‘Below Deck’: Does Ashton Pienaar Finally Show Remorse During the Reunion?
Until the reunion, some fans have viewed Ashton Pienaar’s apology to the Below Deck crew as more of “sorry not sorry.”
Pienaar aggressively lashed out at chief stew Kate Chastain both physically and verbally. Chastain became so fed up with Pienaar and a few other crew members, she momentarily quit the show. Pienaar also made it clear he wasn’t happy that deckhand Rhylee Gerber returned midseason. He voiced his dislike for Gerber to the rest of the deck team and eventually the men on the boat iced Gerber out.
He’s apologized and even sent a private apology to Chastain. However, the majority of his words were focused on how he was looking at his behavior and less about expressing true regret and remorse. Fans and some crew members shared their disappointment that Pienaar hasn’t been more remorseful. But does he finally seem truly sorry in an upcoming clip from part two of the reunion?
He becomes emotional during the reunion
A preview clip shows a tearful Pienaar addressing Chastain. “I was completely drunk, I was out of my mind, and I’m sorry for that,” he says to Chastain. Chastain becomes very serious as she looks down at the floor.
“I hate the fact that everything’s been spun the way it is,” he continues as he fights back the tears. “But you know, I have to take responsibility for that. Because I’m the one who behaved the way I did.”
“I’m making serious changes in my life because I’m not proud of the person I saw on camera that night,” he adds. “And I am extremely sorry. I have amazing relationships with all the women in my life. And the way everything has turned out and the way everything seems out there. In the real world now, the labels I’m being labeled with I’m extremely ashamed of.”
He insists he’s not a misogynist
Pienaar, along with the men on the boat (except Captain Lee Rosbach) were dragged on social media for being misogynists. Many have fought back and refuted this assertion. Pienaar says, “What hurts me most is I’m not that person. I know my behavior showed that. And I know I need to take responsibility for that and whatever the lesson is that I have to learn, I’m learning it.”
At this point, Pienaar’s eyes are red and teary. “And I know what I need to change, and I will be better for it.” Host Andy Cohen turns to Chastain for a response. Chastain remained silent during Pienaar’s entire apology. Viewers will have to wait until part two to learn if she accepts his apology.
However, she hasn’t been receptive in the past. “I was actually shocked when I heard his approach because I’ve done Below Deck for six years. There’s certainly times where things happen that you regret. And you have to own up to it, say ‘I’m sorry, my bad and I see the error of my ways.’ But it was shocking that Ashton kind of seems to do the opposite. Like every time he’s interviewed about it, he kind of doubles down and it almost turns into the Ashton Ted Talk.” Chastain told Colin Macy-O’Toole on his Radio Check podcast.
The Below Deck reunion, part two airs on Monday, February 17 at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.
