Captain Jason Chambers won a lot of approval for how he handled Luke Jones’ actions in the second season of Below Deck Down Under. Specifically, how the bosun climbed into Margot Sisson’s bunk naked after an alcohol-fueled crew night out. Production had to step in, as the third stew was sleeping and did not give consent to approach.
Captain Jason acted swiftly, but calmly. Luke was removed from the boat for the night and fired the next day. Jason made sure to check in with Margot to make sure she was comfortable. And when questionable comments from second stew Laura Bileskaline made her uncomfortable, she was also fired.
But behind the scenes, the captain has received an outpouring of support and appreciation for how he dealt with his team.
Jason “had to step up as a captain”
Us Weekly recently crowned the Below Deck Down Under captain a Guardian in its Reality Stars of the Year publication.
“I honestly spent hours and hours every day replying back to people because there were so many that had a story to tell [after watching the episode]. I’m trying to do as much as I can. There’s a lot going on out there and this actually brought to light a hell of a lot. The amount of feedback that came to me — I’m pretty overwhelmed,” Jason said.
Ultimately, production dealt with the immediate situation. But it was Jason who made sure the space was calm and respectful, for Margot’s sake.
“Obviously I’m not going to be able to do what I do without my team around me. What we do — and definitely what production does behind the scenes — it really always amazes me. There’s so much work [that] goes into it,” he explained. “As a yacht captain, I know what logistics are and I do a hell of a lot of it. But to actually see the production go behind the scenes while allowing me to do my job and not interfere with me, it is quite amazing. This show has come about over a decade [on air] now and they really showcase how we operate a boat and crew.”
It was an unprecedented occurrence across the entire franchise. But Captain Jason had a solid intuition about what to do. He just didn’t predict the impact on fans.
He said, “We really saw some big poignant moments [during season 2] where I had to step up as a captain. And if I didn’t have the experience, I probably might’ve reacted a little bit differently. But I knew that I needed to step carefully through this and make the right decision,” he explains. “I didn’t think it was going to have as much of an impact as what it did at that time.”
Perception of the captain and his management style has changed. Whereas in Season 1, fans found him “too friendly,” now it feels more like much-needed empathy.
“I think my patience and empathy and the way I conduct myself [has come through]. [It] was questioned in season 1 a bit about me being too friendly and all that, but that’s the way I operate,” he stated. “These people are my friends. I work with them 24/7 in the same environment. I am a father, a brother, and a friend.”
His participation in the show has “really opened a door for a lot of people.”
“I think this show is bringing out [so many fans]. I’m talking to a lot of people that their husbands and boyfriends are only watching the show Below Deck Down Under,” Captain Jason added. “They weren’t in the franchise before. So I’m getting to actually meet [these viewers] when I go out and they are watching the show and they’re enjoying the leadership aspect of it without being too egotistical.”
That’s an important distinction from some of the other captains in the franchise. Perhaps some humility and good old-fashioned fun is the way to gain viewers.
TELL US – WHAT DO YOU THINK OF CAPTAIN JASON’S REALITY TV RECOGNITION? HOW DO YOU THINK HE HANDLED THE CONSENT ISSUE? WHAT IS YOUR REACTION TO SOME OF HIS COMMENTS?
