Oh look, Bravo is coming in hot to try and smooth over another bad situation. More and more it seems like the network might be more interested in ratings than human beings. And now people are taking note.
In the latest debacle involving sexual misconduct allegations, Gary King has probably swabbed his last Below Deck. It isn’t enough that “entertainment” is perceived as watching youthful yachties get blackout drunk and almost become victims of a crime. Also, this certainly isn’t the first offense.
And you already know no one loves rewarding a criminal more than Bravo. I would say their qualifications for employing felons are pretty vague. That said, the channel’s new problem is Gary and they’ve just released their standard stock statement. The Messenger has the details.
Rolling Stone dropped the dime
Rolling Stone had an in-depth article regarding all things Gary and the allegations against him. Below Deck has been in the spotlight lately due to recent episodes showing a crew member avoiding sexual assault only because the production crew stepped in. It seems like the show has a bigger problem than we thought.
“Bravo is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows.” Golly, that sounds so familiar. Where have I heard that before? Oh I know, it sounds remarkably like the statement Shed Media released after the Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip scandal surrounding Caroline Manzo and Brandi Glanville. As a reminder, both Bravo and Peacock fly out of NBCUniversal.
But is Bravo committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace? One could go back to 2014 and Millionaire Matchmaker. John Bonavia was charged with battery against a woman and ultimately arrested for attempted murder. Another MM suitor was detained in 2015 “in connection with the alleged rape of two women” at his residence.
Bravo has been dealing with this for YEARS
There was also a guy on Southern Charm who faced allegations of assaulting someone’s mother after a 2015 Tinder date. Oddly enough, he managed to stay on the show until 2018 when he ALLEGEDLY offended on another occasion.
Does anyone want to talk about Naked Wasted and a safe environment? So Bravo’s “statement” leaves a lot to be desired since it appears to consistently cover bad behavior. And yet, where is the accountability for hiring these people?
The Bravo media rep added, “We require our third-party production companies to have appropriate workplace policies and trainings in place and a clear process on how to report concerns.” Back in my day, we called that passing the buck.
We’ll have to see what decisions are made regarding Gary’s current status. Obviously, there are problems, but they aren’t just Below Deck problems. Stay tuned.
TELL US – WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON BRAVO’S STATEMENT? DO YOU THINK THE NETWORK HAS SOME EXPLAINING TO DO?
