The latest episode of Below Deck sparked a firestorm of attention when deckhand Damo Yörg and chief stew Fraser Olender turned up the heat during a surprise makeout in the hot tub.
The boatmance unfolded during a crew hot tub party on the June 23 episode of the Bravo series, catching fellow crew members and viewers off guard with its intensity and spontaneity.
Damo Yörg didn’t shy away from discussing the moment, admitting in a confessional that “Fraser is a good kisser” and that he has “absolutely kissed a bloke before.”
He added, “Sometimes, you wanna keep things fresh and change it up.”
Damo also opened up about his sexuality, sharing that he’s always been open to attraction to both men and women, and recalled the moment he began to question things, saying, “I saw this guy and I was like, ‘That guy’s good looking,’ and then I thought, ‘F–k, am I gay?’”
He added humorously, “Like 50 years old, two kids, wife, house and go, ‘Oops, darling, I want to run off with Rodrigo the pool boy now.’”
Fraser Olender, meanwhile, revealed in his own confessional that he has a boyfriend back home, and admitted the kiss might complicate things.
He expressed both attraction to Damo and frustration with a long-distance relationship, joking, “I’m fed up of having a boyfriend and calling it a pen pal.”
This spicy hot tub moment has quickly become one of the most talked-about scenes from season 12, with fans dubbing it the “queerest season yet.”
Both Fraser and Damo have received praise online for their candidness and for showing a wider spectrum of LGBTQ+ experiences on mainstream reality TV.
The Bravo franchise has long included queer cast members, but this fluid and fun moment brought something fresh, cheeky, and authentic to the screen—right in time for Pride Month.
As the season sails on, audiences will be watching to see whether this boatmance turns into smooth sailing or heads straight for stormy waters.
One thing’s for sure: the yacht isn’t the only thing heating up this summer.