island.
Luann is an expert on flirting and table manners. Her wisdom goes beyond the Bravo franchise (she wrote a book on etiquette, and she released a song called “Money Can’t Buy You Class”).
Luann recently told Page Six that she’s still in contact with Michael. “He could’ve picked from any of those women to do the shot with,” she said. “But he picked me. So, I was flattered … We’ve been texting. He was so excited about the show. He’s like, ‘I am not used to this type of attention.’ He’s gotten a lot of attention … We were just having good fun.”
The Bravo housewife said Michael’s wife has a “good sense of humor” about the situation.
The 56-year-old also updated Page Six on the fate of RHONY. She said, “‘New York’ is not going anywhere,” and she revealed that Bravo is working to “[get] casting in order.”
In November, Andy Cohen told The Wendy Williams Show that RHONY was “on pause.” He explained, “We have a lot of casting happening, and we’re looking at every option.” The hiatus may be a result of last season’s ratings or its canceled reunion.
Although Luann was somewhat disappointed about the hiatus, she told Page Six it allowed her to work on other projects. “I got to say, I’ve been so busy with my cabaret tour and shows and getting ready, that it’s kind of a blessing that we weren’t filming this fall because I really needed the time,” she said.
The Bravo star also discussed the cast shakeup, saying, “I’ve heard that they’ve got some great candidates. I don’t know who’s staying, who’s going, but I’m looking forward to the next season. It’s going to be a strong one.”
She also expressed, “The casting is not up to me, obviously. Of course, they weigh in with [me] because I’ve been around for a long time. I try to go into things with no preconceived notions like I did on the ‘Ultimate Girls Trip.’ I didn’t have any expectations. I just wanted to have the full experience.”
The outlet asked Luann about Eboni K. Williams, who reportedly accused Ramona Singer of making a racist comment, which triggered an investigation that eventually cleared Ramona.
“I don’t know who’s coming and who’s not coming back,” said Luann. “But I think we all landed in a very good place with [Eboni] at the end of the season. Even though we didn’t have the reunion, I felt like we landed and ended in a good place. I’m not opposed to having her back. Let’s see what happens.”
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