Below Deck fans have had enough of Ashton Pienaar — and his latest apology did nothing to change their minds.
The latest episode of Below Deck showed Ashton losing it again after becoming extremely intoxicated. On the van ride home, Smashton, as he proudly calls the drunk version of himself, kissed Kate Chastain for a second time without her consent.
The unwanted move was only the beginning of the disgusting behavior Ashton unleashed on the chef stew. It was scary and disturbing to watch as he punched a van window and several times tried to punch Kate. He would have succeeded if Kevin had not been there to be a barrier from Ashton getting to Kate.
Ashton's insta story apology was BS! He didn't mean it. He is only trying to save face & his job following the backlash. #BelowDeck
— Amanda Nicole (@AmandaNicole047) December 26, 2019
On Christmas Eve, Ashton posted a video to his Instagram Stories — apologizing for his behavior.
“I’m sorry for trying to kiss you. I didn’t have any ill intentions when doing it. But obviously, it offended you, and whatever was said thereafter didn’t justify any of my behavior,” he said in the lengthy message.
Ashton went on to apologize to Captain Lee Rosbach and the rest of the crew, admitting he did not set a great example for his colleagues and showed what a destructive relationship with alcohol looks like.
After apologizing, Ashton explained that his temper, his family, and alcohol are all triggers for him. He shared that since filming, he has been working on his demons.
I just watched all of Ashton’s “apology” in full & it’s clear he didn’t solicit a publicist because that was a pile of poppycock. An apology is an unequivocal denouncement and plea of forgiveness of one’s behavior, without caveat. His soliloquy fell well short of that #BelowDeck
— Haute Bohème (@Timothy_II) December 25, 2019
“I’ve also had to understand my triggers, alcohol being a major one. Since filming, I really have changed my habits with drinking and changed my lifestyle ways. Personal development is an ongoing practice. It takes work on a daily basis. It takes sacrifice. It takes discipline. And it takes self-control,” the 30-year-old expressed, according to Cheat Sheet.
Fans were not impressed with Ashton’s latest apology — for several reasons. One is that he posted the video to Instagram Stories — which disappears after 24 hours. He should have shared it on his feed, where fans could view it at any time. The fact that he wanted it to go away has raised a few eyebrows.
Another reason social media is over Ashton’s behavior is that some fans do not feel he is sorry. Many Twitter users responded to his initial tweet by saying that Ashton only issued an apology because of all the backlash.
Nope. And now Ashton has since deleted his tweet about his insincere apology. He's still clueless about his behavior. And can't handle the backlash. pic.twitter.com/kxT2PhaFOs
— ??Little Lord Cheetodick (@KarenLynne2828) December 25, 2019
The bosun even deleted the tweet that let viewers know he issued an apology. His action has fans convinced that Ashton did it because people were still furious with him.
This is just the latest drama from Ashton on the show and his past actions just made his latest actions look even worse.
Below Deck airs Mondays at 9/8c on Bravo.