In April 2023, while we were obsessing on Scandoval, the firing of America’s favorite boat captain, Lee Rosbach, may have slipped under the radar.
Fans of the original Below Deck were dismayed to hear that the king of a thousand idioms was not invited back for Season 11. You could say they were “madder than a pissed-on chicken.”
Out of left field
Was he surprised to be let go after his 10 years on the show? “Oh yeah,” he said, “that came right out of left field. Did not see that one coming at all.”
There’s been speculation that Bravo had concerns about his health issues, or perhaps his awkward conflict with Captain Sandy Yawn played a part in the decision. But the Stud of the Sea said he only got the old cliché, “We’d like to move in a new direction.” He’s not holding any grudges against producers of the show, though. He’d go back in a heartbeat.
“Yeah,” the captain admitted. “If they found out that they needed me back on the show, I’d go back. Sure. I’ve done it for 10 years, and if I’m gonna make an exit, I’d kind of like to make it on different terms.” On his own terms certainly.
So is former First Mate Eddie Lucas’ Boat Daddy officially retired now? After all, the man is 73 years old. But he loves his job. The yachting season is only about six weeks long on the Below Deck show, so as much as his wife and family would love to have him around, that’s not too long to be away from home. And after 48 years of marriage, his wife Mary Anne must surely be used to having him gone for long stretches. She must have interests of her own or they wouldn’t have lasted this long.
But Captain Lee insisted, “Oh hell, no. I’m not anywhere closed to [being] retired. In fact I think I’m busier now than I was when I was filming. But I still have an affiliation with Bravo, and we have two or three projects that are in the works. One of them should be coming out pretty soon.” He didn’t say what the project was, but I’m sure his fans will be tuning in. I will be, for sure.
We can only hope that one of his new projects will give him the opportunity to say things like, “They’d better give their souls to Jesus ‘cause their asses belong to me.” There’s our Captain!
TELL US – DO YOU THINK BRAVO WAS RIGHT TO FIRE CAPTAIN LEE? WILL YOU MISS WATCHING HIM ON BELOW DECK? ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS OTHER SHOWS?
