Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!
Captain Sandy Yawn on Chef Mila Kolomeitseva's Homophobic Comments: "Her Opinion of Me Doesn't Matter"
"I would have to care about that person for me to care," the Below Deck Mediterraneanboss said.
Captain Sandy Yawn famously doesn't see a lot of what her Sirocco crew gets up to on Below Deck Mediterranean, especially when it happens during their nights out. But many fans are wondering if Captain Sandy's opinion of Mila Kolomeitseva would have changed if she was privy to what went down during the crew's first night out of the charter season.
The Below Deck Med chef caused a stir when she made some homophobic comments in front of Travis Michalzik, Jack Stirrup, and Aesha Scott in the car on the way to dinner with the crew earlier this season. "I don't want to see a man kissing a man in front of me," she said. "In your home, you guys can do whatever you want. I don't want my son to be growing up and seeing two men kissing each other and thinking this is normal because this is not f--king normal!"
Mila's controversial remarks definitely caused some tension among the crew during that night out. However, none of them brought it up to Captain Sandy.
So, what would Captain Sandy have done if she had been made aware of Mila's homophobic comments during the charter season? "You know, to be honest, nothing. I would have pulled her aside and talked to her," Captain Sandy said during her appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Monday night (clip above). "However, she's there to do a job. I don't bring social biases into that."
Captain Sandy added, "But do I agree with her? Absolutely not. Her opinion of me doesn't matter because I would have to care about that person for me to care."
Captain Sandy made a similar statement while sharing her reaction to Mila's comments during an interview with TooFab earlier this month. "So that's her opinion. That doesn't reflect [me]. She can have her opinion. I don't really care. Doesn't reflect on me. It reflects on her," Captain Sandy said. "So when people take it personal, they should probably look at themselves and not point the finger at the person who said it. Doesn't bother me! That's her thing she has to deal with. Not mine."
Of course, these remarks strike a very personal chord for Captain Sandy. After going public with her relationship with gospel singer Leah Shafer in May, Captain Sandy said her girlfriend has received some backlash for their romance.
Still, Hannah Ferrier said during her appearance on WWHL last week that she believed Captain Sandy wouldn't have penalized Mila for her remarks if she had been made aware of them during the charter season. "I've actually worked with Captain Sandy for three seasons, and she, I believe, would kind of go that's your personal opinion, and what you do with your work and what you provide to guests is that," she explained. "I don't think she would have actually fired Mila for her views."
The Sirocco crew denounced Mila's homophobic comments during the episode and later showed their support for the LGBTQ+ community on social media.
Travis opened up about his passionate response to Mila's words in a sneak peek of the Below Deck Mediterranean Season 4 After Show, which premieres on Bravotv.com and YouTube on July 29. "We're pissed up. It's the first night we go out together. It's the first time we really met each other. And you're gonna f--king lay that s--t on us. She's known me for all of five days. How is she to know or to think that we're straight? She has no idea. She has no idea, and you're like just f--king sending it out into the world," Travis said. "She has no idea what I've done in my life."
However, Travis said that he now feels "a bit of embarrassment" over how he handled things with Mila. Watch Travis explain why in this preview of the After Show, below.