Below Deck Down Under season 2 fans can’t stand the hypocrisy of the production crew and cast members being okay with charter guests’ requests for the male crew members to serve them scantily clad. For many years now, Below Deck seasons have a tradition of gay and female charter guests requesting on their preference sheets for the male crew to get nearly naked for them. The sexualizing of the male employees on the superyachts has viewers crying it’s an unfair double standard.
On BDDU season 2, Co-Primary Charter Guests Zara Rowbotham and Melissa Pieroni as well as their gaggle of gal pals requested a Thunder From Down Under (Australian male exotic dancers) themed brunch where all the male deck crew were expected to wear Budgy Smugglers (speedos) to serve the thirsty middle-aged women charter guests their brunch. The sleazy objectification of the male crew doesn’t seem to bother them all all the much, though. The male crew casted are almost always quite good-looking, fit, and confident enough to do it with pleasure.
However, many BDDU fans are appalled by the workplace practice of letting the male crew be requested to behave and dress like exotic dancers.
On BDDU season 2’s episode 15, perhaps to get the ladies’ minds off the verbally abusive fighting and bullying of charter guest Ji Kim’s lactose intolerance, the male crew dressed up in their Budgy Smugglers early to distract the women from their previous toxicity. Co-Primary Zara hopped out of her dinner chair and started sticking her tongue out at young deckhand Harry van Vliet‘s chest and having her friends take pictures as she posed with the other male crew members Joao Franco, Luka Brunton, and Culver Bradbury.
Fans Call Out Double Standard Of BDDU Male Crew Dressing In Speedos For Charter Guests’ Requests
Fans found this case especially degrading and egregious for the men because another charter guest repeated spanked Harry on his butt.
If that wasn’t enough, the previews show Culver rallying the troops for an encore of men in speedos on the same charter for the Thunder From Down Under-themed brunch. The eroticization of the male crew has become cloying for many viewers who spoke out on Twitter/X and Below Deck‘s Reddit forum.
"Can we get them to serve us drinks in Speedos?!" ?
I feel like there's a specific type of cruise you can charter if this is what you expect for your entire stay.
And I'm sure it costs more. #BelowDeckDownUnder#BelowDeck pic.twitter.com/TL3AMKEIfk— Erin Savage (@ErinSavage3722) September 5, 2023
Here we go with the degrading & demeaning crew serving in speedos again. Aesha needs to learn to say no & @BravoTV needs to stop this. Men have rights too. #belowdeckdownunder
— So This Is Paradise (@ReidProMassage) September 5, 2023
The double standards on these #BelowDeckDownUnder charters are amazing. Imagine if the Australian guys said we want to be served by the ladies in g-strings and then started smacking their butts lol. Twitter would go nuts but since its guys getting smacked nobody blinks an eye.
— HockeyStud (@17HockeyStud) September 5, 2023
“There’s an extreme double standard. I am not aware of male guests coming on board and asking the female crew to wear thongs or go topless. There have been at least three instances of such with men this season,” said one BDDU superfan on Reddit.
Previous BDDU season 2 primary charter guest and adult entertainer Laura Desiree‘s group requested the male crew in speedos. Joao also wore a mask in that situation. American expat Emily Monstrey’s group also requested a Budgy Smugglers brunch, in which even Captain Jason Chambers got into a speedo on superyacht Northern Sun. Culver even dressed with just a speedo as Cupid on the family charter of Co-Primary Charter Guests Becky Mattson and Michelle Harrington.
Of course not all viewers are opposed, and that’s why production and crew keep giving the greenlight. Some fans just want to enjoy the show’s razzle dazzle as much as the charter guests.
Hell yes! Captain Jason in Speedo!!???@bravo @belowdeck #BelowDeckDownUnder pic.twitter.com/oTHATB5zpo
— Tracy Cowley (@tcgoldrush) July 18, 2023
Aesha pushing Captain Jason to wear his speedo for the Budgie Smugglers Breakfast ???? doing the lord’s work queen!!! ?#BelowDeckDownUnder
— Chris San Andres (@christastic69) August 29, 2023
Yay great job Miss Alesha for getting the captain into a Speedo! I’m sure there are many of us who thank you! Lol ? #BelowDeckDownUnder
— AmazonGoddess (@amazongd) August 29, 2023
