‘Below Deck Down Under’: Captain Jason Chambers on Surviving Season 2 Scandals
Captain Jason Chambers weathered some big challenges during scandal-packed Season 2 of Below Deck Down Under. And it wasn’t just the usual problems associated with running a luxurious charter yacht.
Bosun Luke Jones was fired after he climbed into Margot Sisson’s bed naked without her consent while she was passed out drunk. Then second stew Laura Bileskalne was dismissed for her inappropriate behavior toward deckhand Adam Kodra the same night. Later in the season Korda was also sent home after a number of serious mistakes and for not performing to standard.
So it’s hardly surprising then that Chambers had a lot to talk about with TV Insider as he looked back on an eventful season of the Bravo show, which is currently available for streaming on Peacock.
This season was pretty eventful. I think of how you, Aesha Scott, and production acted so quickly when it came to Margot and Luke. By airing the episodes, I think it creates an important conversation that these sexual misconduct incidents do happen. You went on social media to address everything that happened. How do you look back on everything today?
This industry and I think across the board, we’ve come a long way as a society in the last 20 years. In this industry, there would have been a lot of things not just with the crew but also with owners as well with expectations and crossing lines. Whether it would be innuendos or whatever, it does happen in this industry. Those are getting pushed away. They are not acceptable anymore. Boundaries are there. We need to establish them. I’m glad we have been able to establish those in the reality TV world too. This I think will resonate going forward now where we can probably change the platform a little bit more, tighten the policies a little more, and be more aware. It shows the policies were there with Bravo and the production team. They went at it straight away. It showed they run a tight ship as well.
How would you sum up this season? What did you learn about yourself?
My thing is still the same. I’m trying to get to the best team by the end. I don’t want to be firing people, but if there is an opportunity to make my people better. I did that in season 1 where I tried to help them grow as best I could. If I had to make a change I will. I did that in season 2 as well. I think there was a lot more to season 2 and driving that boat around the reefs, and the weather we had. There was so much going on, but you really had to do your job. You don’t have time to listen to the noise around you. I think I’ve improved personally. I think my patience was still there, but the goal remained of trying to get the best team to perform in the best way. Not just for them but for the audience to see how we should be performing in this industry.
Mark Rogers/Bravo
You developed quite a bond with Aesha. I love the scenes like her helping you put in your contacts for example. How has it been having her there the last two seasons?
What sets me apart as a captain for 25 years and driving large boats, is I realize it’s important to remember we’re not in the Navy. I have to wear many hats. We have ranking systems, but at the end of the day, we are in the entertainment-hospitality industry. We have our rankings, but we have to be a family. We have to enjoy our environment. Those long periods of time with no days off, that is our home. We need to be a family. A lot of people thought in season 1 that the “Big Brother” process was not the right way, but that is the way I lead a boat. I find it very rewarding to be in touch and in tune with whatever they have gone through personally. They can come to me personally. After 25 years I can call my best friends my old crews ‘ve had too.
Do you often check in with the crew given the experience you went through together?
Totally. I check in with everyone. I do for all seasons. I spoke to Margot probably a week ago. I talk to Tzarina [Mace-Ralph\ as well. Harry [van Vliet] and Culver [Bradbury]. I caught up with them. I still talk to Ben [Crawley] and Jamie [Sayed] from season 1 as well. I stay in touch with them all. I think that’s the job of a captain, especially with this reality show where it’s easy for the cast to go and dissipate. We have to remember they went through something, which is putting themselves out there. It’s my job as a captain to keep in touch with them and make sure they are okay. I even spoke to Chef Ryan [James] not too long ago. We had our differences as well, but we still are all back on board and know everything is coming from a good place.
Mark Rogers/Bravo
How have you managed your new fame?
I’m really enjoying it. The people I run into are fantastic. I haven’t had any bad interactions…When I do go out, people do come up to me. In Bali, some people wanted to catch up the other day and meet for coffee. I caught up with them…I just get a little bit of a buzz from it. People are really enjoying the show. Many people are coming up to me saying their husband watches the show because of me or [Below Deck] is their boyfriend’s only show he would sit down to watch. I’ve gotten people interested in getting into the industry. Also, with my other stuff, I’m starting with my health and where my journey is with that. I’m engaging with people on every level and enjoying it. It’s part of the process. I think I’m taking it on quite well.
You have had some work done on your teeth, and I know you are very proud proud of your smile now.
Jason Chambers: Yes. I bumped into Christina, one of the doctors at Invisalign. When I found out she worked for Invisalign, I told her about my past and how I’ve always had these issues with my bottom teeth and insecurities. I’ve been told I would have to have gone through teeth extraction and all this stuff. She said, “Wait, spend a day with me. I’ll take you to an office dental clinic, and we’ll do some 3D, and we’ll tell you exactly what you need.” She picked me up from BravoCon last year and we went. When she told me it would be six months and showed me the results of what would come out of it, I was pretty emotional.
Being a public figure and seeing yourself on TV, what kind of impact has this had on you?
I know it seems a little bit silly, but it was such a big thing in my persona. Season 1 where I got comments on social media about my teeth. That rubbed it in even more. At that point, I accepted it and didn’t worry about it too much. But it was definitely deep down. Then when I do the press stuff and pickups in the show, I look at myself in season 2 and I am so much more comfortable in front of the camera now. That’s not because of me doing two seasons. It’s because I don’t care about smiling now. I’ve got so much more confidence in my teeth. I’m trying not to sound too egotistical, but it is there. I can’t deny it. I’m telling you the story because I know a lot of people are going through the same thing. And many different things, not just teeth. My teeth were my thing.
You talk about putting yourself out there. You certainly did this season. What kind of feedback did you get from the budgie smugglers? Do you have requests now?
Most definitely. It’s one of the biggest requests I get, but they are not coming back on by the way. As these seasons dwindle away when I’m old and getting on maybe OnlyFans or something
Below Deck Down Under, Season 3, TBA, Bravo
Below Deck Down Under, Season 2, Peacock
