‘I’m a celebrity’: ‘Hysterical’ reality TV star refuses to pay restaurant bill because she is a single mother

Turns out Noho’s Tucci is no longer doing celebrity discounts, especially when it comes to a certain reality star

Page Six reports there was a fairly embarrassing episode involving former Real Housewives of New York City cast member Sonja Morgan at the fancy New York City restaurant. By now, it’s a well-known fact that celebrities get a lot of things for free in return for some exposure on their social media accounts, which usually boast millions of followers. These freebies are usually called “comps” in the industry. However, once a restaurant gains some notoriety and appreciation, the comps get fewer and fewer — unless you’re an A-lister.

Tucci is a relatively new player on the New York City restaurant scene. But even so, in the short time it’s been around, it’s already gotten good press for its homely atmosphere and menu. Infatuation reviewed it and declared it “pretty good,” which is not exactly a rave, but it’s good enough from the respected publication. Morgan must have missed that memo — or maybe she just thinks she’s more famous than she actually is.

Regardless, Morgan reserved a table for three and then showed up with five people. Which is definitely going to get you sore looks in a busy restaurant, especially on a weekend. The group was apparently there for dinner and pregaming ahead of a birthday party Morgan was hosting at another New York City spot. They went on to rack up a bill of $1,000. And that’s when the trouble started.

When the bill came, Morgan allegedly got hostile and demanded a comp. At first, she claimed she should get it because she’s a single mother. For the record, her only daughter is 24 years old. Then she shouted, “I’m a celebrity!” Now, Morgan is a Real Housewives vet, so if you think that’s where her embarrassment kicked in and she stopped — you’ve clearly never tuned into Bravo. She doubled down and declared, “I don’t pay people, people pay me.”

Embarrassing moments at celebrity-frequented places aren’t as uncommon as you might think. So Tucci’s owner, Max Tucci, was more than equipped to handle the situation. He apparently made it abundantly clear that Morgan couldn’t pay her $1,000 bill with a post on Instagram tagging the restaurant. Max told Page Six he was more offended by Morgan’s behavior toward his staff than anything else. Morgan did end up paying the bill and left a tip, but Max Tucci blacklisted her anyway for trying to “take advantage” of her celebrity status.

We’re all for easing the burden on single mothers — even if your kid is already a full-blown adult. It’s not an easy job. But Cosmopolitan once reported that Sonja Morgan could demand as much as $20,000 per scene during her Real Housewives heyday, and honestly, trying to intimidate staff just to skimp out on a bill you can clearly afford is outrageous.

If you don’t want to pay for a night out — especially during an economic crunch — just stay home, pregame in your kitchen with your friends, and order from DoorDash like the rest of us.