NBCUMV Eddie Lucas returns as the Bosun on "Below Deck."
Below Deck’s current Bosun Eddie Lucas had some thoughts on previous Below Deck Mediterranean Bosun Malia White. Eddie Lucas returned to the superyacht series after taking five years off from the show. The 35-year-old Bosun is an original cast member on the show, as he appeared on the first three seasons with Captain Lee Rosbach.
After the Below Deck season premiere on Monday, November 2, Lucas appeared on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, alongside new Chief Stewardess Francesca Rubi. The two discussed the new season, new cast members, new boatmances, and new drama.
During the last season of Below Deck Mediterranean, Bosun Malia White faced a number of challenges, including working with her then boyfriend chef Tom Checketts. White also faced criticism when she found former Chief Stewardess Hannah Ferrier’s unregistered drugs and turned them into Captain Sandy Yawn. As a result, Captain Sandy fired Ferrier.
Eddie Lucas Said Malia White Faced a ‘Lapse in Judgment’
Chef Tom Checketts stepped onboard and caused rifts between some of the cast members. Checketts came aboard after Captain Sandy let Chef KiKo Lorran go, and since he was dating White at the time, he was an easy choice for a replacement. But before long, tensions rose between Checketts and White as his role became more serious.
As a result of chef stress, White often found herself in the kitchen galley, trying to both help her boyfriend prepare food and manage his stress. More than once, Captain Sandy got upset with White for spending too much time with Checketts in the galley. Cohen asked Lucas about his thoughts on the boatmance and what he would do if he was in her position.
“I would’ve let them sort it out on their own for the most part,” Lucas told Cohen on Watch What Happens Live on Monday, November 2. “I mean deck crew is in the galley a lot helping out, doing dishes, and everything like that, but that’s usually only happening for dinner service when our job is already finished. She seemed to be in there quite often, and I think that was kind of a lapse in judgment, and not putting her responsibilities as bosun first and foremost.”
Lucas Weighed in on the Last Season’s Drug Scandal
Besides dealing with boatmance troubles, White also dealt with a drug situation. Since the episode aired, White has faced continued scrutiny for the way she handled the situation. There’s even a petition titled, “Please Fire Malia White from Below Deck” that has garnered nearly 11,000 signatures. Both White and Captain Sandy have defended how they handled the situation and their decisions.
Lucas, on the other hand, told Cohen that he would’ve handled the situation differently. “If I had found that stuff, the first thing I probably would’ve done was go and talk directly to the person and been like, get rid of it, get it off the boat, and let’s never speak of this again,” Lucas told Cohen on an episode of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen.
The Bosun added that the exact proceedings should depend on the situation. “If the crew’s or the guest’s safety was in all at jeopardy from her behavior from taking the drugs, the absolutely I would’ve brought it to the Captain’s attention,” Lucas said. “If that’s THC or CBD I don’t know, but I think the first line of order would’ve been drug testing. That really is the normal procedure in that case.”
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