00:00:00
Leonardo Caprio was like one of the first famous people I ever met. I've had
00:00:03
Simon Cow charter my boat. I've had like Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on board. We had Mercedes charter us one
00:00:10
year for the Grand Prix. >> Does Below Deck meet? >> Below Deck Med is obviously a show based
00:00:16
on you know the super yachts the top 1% working for the top 1% and it's based on
00:00:22
following the crew around and what we do as our job cuz our job is very hectic. So, you have these moments and then um
00:00:30
you forget about it, get on with your life, and then months later it goes on TV. That what the is that like? That
00:00:35
must be wild. >> It's a whirlwind. I've cleaned up off the shower. I've cleaned up vomit off
00:00:40
the floor. We all got to start somewhere, right? >> What's more important for Below Deck? Is
00:00:43
it being good at your job or being a good character for TV? >> Katie Flood, welcome to my podcast.
00:00:50
>> Thank you for having me. >> So nice to have you here. We literally
00:00:53
just met like 10 minutes ago. >> I know. And here we are. Things move fast around here.
00:00:58
>> I'm so excited. You you're you're back in New Zealand for a limited time only.
00:01:01
>> Well, yeah, a limited time only, but that limited time is becoming somewhat
00:01:07
semi-permanent at this rate. Um, based on the current state of the world. So, and family problems, not problems, um,
00:01:16
death. So, yeah, we'll see. I'm just hanging out here basically until things
00:01:22
seem to be in a better spot. M yeah cuz the home for you at the moment is Dubai.
00:01:26
>> Yep. Home in Dubai. So >> yeah. So were you over there in February
00:01:29
when the missiles were >> Yes. I was actually we were out on a boat. We our friends had chartered a
00:01:37
boat for the day and we're having a bit of you know some day drinks all this
00:01:40
stuff and then you know everyone's phone starts going off. There's news about
00:01:44
things happening. I think it was Bahrain or Qar at the time and then literally I
00:01:48
think about an hour later we just heard two massive explosions. um like quite close to us and then you know that was
00:01:56
yeah Iran trying to hit the US military base in Abu Dhabi and then pretty much from then on it was non-stop so I
00:02:04
definitely I think today was one of the scariest days of my life cuz at the time we
00:02:08
didn't understand what was going on and you were just hearing these massive explosions. Um yeah it was February 28th
00:02:16
is a day I think I'll always remember. It's terrifying. So, you could see them
00:02:21
in the sky. >> Some of them you could see as night fell. You could see them. Um, and then
00:02:28
basically what would happen is Dubai has this, well, the UAE has this air defense
00:02:34
system called a THAD system. And I feel like over the time I've learned so much
00:02:37
about war that I never thought I'd learn about. Um, and basically they can intercept any sort of attacks on us. So,
00:02:45
drones, missiles, and they attack that with a missile. So obviously you can imagine a missile hitting a missile. Um
00:02:52
you see a lot of smoke and stuff in the sky and yeah I think it's just the sound
00:02:56
of the explosion literally sounds like a yeah a bomb going off. So it's quite
00:02:59
terrifying even though we are protected like they're doing everything to protect
00:03:04
us. I think just the sound when you haven't experienced something like that is quite unsettling and yeah definitely
00:03:09
the lack of sleep um during my time there while this was going on was >> not the one. Did you feel unsafe or was
00:03:17
it just more concern and panic from um friends and family in other locations? >> I think yeah, this kind of goes back to
00:03:24
like mainstream media. I think what may you know the rest of the world was getting fed at the time this is all
00:03:29
happening and this all happened so quickly even for us and um it was definitely terrifying I think
00:03:36
cuz at the beginning all you're hearing is these explosions. We're not actually
00:03:39
understanding what's happening politically not you don't have an idea what's happening. Um, you also I
00:03:46
personally, and I know I can speak for a lot of people, didn't have any idea how
00:03:49
an air defense system actually works. So, I think when you're just hearing explosions, you you don't know if that's
00:03:56
a missile hitting a building or that's an interception happening. Um, and over
00:04:01
the coming days, even though it was really unsettling and honestly the sound of that noise, I don't think is
00:04:06
something you'll ever forget. >> The the government of the UAE did such
00:04:10
an amazing job at educating us on how the system actually worked and what's actually happening. And if you hear that
00:04:17
noise, it's actually a positive thing. So, I think as we learned about it, you
00:04:22
became a bit more at ease. But it's still unsettling like you don't like
00:04:26
knowing these things flying over your head and you're looking outside and you're seeing these like clouds of smoke
00:04:30
which is a sign of an interception. Um so I think over the coming day like the first 24 to 48 hours were for sure
00:04:39
really [ __ ] scary. >> Um and you know you're hearing like airspace closing down and all that. But
00:04:44
then as time went on and obviously you know it's been over god a month now 40
00:04:49
days and it's still happening. Um, Dubai's economy is still booming. Everything's still running as best to
00:04:56
its ability. I think everyone's just a little bit unsettled, but I have full
00:05:00
faith in our government. And I do feel safe. Um, I think it's just a bit of like an uncertain time and you're just a
00:05:07
bit more uncertain about the other countries and what's going on there as opposed to the UAE itself.
