Trigger Warning: SA survivors should be wary of reading this recap, which includes descriptions of scenes which could be triggering for those who have shared experiences.
The Below Deck community continues to react to the recent disturbing episode of Below Deck Down Under. Luke Jones and Laura Bileskalne’s blatant disregard for the respect and boundaries of their teammates was extremely difficult to watch. We can’t give enough credit to Captain Jason Chambers, Aesha Scott, and the production crew who stepped in and firmly defended Margot Sisson and Adam Kodra from unwanted sexual advances.
Now, the Below Deck franchise’s most beloved leader, Captain Lee Rosbach, has spoken out about the recent episode. In a conversation with Us Weekly, he shared his honest perspective on what played out Down Under and how he would have reacted if this happened on one of his charters.
What would Captain Lee do?
Captain Lee didn’t mince words when reacting to the episode. He said he was “mortified” watching it play out on screen.
“Their behavior was despicable,” Captain Lee said to the outlet. “Both of them. And I’m sure they’ll be paying the price for it for a long time to come. As they should.”
Captain Lee has dealt with his fair share of misbehaving yachties throughout his decades-long career. But, he acknowledged that he had never encountered a situation quite like this.
“I don’t know if I would have had the wherewithal to remain as calm as Captain Jason did, but he certainly stepped up to the plate and did it right,” he continued before praising his fellow captain for making the right decisions in the heat of the moment.
Captain Jason’s leadership was key
In the episode, Captain Jason sprung into action to remove Luke and his sloppy drunken self from the boat and into a hotel. He fired him first thing the following day. Then, when Jason found out that Laura was making insensitive comments to Margot about the incident and ignoring Adam’s boundaries, she got the axe too. Good riddance. There was no hesitation and no looking for both sides of the story. Captain Jason recognized the seriousness of the incident. Captain Lee said that as a viewer, he appreciated seeing the strong leadership example.
“It’s a tough spot to be in,” Lee explained. “When there’s the captain, you’re responsible for everything and anything that does happen. Jason handled it superbly.”
Captain Lee also praised Aesha and the production team for their willingness to act, and he shared his best wishes for Margot and Adam as they heal from the experience.
Lee said, “I have nothing but the best wishes for Margot and Adam. I have nothing but respect for [them], and I certainly feel sorry for both of them because neither one of them deserved to be put in that position.”
Below Deck Down Under continues airing on Bravo, Mondays at 8/7c.
No means no. Every single time. National hotlines can help connect victims, survivors, and their support networks connect with local resources. For more information and resources, you can visit: https://victimconnect.org/resources/national-hotlines/
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CAPTAIN LEE’S REACTION TO THE RECENT BELOW DECK DOWN UNDER EPISODE? DO YOU THINK HE WOULD HAVE BEEN AS CALM AS CAPTAIN JASON?
