Apparently the romance between Chelsea Handler and André Balazs was a “toxic” struggle — which she ended by vindictively buying him trees…
The comic and the legendary hotelier dated from 2011 until 2013, and she seemed to spilled the beans on the era in a recent interview.
During an appearance on the “Call Her Daddy” podcast last week, Handler told a story about a relationship that “brought out the worst in both of [them]” without naming the ex in question.
But now sources claim to us she was talking about Balazs, whose portfolio has included the Standard, Chateau Marmont, Chiltern Firehouse and the Mercer Hotel.
“We had a very toxic [relationship],” Handler said of the anonymous beau, “Like I would look through his phone… he would be out ’til all hours, I would be paranoid about it. It was the worst version of me.”
Host Alex Cooper asked Handler “the most unhinged thing [she’s] done during a breakup,” and the comedian said that during that same relationship, she said, “I knew I had to break up with him, but I wanted him to really feel it.”
“He had this huge drive that led up to his [upstate] estate,” she said, “and I bought him 35 linden trees that I’m pretty sure I imported from Germany. Very extravagant.” “I had 17 put on either side of his driveway, so that you drive under this allée of trees,” she said, adding that she knew that every fall and every spring “the leaves would change and bloom, and it would be beautiful.” Handler said, “Every fall and every spring, I get a text from him saying, ‘I can’t believe I lost you. Do you want to come and see your trees?” She said, “And I say, I’m not interested.”
We’re assuming the estate — which she was on the Hudson — is his Locust-On-Hudson spread in Staatsberg. The spot, which used to be part of the Astor land, includes an organic farm where he produces vegetables, meat and dairy products for his New York City restaurants.
They dated from 2011 until 2013. In October, Tatler reported, “He’s expecting a child with the socialite Cosima Vesey, 29… although they’re ‘not attached.’” She said on the podcast that she’s dating someone, but didn’t identify him.
Reps for the former couple didn’t get back to us.
The post André Balazs and Chelsea Handler’s relationship was ‘toxic’ — and ended with her vindictively buying him linden trees appeared first on Page Six.
