The Bravo-verse has gotten so vast it may be difficult to keep track of all it all. This is why the network has enlisted the help of Below Deck fan favorites Captain Lee Rosbach and Kate Chastain, who’ll host the new series Couch Talk with Captain Lee and Kate.
These two yachties will get together at Kate’s Florida home to break down shows including Below Deck Down Under season 2, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip season 3, Project Runway season 20, Luann and Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake, and all the Real Housewives on the air from coast-to-coast.
Rosbach and Chastain have built a lasting friendship after working together for six seasons of Below Deck. Chastain, who was chief stew, stepped away from the job and series in 2020 to put her energy into other projects. Rosbach finished his run on Below Deck (for now?) in 2023 after a milestone season 10, which saw him overcome some health struggles. Here the two dish on what it’s like working together on dry land.
How did this opportunity come about? Who thought the two of you working together like this would be a good idea?
Captain Lee Rosbach: I’m taking credit for that years ago.
Kate Chastain: Captain Lee has always said he would love to do a talk show with me because we have such good banter. We enjoy each other’s company. Honestly, back then I was like it would be super fun but I don’t know if it would ever happen. And here we are. I think credit does have to go to Captain Lee I think.
Captain Lee: I didn’t know the exact format the show would have. But I thought we would be great. Kate and I have never had any trouble carrying on a conversation. There has never been an awkward moment of sudden silence that can’t be filled. I just had a feeling this would work.
You have just about 16 years of combined reality TV experience. How is it watching the shows from the viewer’s perspective?
Captain Lee: It’s new to me, but Kate helps me through it. She is holding my hand, walking me through all this stuff on Bravo I’m not generally watching. I have to admit it’s a great experience.
Kate: Captain Lee and I have been training for this our whole friendship lives. We talk on the phone all the time, so we have that banter. But I’ve been a Bravo fan for 20 years. I’m so excited I can merge my love for Bravo and my friendship with Captain Lee.
Charles Sykes/Bravo
Captain Lee, have you been binge-watching a lot of shows to catch up? Do you have a syllabus you have to follow that Kate created of what to focus on?
Captain Lee: I do get assigned homework. I’m diligent about it. Much more than I ever was in school. I sit down on my computer and go through the ones I have to watch. Some of them I find extremely interesting where I think I’ve been missing a lot here.
For example?
Captain Lee: Like when they changed the cast of, as Kate calls it RHONY. I thought big deal. Then I realized all of the things because I’ve seen Real Housewives of New York before. I realized that the new cast is really quite refreshing. I totally didn’t expect it. They seem to fit into their slots quite well. I would have never pictured Luann and Sonja with a small-town flair to it.
Luann & Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake is this fish-out-of-water experience.
Kate: Fish out of water too when Luann got that catfish out of the water. That was shocking.
Captain Lee: How did I miss that?
Kate: We’ll go over it. I’ll show you. You’re going to love it.
How is it watching Below Deck specifically since you’ve been in the same shoes as the cast? Do you give it more of an analytical eye?
Kate: I have experience watching and commenting on the Below Deck franchise going back to Below Deck Sailing Yacht season 2. It’s great because I love the show, all of them. There is no way I’m not going to judge it. It’s fun I have another opportunity for people to hear my comments.
Captain Lee: I’ve been enjoying it because I really get to say what I think about it and get paid.
What are your thoughts on this season of Below Deck Down Under?
Captain Lee: Captian Jason [Chambers], who I know fairly well, has been over our house. We chat frequently. Then I look at him, and I’ll say, “Jay, I can’t believe you did that.” Things I would never do.
Like what? Captain Lee: Well, serving breakfast to a guest in a speedo. Or what do they call that Kate?
Kate: Well, budgie smuggler, Miami meat tent. It depends on what region you’re in.
Captain Lee: But yeah, you would never catch me in one of those. I won’t say it would never happen. Just that it would never happen again.
How does it feel to be considered a sex symbol? You definitely see that response from fans on social media.
Kate: Clearly, that’s for me being a sex symbol. Thank you very much. It feels great.
Captain Lee: For me, I don’t look in the mirror and see that, but we each have our own distinct point-of-view.
Kate: You are the “Stud of the Sea.” It was one commercial, and it stuck because it’s true. And you wear it well.
What else can we expect from this show?
Kate: Captain Lee and I’s banter is in the entirety of the show. There will be some surprise guests. You never know who will stop by because we have a lot of friends in the Bravo world that want to come comment on Bravo shows with us.
Captain Lee: The fact the show is based on spontaneity, so you really don’t know what is going to happen next. You don’t know what we may or may not say that makes it pretty unique.
With this being couch talk, will there be drinks and snacks?
Captain Lee: Definitely vodka.
Kate: Definitely vodka. The fact I’m a chief stew in my past means there will be no shortage of drinks and snacks.
How is it to see the expansion of the Below Deck franchise?
Captain Lee: I think it’s cool to see everything that sprouted from the little show that we did. I remember the first year and even the second year when Kate came on board. Even the way it started with Kate and me, which wasn’t exactly a monumental start. She walked right by me, and I didn’t even know who she was. I had the producer in my ear telling me my chief stew walked by me.
Kate: We weren’t smooth sailing at first, but it feels like so long ago. Would you believe your first season of Below Deck there would be Mediterranean, Down Under, and Adventure? And they all have multiple seasons. We started it all.
Captain Lee: We were just hoping to maybe get enough viewers to get a season 2. That was tops on our priority list.
Zach Dilgard/Bravo
Do you have a favorite Housewives?
Kate: My personal favorite is Real Housewives of New York, but I love Real Housewives of Miami that they brought back. It’s close to my heart. It’s close to my home. It’s colorful and vibrant just like Miami. And I think the entire cast is authentic and has great storylines. So Miami or New York is a toss-up for me.
Captain Lee: I like New York, but I’m having a hard time getting behind Miami. There is also Orange County.
Kate: I think Captain Lee is really going to enjoy the Real Housewives of Salt Lake. He hasn’t seen it yet, but I’m looking forward to introducing him to that.
You’re also going to talk about Project Runway, which you were part of a Below Deck episode. How was that?
Captain Lee: Kate was a judge. I thought she did fantastic. I was on the after-show, too. I was impressed with the same uniform that Kate picked for the top uniform. The rest of them I thought was too extreme for being on a boat. It looks good on a runway, but not for functionality. I thought Jason’s looked like a pair of pajamas.
Why should people watch Couuch Talk?
Kate: I think fans will enjoy this show because I think fans have always appreciated Captain Lee and I’s dynamic. Now they get to be a fly on the wall and get to see what he and I talk about while also discussing the best shows on Bravo currently.
Captain Lee: I think it’s going to be a hit because it’s going to be fun to watch. We have a great time doing it, and I think that comes through on camera. I think having a good time is contagious.
We need more fun nowadays.
Captain Lee; Absolutely, we need some sh*t that will make us laugh.
Couch Talk with Captain Lee and Kate premiere, August 14, 10/9c, Bravo