00:05:13
I must say this was not on my bingo card to be taught about air defense uh systems in Dubai from a Brahmo realist.
00:05:20
>> It wasn't on my bingo card to learn about it. Um but yeah, I've definitely
00:05:25
learned some things or two about war. Um and you know what, in hindsight, I don't
00:05:31
think I could have been in a better country to be prepared for something like this. Like I love New Zealand. I
00:05:38
don't know if we would have been able to handle it the same way. So, in hindsight, I mean, there's always a
00:05:43
hindsight, right, and a catch 22 to everything. But yeah, like I said, I like everyone feels super safe there. I
00:05:50
think it's just like unsettling and it does cause a lot of anxiety and like right now I'm sort of in a bit of a
00:05:55
limbo period cuz I didn't end up leaving because of what was happening. I had
00:06:00
left for other family reasons. Um, but now that I'm here, it's kind of like,
00:06:04
well, do I just wait it out until things are 100% more on the clear? Yeah, I'm
00:06:10
sure it's nice to be back home and have a bit of family time, but we only we
00:06:13
only need so much family time, right? Before your cup is full. >> My cup's definitely full.
00:06:19
>> No, like of course I think for me the hardest thing is when I'm back in New
00:06:23
Zealand because I'm away, I pour a lot into my friends and my family, which means I start diminishing from my own
00:06:28
cup. And because obviously this was an unexpected trip and due to a few >> major circumstances,
00:06:35
um I'm here a lot longer. So, I kind of feel like my life is in a bit of a limbo
00:06:39
right now and I'm not my routine's kind of out of whack and because I've got
00:06:44
family like further up north and down here, I'm sort of always in between the
00:06:48
two and I'm spending a lot of time which is amazing, but >> yeah, I'm definitely like, okay, I kind
00:06:54
of need my routine back and I've got my [ __ ] to do as well. So, >> catch 22.
