Entertainment
The Countess is one of the great daters of reality television.
Can she help us through the sex recession?
/ I guess its not his call.
Itsyourcall, she says.
In March, she ignited a tabloid frenzy bylunching with Mary-Kate Olsens ex-husband, Olivier Sarkozy, 55.
And for the chronically online demographic, there was last summersflirty selfiewith controversial podcaster Adam Friedland, 37.
I think its being fearless at this point, she says of datingat age 59.
Its the best decade for me personally in terms of how free I feel.
When youre happy and feel free, that changes the game.
Every ding is a new guy.
So ding, ding, ding, ding… and she always wins!
(She did, in fact, get lucky that evening.)
The packed crowd at her London performance on June 2 quickly went viral.
As oneenthusiastic tweetread, While J Lo cancels her tour, Lus performing for sold out audiences.
To have the web connection put together a group of men specifically for me?
Not that she has ever, or will ever, need help finding a man.
Thatdraws people to you.
Youve said that having four older brothers is what has made you feel so comfortable around men.
Was that always the case?
I was a late bloomer.
I didnt feel confident in my teens.
I was taller than all the boys.
So I didnt really have a boyfriend or have sex until I was 18 years old.
Eighteen is when you lost your virginity?
Did you plan it that way?
Yeah, I calculated it.
We had sex in the car, which issoprom.
Jim was older than me but he was very handsome and sweet.
I thought he was the perfect guy to lose my virginity to because he was good-natured.
So that was a great experience, actually.
Then it just went on from there: the love affair with boys.
Have there ever been ebbs and flows in your sex drive?
I love men and I love sex, so thats never been my problem.
Do you take estrogen?
I do a small dose of estrogen.
Weve got to keep the hormones intact, you know?
I mean, whatever it takes to keep your libido going.
He said you have this confidence that makes you hit on people the way men hit on people.
What do you think?
I kind of date like a man.
I know what I want.
Now thats the guy Id like to… you know.
It turns out hes married, but it doesnt matter.
The point is that I think you know when somebody walks in the room.
I know from my first marriage to the Count.
We met, got married two weeks later.
Five days [into the marriage] he goes, Youre going to be the mother of my children.
I said, I already know that.
So it had a lot to do with confidence.
If you dont think youre great, nobody is going to think youre great.
How are you meeting men these days?
Are you on the apps?
Or are you still going tothe Regency?
I dont go to the Regency anymore.
But Ill meet guys through other friends, dinner parties, at bars.
The home goods section of Bed Bath & Beyond is a good hang.
Lots of guys buying toasters and sh*t because theyre getting divorced.
I love European men.
I love Latin men.
Otherwise they were going to die.
They put women on a pedestal and I feel like weve lost some of that.
Do you think the dating rules have changed post-Me Too?
Hes alone, but hes terrified to go to the table with all these girls.
So you write a note that says, Join us for a drink.
Give it to the waiter to give it to the guy.
Now he comes over because you gave him permission to come over.
Otherwise, hes not going to do that.
Youre mostly going for younger guys these days, right?
Im living my best cougar life right now.
What are the biggest differences between sex with older and younger men?
So the 30-somethings and 40-somethings are into my stuff.
The 50-somethings are like, Oh, sh*t, Im 50.
I have to date a 20-year-old.
On the subject of younger guys, I have to ask about Joe Bradley.
Danielle Olivera has said shebelieves you two hooked upafter meeting onWWHL.
Anything you want to set the record straight about?
Shefollowed him on his phoneto my apartment.
He didnt sleep over.
But he was there.
Any tomfoolery you want to admit to?
Well, a lady doesnt kiss and tell.
If he came back into town, would you hang out with him again?
Well, I find him very charming and very mature for such a young man.
Anything you care to share about that rendezvous?
Weve known each other for quite a while.
Ive met her a couple times with him, actually.
And his brother is theex-president of France, and they know the de Lesseps name.
Anyway, I forgot what we were talking…
You and Olivier Sarkozy.
Oh, right, OK.
So he knows the de Lesseps name.
And yeah, we went out to lunch.
Have you seen him since?
Im just dating and having fun, and Im traveling a lot with the cabaret show.
Youve said that youre open to getting married again.
How does that affect what youre looking for when dating?
I dont think like that.
First of all, I would love to have a partner in crime.
But at the same time, Im having so much fun dating.
Ive been in many long relationships well, aside from Tom.
Would I do it again?
Am I looking for marriage material?
So it gets complicated.
That might not have been the best move, but thesex recessionamong young women is very much real.
Whats your advice to women who might be experiencing this?
Well, get a good vibrator.
Live in the moment and live it like its your last day.
That way youre not going to be afraid to go up to the guy and say, Hello.
Dont be afraid to ask him, Come for a drink in my neighborhood.
I have a place for happy hour.
Getting dressed for yourself is important, too.
Like, I have to have matching underwear.
Because the more in love you are with yourself, the easier it is to get people.
Another phenomenon in our contemporary dating culture is the rise of polyamory.
People are much more free sexually in Europe.
Here, you have an affair and its like the end of the world.
I really wanted to prove [my castmates] wrong.
I was in love with him, and he was agreatlover.
But he was a disaster on TV.
Now I have a few rapid-fire questions for you.
First, whos your Bravo crush?
OK… Joe Bradley.
Do you ever make eggs a la Francaise for your lovers?
Would you be interested in going onThe Traitors?
People are asking me that all the time!
Yeah, Id love to go to Scotland.
And I like Alan Cumming.
Other than you, which of your castmates has the best game?
Shell walk right up to a guy.
She has no shame and is so brash.
When you need a wingman, Ramonas your girl.
Sonja will be competition.
When you see her bring guys around, shes always like, Get away, Lu!
I already married Tom.
Then the next night, who actually has sex with him?
Then God knows wed kill Harry.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
