‘Below Deck’: Captain Lee Won’t Tolerate the N-Word Said on His Boat – ‘It Isn’t Acceptable, Ever’
Captain Lee Rosbach from Below Deck made it perfectly clear he won’t tolerate the N-word or any racial slurs made on his boat.
During a drunken night out with the crew, chief stew Heather Chase repeated the N-word after deckhand Rayna Lindsey said it. Chase said it again, which was when Lindsey calmly explained to Chase why she should never say that word. And while Rosbach was not present during the exchange, he saw the episode and released a statement in his blog.
Captain Lee finds racial slurs despicable and they will not be tolerated
Rosbach said he was just as surprised as Below Deck viewers with what happened during the crew night out. While recovering from spinal surgery, Rosbach addressed what occurred saying he has a no-tolerance policy for that kind of language.
“I was truly disgusted by some words used in this week’s episode that I will not repeat,” he wrote. “I find them despicable. The word I heard used casually on this week’s episode is not one I tolerate in any way shape or form on my boat. Nor will I ever, moving forward. I wish I knew about it earlier and swift action would have been taken, but let me be very clear, it isn’t acceptable, ever. ”
He then dove into the issues the crew faced during the charter, which included the deck team issues. Plus he addressed Chase by adding, “You can have fun but sometimes too much fun can cause issues as we are learning.”
Heather Chase from ‘Below Deck’ apologized but Rayna Lindsey isn’t accepting it
Chase quickly left the room after Lindsey gently and calmly explained why she should never say the N-word. She seemed ashamed and upset and then issued an apology on Instagram. “I am sorry for the hurt my ignorance caused Rayna in tonight’s episode,” she shared on Instagram within minutes of the moment airing. “While I apologized to Rayna throughout the season, I cannot express enough how remorseful I am.”
“Over the past nine months since this episode was filmed, I have learned how my words and actions can affect others and I vow to do better in the future.”
Fans and Lindsey blasted Chase. Lindsey took to her Instagram story and addressed as many fan questions as possible, blasting Chase and the network. Some fans wondered why Bravo has not addressed the incident, especially after several cast members were fired specifically for racism.
A ‘Below Deck Mediterranean’ crew member was fired for a racist and sexist meme
The only Below Deck cast member to be fired for racism is Peter Hunziker from Below Deck Mediterranean Season 5. Hunziker shared a racist and sexist meme that was also violent in nature. Fans blasted him but then he made a joke about it and doubled down. The meme was also shared during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests and Bravo had just fired four cast members from Vanderpump Rules for racist actions.
Since the season had already been shot, Below Deck Med editors minimized Hunziker for the remainder of the season. They did such a good job, some fans forgot Hunziker was on the crew.
Later, Hunziker apologized and admitted he was having an issue finding work. “Well, I’ve been retired I guess a month now,” Hunziker said in an Instagram story shared in Feb. “Nobody’ll hire me since you know, I’m fired on Below Deck and all that s***.”