00:06:59
>> How how recognized are you in New Zealand like as a result of below deck
00:07:03
Mediterranean? >> Nothing like America. >> Yeah. Um, I think I still get the odd
00:07:09
person. Um, and you know, it's always like nice, but I also I think Kiwis, we're very I think specially aware of
00:07:18
other people. Like if you see somebody, if you saw Kim Kardashian down the street, okay, maybe she's not the best
00:07:24
um person to say, but like we don't tend to go up, we don't want to bother
00:07:28
people. Kiwis don't have >> Especially if it's another Kiwi, it'll
00:07:31
be like >> Exactly. Whereas in America, uh, Americans, they don't care. They will
00:07:36
just come up. They will sit at you at your dinner table. They'll come straight
00:07:39
up to you at the bar. They don't mind interrupting conversation. And that's
00:07:43
just them. They're very forward and they're very, you know, um, so America,
00:07:48
yes. New Zealand, not so much. >> Right. Well, with that in mind, I'm guessing there sort of two two groups of
00:07:52
people, uh, two very distinct groups of people listening to this podcast or watching this podcast. There'll be
00:07:57
people that like um the Dom Harvey podcast and and maybe maybe aren't aware of what Below Deck is or who Katie Flood
00:08:03
is. And then there'll be those Bravo hardcores that watch everything. >> Yeah. So, um who is Katie Flood and what
00:08:11
is Below Deck Med? >> God, so many big questions. Um, yeah, Blow Deck Meg is obviously a show based
00:08:20
on, you know, the super yachts, the top 1%, working for the top 1% and it's based on following the crew around and
00:08:28
what we do as our job cuz our job is very [ __ ] hectic. We look work extremely long hours and you know, we
00:08:37
deliver like the best of your ability to offer basically a sevenstar service to the top 1% of the world. where below
00:08:44
debt kind of fits into that. I always say I think cuz our job is so fascinating to people. Like I remember
00:08:51
like years ago when people would ask me what I did and I said I worked on the superyachts. People were so fascinated
00:08:56
that sometimes it got to the point that I would literally just say I'm an accountant cuz I couldn't be [ __ ]
00:09:00
explaining this industry which is I love the industry. It's an amazing industry
00:09:04
but when you you know you're like a broken record. Um, so obviously, you know, the reality TV world got wind of
00:09:11
that and yeah, picked it up and it's amazing. And I love the show and I love
00:09:17
the industry, but I think Below Deck, I always say, is an insight into the industry. It's not exactly what
00:09:23
yaching's like. I think the caliber of guests that we deal with on the show are
00:09:27
kind of, >> this is, you know, respectfully, a lot lower than the people we actually deal
00:09:32
with. The level of service is a lot higher. um you know, things that happen on below deck you would never get away
00:09:40
with in real yaching. But look, it's fun and I love that it's brought so much
00:09:45
attention to this industry cuz this industry's literally changed my life. And I get so many mothers and fathers
00:09:53
reaching out to me about their children that, you know, are finishing high school or finishing university and
00:09:58
they're not quite sure what they want to do with their life. And, you know, they
00:10:01
asked would I recommend it and I recommend it to like everybody. although it's quite saturated right now but
00:10:07
>> yeah and it makes sense exactly what you said um because as soon as you put
00:10:10
cameras in front of someone there's a performative aspect to it and also someone say like I just plucking a name
00:10:15
out of my ass here Mark Zuckerberg he's not going to want like reality TV cameras following around on his boat
00:10:21
>> they want the polar opposite you know I've worked for >> some very very very very wealthy people
00:10:28
and you know like I'm talking the top 1% of the top 1% >> and they want anything but that they
00:10:35
want to get on these yachts and like you know we have paparazzi following boats around and we've had cases where we have
00:10:40
to cover out the name boards of the boat because we're pulling into port somewhere where they'll be recognized or
00:10:45
we're pulling into a port in their home country. Um so you know and like things
00:10:50
like we weren't allowed to wear a uniform off the boat because they would recognize the name of the boat and
00:10:55
understand you know so like they don't want to be seen. >> Yeah. Discretion is everything.
00:11:00
>> Exactly. I think Tiger Woods for a time they even had a boat called Privacy
00:11:04
>> probably was the name of the boat. Um now um this is probably the obvious
00:11:09
connection that people that don't know about you will make is but your last name is Flood.
00:11:12
>> Yes. >> Um and you work below deck. How many how many how many jokes have you heard about
00:11:17
about Flood Below Deck? >> I think you might be the first. >> Really?
00:11:22
>> I get a lot of like weird ones like Floodgates. I actually think that's my
00:11:26
Snapchat name. Lol. Um, but no, no one's actually made a correlation. So, congratulations.
00:11:33
>> Cuz a flood is the last thing you want below deck. >> It really [ __ ] is. And we drill about
00:11:38
that, you know. Um, we have to do sea survival courses about that. >> How has no one picked up on that? That's
00:11:43
wild. >> Well, you might have started something there. >> How many seasons did you do?
00:11:47
>> I only did the one, but then I did another reality show from Bravo called
00:11:52
Winter House. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Were you um you had a connection with a guy called Jack Schwarz from
00:11:58
Vanderpump Rules. >> You got that so close. >> Jack was my boyfriend from Below Deck.
