This time, the major controversy to come out of Below Deck’s ninth season wasn’t raunchy, weird relationships. It was a chief stewardess, in Heather Chase, saying the N-word. Her co-star, Rayna Lindsey, would later explain to her why it wasn't appropriate, but she was met with some pushback in the situation, leading to several arguments in the finale. The reunion is expected to delve deeper into the matter when it airs this Monday. However, Lindsey has since slammed the show’s producers online and threatened to hold a tell-all interview ahead of the much-anticipated gathering.
Despite Heather Chase’s later apologies on and off-screen for using the racial slur, Rayna Lindsey was clear that she wasn't content with what went down, especially with the then-present leadership. So much so that on her Instagram stories more recently (via Express), the Below Deck star claimed that she would be holding an interview on Sunday, of her own accord. Apparently, “nothing” happens at the Bravo reunion that was filmed on January 16 because the powers-that-be didn't want anything to be “exposed,” which supposedly includes intentions for first officer Eddie Lucas to one day “take over” for the formidable and frequent Captain Lee.
The star promised that her early tell-all will encompass “everything they don't want us to talk about.” She also added that there would be more than just one Black person's opinion when it happens. In the interim, though she decided to call out one producer by name, saying:
Lauren Simms the [executive] producer sat there and lied to my face all season just so she can save Eddie to ensure the Passover happens. … I don’t intend to hurt anyone’s feelings but if they feelings get hurt from me spitting the truth then so be it.
A few weeks ago, Eddie Lucas himself blamed Bravo’s producers for trying to shut down conversations about the racial slur. He claimed to have even advocated for Heather Chase’s firing – but it wasn't shown in Season 9 of Below Deck. According to Rayna Lindsey, per her stories, the show (and the production company backing it) was only looking to solely benefit from drama related to her:
I didn't know anything about the show before going on and literally worst mistake I did. 51 Minds same people who created ‘Flavia Flav’ been exploiting black women since the beginning of time. If I knew that then I would’ve chosen to do the last season of real world instead
51 Minds Entertainment did indeed produce the spinoff Flavor of Love and continues to do so with Below Deck. In the wake of the Season 9 finale, Captain Lee would only cryptically allude to the racial controversy on Twitter, saying he would “respect” people’s opinions, even if he didn't “agree with it.” Conversely, deckhand Wes O’Dell lamented the on-screen fight between him and Rayna Lindsey – and shared that Lindsey hasn’t apologized at or since the reunion for questioning his Blackness.
It isn't clear as of yet where Rayna Lindsey intends to host her Sunday tell-all, but it seems most likely it will be on her Instagram live. If so, she would beat the Bravo network to the punch, with the Below Deck Season 9 reunion slated for Monday at 9 p.m. EST. Should it happen, one would think that Lindsey won't be asked back for another season on the show – and she doesn't seem to care all too much about that. She wrote, “I need to help and warn other minorities to not come on the show. I’d be dead-ass wrong if I didn’t.”
