A production crew member for Below Deck Sailing Yacht is claiming cast member Gary King attempted to force himself on her during the filming of Season 4, with other witnesses claiming to have seen similar sexual misconduct from the reality star.
After the story hit the media, Gary took to social media to clear his name, only to quickly delete his statements.
In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Samantha Suarez –who provided hair and makeup services for the show during the filming of Season 4 in 2022—claimed that she had been staying at the same hotel as Gary and the rest of the show’s cast and crew when the alleged incident occurred.
The 27-year-old told Rolling Stone that she also assisted the talent manager for the show, and helped to make sure the cast stayed in their rooms, in addition to helping to deliver meals to the cast.
Samantha stated that, on the day Gary allegedly accosted her, he was drunk after doing his interviews for the show and that she helped him to his room, where he proceeded to act belligerently and asked her to get into bed with him.
View this post on Instagram
Samantha stated that she left Gary’s room to help the other cast members but returned with food and water for him, only to have Gary insist she stay with him. Per Samantha’s account, she turned to leave but Gary pressed his body against her and had a tight grasp on her. She managed to kick free, but says Gary then slammed the door shut when she attempted to leave his room.
“At that point, I didn’t know what was going to happen. I was freaking out. It just happened so fast,” she told the magazine, adding that a phone call interrupted the scene.
“I’m freaking out, and he goes, ‘What’s wrong? What’s going on?’ And I’m like, ‘Just leave me alone.’ He tried to come up behind me and put his arm around me. He’s in the hallway in his underwear and it’s all weird and f**ked up, and so I’m just like, ‘Just go back in your room and don’t come out.'”
After the alleged incident, Samantha said she reached out to the show’s higher-ups and network executives and told them what had allegedly happened. (She also informed them that she was no longer willing to do Gary’s hair and makeup.) She stated that the execs offered to fire Gary, but she didn’t want the responsibility put on her. Instead, they removed Gary from the hotel and made him sleep on the boat.
Other crew members, who remained anonymous in the Rolling Stone article, also accused Gary of harassing crew and cast members on-set. One stated that Gary grabbed a female cast member’s butt, and continued to “touch her inappropriately,” even after she told him not to.
Another crew member told the magazine that Gary had grabbed a crew member’s genitals, as well as the genitals of a male camera operator.
View this post on Instagram
“It was insane. There were multiple incidents of sexual harassment in front of multiple producers after this person had been given verbal warnings multiple times,” one of the anonymous sources stated.
Another stated that Gary was “next-level scary with women.
View this post on Instagram
Gary took to social media to defend himself. As reported by Us Weekly, in a now-deleted comment on his Instagram page, he responded to fans, “It’s so weird, it’s also so far from the truth. She always wanted a platform and unfortunately, I’m the unlucky target.
“I’m not going to let some lying girl get to me… read that article fully, multiple times, and this happened to her on multiple seasons … seems odd,” he added in another comment that has also since been deleted.
Gary also addressed the anonymous behind-the-scenes sources who spoke to Rolling Stone about his alleged misconduct.
“Please tell me who I’ve harassed from [‘Below Deck’] … if I did I’m sure they would have said something and not some random person,” he wrote in a since-deleted comment. “Please can you tell me where I have sexually harassed multiple women … you’re watching the wrong show pal.”
Interestingly, Gary is not the first ‘Below Deck’ cast member who Samantha has accused of being inappropriate with her. Samantha once accused Ross McHarg of making lewd comments toward her while they were filming ‘Below Deck’ Season 10. She has stated that she told Bravo about Ross’ alleged comments, and the network put her in contact with Human Resources and a counselor.
Samantha has stated that she was asked not to return to work on the show, which she feels was retaliation for her speaking out about the alleged sexual misconduct she experienced.
In a statement to several media outlets, 51 Minds Entertainment– the company that produces ‘Below Deck’— said it provides mandatory harassment and sensitivity training for each season it produces, letting everyone know how to report any questionable activity.
“With any complaint filed, a timely investigation is launched and, based on the findings, appropriate actions are implemented to ensure the safety of our cast and crew, up to and including termination,” the production company’s statement continued. “With regard to the incident reported by Ms. Suarez involving Mr. King, the case was investigated and reviewed as soon as it was submitted, and production acted accordingly based on the results.”
Bravo also issued a statement in regard to the allegations.
“Bravo is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows,” the network said. “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. The concerns Ms. Suarez raised in July 2022 were investigated at that time and action was taken based on the findings.”
Gary has not issued any more public statements; however, the comment section of his most-recent Instagram post showed a mix of supporters and those who were confident that he had committed the acts that Samantha and the others have accused him of.
View this post on Instagram
“Just read the news, this season was uncomfortable viewing in parts,” one person wrote. “I’m sure you’ll look back & cringe one day. Hopefully this will be a learning curve, time to grow up.”
“Gary’s behavior is problematic, regardless of whether it rises to the level of sexual assault or not,” another person wrote. “He does not like to be told ‘no’ and physically touches and is aggressive towards women far more often than necessary and when they are protesting. Gary needs to change his behavior. I can’t think anyone is surprised by this allegation.”
“#TeamGary,” someone else wrote. “Don’t believe the allegations for a second.”
(Photos: Bravo; Instagram)
I have no doubt he did. Gary’s penis gets around. I really have never understood what women would see in him. He seems of fairly average intelligence, is short and doughy, has clumsy pick up lines and innuendos, and his face has already swollen his eyes shut from years of cheap booze. As I said in a previous post. Below Deck has run its course. It is just a toxic shitshow about a half a sexual assault away from cancellation.
I think Gary is icky, but I also blame the Bravo people – they encourage the drunken rowdiness and then seem surprised when bad things happen…
I usually watch the Saturday Sunday reruns while cleaning…and he seems like that guy that thinks he is a catch & woman are lucky to me chosen.
But is it wrong that I now want to Bing watch the seasons to look watch his cringy behavior?
Nothing wrong, but brace yourself, lol! He alternates between needy and cringey. His leadership skills are atrocious and he’s a pot-stirrer too. Exhausting!
Of course he did it. He does that shit on camera. He did it to Daisy all season. Gary is disgusting, he always has been.
I believe her. Gary strikes me as someone who thinks he can do what he wants as long as he convinces himself that every woman wants him. He is VERY pushy and forward with multiple woman every season. Gary seems to get special treatment. Who “offers” to fire someone to the victim. It isn’t her responsibility and she shouldn’t have been put in that position. He should have been fired PERIOD. Especially if Bravo wants to make this statement “Bravo is committed to maintaining a safe and respectful workplace for cast and crew on our reality shows.” Apparently not.