00:12:05
And Schwarz was >> the guy I was seeing on Winter House. >> Oh, Jack. You know,
00:12:09
>> you know what? You can >> I've done all my research. Yeah. Jack
00:12:12
Sturrup. No. Yeah. Jack Sturrup. So, he was your boyfriend from Below Deck. >> Yeah.
00:12:18
>> Is he Is he the the Did he get your your tattoo a tattoo of your face on his arm?
00:12:23
>> Yes. Yes, he's that one. >> He is that one. He um he still has the
00:12:26
tattoo. We I actually spoke to him probably about a month ago. We tend to catch up maybe like once or twice a
00:12:33
year. We have a really good relationship. You know, it was a very long time ago. Um and kind of the first
00:12:38
thing I always ask him like, "Is my face still there?" And the answer is always
00:12:42
yes, which is nice, but I know it does cause him a lot of grief in his current relationships. And
00:12:48
>> oh no [ __ ] It would make it very hard um for a current partner. Imagine if it
00:12:53
was getting serious. >> Yeah, they don't like it. >> Does he still have a thing for you? Do
00:12:56
you think a flame in his heart? >> Who wouldn't? >> Maybe. I don't know.
00:13:02
>> I could never do it again. >> Why Why did he do it? Was it like a a
00:13:05
deer or a prank or >> I actually thought it was a joke. So, it was after 10 days of knowing each other.
00:13:10
We were I must have been 22. I was It was very long time ago. Um we had met each other. We're both on boats in
00:13:17
Thailand and our boats are in the same marina and we used to go out together like all the crew of other boats when
00:13:21
you're based in a marina for a while you tend to, you know, mingle with the rest
00:13:25
of them and hang out. And yeah, we were out one night and he had booked in to get another tattoo and he used to have
00:13:32
this big like male Indian chief on his arm and then he wanted like a female to go with it and I said, "Oh, years ago
00:13:39
I'd done this photo shoot with like an Indian headdress." Um, and then he was
00:13:44
like, "Oh, I'm gonna get you." And I was just like, "Okay, whatever." And he's
00:13:47
like, "Send me the photo." So I did, thinking, "This guy's talking absolute
00:13:50
rubbish. He's also from Liverpool where they talk absolute rubbish." Um, and
00:13:55
then I actually went on Charter and then I got a message and a photo and then Yeah, that was kind of it. I he did it.
00:14:03
So I must have done something right once upon a time, you know. >> Amazing. Yeah.
00:14:07
>> All right. Katie Flood, early years. So you're from Funad. >> From Funad. Yeah.
00:14:10
>> Yeah. Yeah. Where did you go to school? >> I actually went to boarding school in
00:14:14
Oakuckland. Um, I went to St. Cass. So, yeah, from 13 years old, I've kind of
00:14:20
been super independent. It was like I always say it's the best thing my parents ever did for me. Um, cuz yeah,
00:14:26
it makes you independent from a really young age. So, yeah, I've kind of lived
00:14:32
alone since 13. Well, not alone. The complete opposite actually, but >> independently. independent
00:14:40
>> cuz um yeah, when I was growing up um boarding school was something that was
00:14:43
um like threatened to me and my siblings as like a punishment. >> But the reality is it's expensive
00:14:48
though. E like it's it's very very Was it a punishment for you? Is it something
00:14:51
you wanted to do for a better education? >> It was a choice. My brother went to
00:14:55
boarding school and my parents asked me um and I said yes. And yeah, it was definitely a sacrifice my family. I
00:15:02
think when people assume that I went to St. because you automatically get put in
00:15:07
a sort of category. That's not the case at all for my family. My family sort of
00:15:12
worked their ass off. My grandparents helped as well. Um, and it's something
00:15:17
I'm super grateful for because I really believed it changed who I am and my outlook on life just like having that
00:15:23
sort of and like the friends I have are still my friends to the day this day. So, yeah, I'm all here for boarding
00:15:30
school. Mhm. What did you want to be when you grew up? >> You know what? I never actually had one
00:15:38
of these. This sounds bad. I knew I always wanted to do something with TV and stuff like that cuz when I was
00:15:44
younger, I started modeling from a young age and I was kind of put into, you know, you end up doing commercials and
00:15:50
stuff like that. And I didn't actually enjoy the modeling side of it. I enjoyed
00:15:54
more like when I'd get to do commercials and the TV work. Um, so I always had
00:16:00
that in the back of my head and then, you know, I went to university and I thought I was going to become like this
00:16:05
big event planner or wedding planner and then I kind of went completely opposite.
