Reality television and Below Deck star Eddie Lucas may have purchased his house with the boost that working on Bravo added to his finances, but he claimed he and his fellow yachties are the lowest paid bravolebrities. Eddie is a veteran of Below Deck, the famous show about sea adventures, which debuted on July 1, 2013. The TV personality has appeared on the hit series for six seasons and had his first officer role in the last season. The bravolebrity, who was a series regular, returned to the series after taking a break from reality TV for five years and quickly won fans' hearts.
When it comes to this Bravo show, one cannot be too sure what to expect from the crew. The show is filled with different characters and drama, from lovers to fights and steamy makeouts. On Below Deck, the crew members are joined by passengers whose ever-changing demands must be met while everyone's daily life plays out on screen. However, despite being a show with one of the highest ratings on Bravo, it appears that the cast has more fame than wealth.
In a recent interview with the New York Post, Eddie, who left the high seas to settle down in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, after purchasing his first house, revealed that Below Deck cast members don't get paid the same as other Bravo reality stars. He claimed, "There is somebody monetizing off of the show, but it’s definitely not us. Below Deck—regardless of it being the most popular show on Bravo—we are the lowest-paid cast members." Although he acknowledged that they get paid higher than regular yachtie, the Bravo personality noted, "We are still not getting paid what people like the Housewives are making, which is a little frustrating because they’re not really working—they’re just going out to dinner and fighting."
In addition to Bravo star Eddie's irritation, he did not get a call to sign on for another season. The yachtie explained that he was not invited back to do another season and didn’t get a phone call to inform him that they had hired a new person. Eddie called the network's attitude a way of disregarding the cast, noting that every yachtie is expendable. However, despite his annoyance, he believes there is a high possibility for a future return. In the meantime, he is excited to settle into his new home and design it to his liking.
Eddie bought his first house at the start of the year, paying over the $330,000 asking price. However, the journey to find that perfect home was not easy. He said one of his goals had always been to settle down and buy a house. Eddie also talked about how many people his age find it difficult to get a place due to the high prices. Although he noted that his take-home pay as a reality TV star is low, he admitted that his time as a yachtie helped him reach his goals.
After years of work on Bravo, Below Deck star Eddie seems to have more negative reviews about the network. He is clearly not impressed with the pay or how cast members can easily be removed without adequate warning. However, it is good that he was able to buy himself a house despite the low income he claimed cast members receive. Also, with Eddie noting that he would not return next season, fans probably need to start looking forward to a new face. Meanwhile, nothing can be concluded yet as Bravo has yet to comment.
Source: New York Post