00:16:12
Um, yeah. >> What were you like as a kid? Did you get in much trouble? What was the most
00:16:16
trouble you got in? >> I was quite a devil girl. I think like No, I think >> easily led. No, I was I think
00:16:26
>> I want to say street smart and not in the terms of like actual street smart,
00:16:30
but I think like I kind of had a head on my shoulders. Um I was not perfect. Like
00:16:37
I when I was younger, I think the worst thing I ever did was my dad had this girlfriend and well actually it was my
00:16:46
best friend's mom. my dad and my best friend's mom when I was younger started
00:16:51
dating and in hindsight you're like this is amazing because you become somewhat
00:16:55
sort of siblings >> like sisters >> but it didn't actually you know like
00:17:00
work out that way and I remember um I can't remember what happened but I went to my dad's house he was away in
00:17:07
Oakland for the weekend and I went there to pick up something I think I was 12 and I opened up the garage door and I
00:17:14
saw her car in there and I just remember being so angry because I knew my dad was
00:17:19
in Oakuckland with this his partner and her daughter which is my best friend and
00:17:25
I think I guess I felt like I was getting replaced even though that's not the case in the slightest. So, I keyed
00:17:32
her car and I wrote [ __ ] down the side of her car and then it got quite messy cuz then yeah, she wanted to sort of
00:17:38
call the cops on me and then my mom got involved and her and my mom were kind of
00:17:41
like fighting and yeah, but I I would say that's probably the most horrendous
00:17:47
thing I've ever done. I think >> that's next level. That is serious.
00:17:52
>> What a [ __ ] >> What? Her or >> No, me. I'm just thinking because I'm
00:17:58
the side of her car and that's what I'm whiffing here. Yeah. Look, I don't really know what I
00:18:02
was thinking, but I was an angry 12-year-old, I think. >> Did you have a family nickname? What do
00:18:07
your parents call you when they still see you? >> When I'm in trouble, it's Katie Marie,
00:18:11
cuz that's my first name. Um, I get called Floody a lot. Floody. >> But no, otherwise it's my parents just
00:18:17
call me Katie. >> How did the boat thing come about? What were you doing prior to that?
00:18:25
>> So, I was at university. Um, I had just finished my degree and I was meant to
00:18:33
move overseas with my boyfriend at the time, keeping in mind I'm like what, 21,
00:18:36
22. Um, and he had an amazing job. He had graduated as a mechanical engineer and he got offered like a project
00:18:44
manager role um, based in Brisbane like doing FIFO. And I graduated I think 6 months after
00:18:52
he did. So he was already over there. We' literally like sent stuff over. he
00:18:56
like had an apartment all ready for us and I just graduated and obviously you know I was a university student I didn't
00:19:02
have a lot of money behind me so I was going to sell my car and that was going to be like my money to move over and
00:19:07
look for a job um in my field and then I always knew deep down cuz he always used
00:19:14
to say to me like don't worry like I'll support you like he you know he was
00:19:18
making good money at that time um and even though I was so young I think something just didn't sit right with me
00:19:24
being supported ed so young by a man even though like now that sounds great but >> um
00:19:31
>> no you want to do your own thing though and I kind of don't think I realized at
00:19:35
the time and now I look back and I'm like oh I was a lot wiser beyond my years but I just there's something that
00:19:40
just didn't sit right >> with me and then I remember like I was meant to sell my car to move over and
00:19:46
then my engine like blew up and it was going to like cost me like $5,000 which I didn't have to fix the car and that
00:19:52
was my money to like go over so I kind of took it as a So, I ended that relationship and then I
00:19:57
was obviously like in a really like weird confused um state and then one of my good friends at the time was working
00:20:02
on the yachts. He was like, "Why don't you come do this for a year?" He's like,
00:20:05
"I think you would kill it. You have the right personality." Um and then go from
00:20:10
there. So, that's kind of what I did. I, you know, went and did my courses, you
00:20:15
know, packed everything up, moved to France, and got a job on a boat and 10 years later. Yeah. So below deck, like a
00:20:26
lot of people I'm I'm imagining that get jobs on boats now do it because they
00:20:29
want it to be a gateway to below deck, but below deck wasn't even a thing then
00:20:33
or it was and you hated it. >> I think below there it did exist but it must have been like one of the first
00:20:40
seasons cuz yeah it's been going for about 10 years. Yeah. So, but it wasn't
00:20:45
huge. And then also like as time went on the industry and it started to get, you
00:20:50
know, a bit of recognition. Um, yachties, we actually hated the show cuz we thought the way I think it was edited
00:20:58
at the time. And this all comes down to budget and stuff like that. The boats they were filming on, we, you know, not
00:21:03
quite as elite as what we were dealing with. The level of service wasn't quite
00:21:07
as elite as what we're doing with the clientele wasn't, you know, like what we
00:21:11
actually do. So, as yacht crew, we and I used to slate the show. Like, I will put my hand
00:21:17
up and say I was like, "Not this is [ __ ] This is not. This is such an embarrassment. Like, we're so much more
00:21:22
put together." Even just like the presentation of the crew on Below Deck. I was like, "We would never be allowed
00:21:28
to wear all this jewelry. Like, our girls hair is a mess." Like, that's not
00:21:31
a thing. We have to be super [ __ ] presentable. Um, >> snob. >> Well, that's why I say it's an insight
00:21:39
to the industry. Uh and then yeah, they um they had approached me for I think yeah 3 or 4 years
00:21:47
>> before I finally >> caved. >> I caved. Yeah, I caved real quick. I
00:21:52
thought I was done with yaching. That's the only reason I caved, but I actually
00:21:55
continued to yacht after that. >> This is going to be this is going to be a great chat cuz there's the blow deck
00:21:59
stuff, but even before that it's I think it's just intriguing um hearing about
00:22:02
this job. >> Yeah. >> Um yeah. When when people you said before that you know you said for a time
00:22:07
you're an accountant because you couldn't be [ __ ] answering questions about it. What are the questions that
00:22:11
people ask? >> I think people just want to know like the way these people live. And I think
00:22:17
like the requests and what we actually do and are these people nice cuz you know I think we're all very quick to
00:22:23
assume that the top 1% are just all [ __ ] [ __ ] that click their fingers and you know demand us to you
00:22:28
know run around with a [ __ ] tray on our head or do something stupid you know. Um, so I think people were just
00:22:34
fascinated because it's almost like, you know, we're always interested in
00:22:38
something we don't know about or something that seems that seems so far-fetched for a lot of us to achieve
00:22:43
and it it is it's, you know, >> so I think it was just like a fascination with like the rich and
00:22:49
famous and I don't even want to say famous because these some of these people like you wouldn't people would
00:22:53
say their name and you wouldn't even know unless you were in running in real
00:22:57
elite circles, you know? So I think it's just a fascination and it is it's
00:23:01
[ __ ] fascinating like um you know working with these people like I used to have it was entertaining for me and um
00:23:10
yeah it was it was a time >> oh this is intriguing. Um yes so you start on that first boat. What what's
00:23:15
the job like? Are you basically just the boat [ __ ] >> Are you just cleaning and
00:23:20
>> Yeah. Uh >> so you got to start anywhere at the bottom, right? >> Yeah. You all start we call them green
00:23:24
crew. So you'll start, you know, um as an engineer, as a deck and um working in
00:23:30
the galley or an interior member. Um and yeah, obviously it goes yaching's very
00:23:37
much a hierarchy system. If you can't respect hierarchy, don't even [ __ ]
00:23:43
consider this job because like you're out. Um but yeah, so you start at the bottom. You have to do all the shitty
00:23:49
jobs. And I think as I worked my way to the top, you know, I would notice sometime a lot of attitude from my stews
00:23:55
when I'd ask them to do something that's maybe not the nicest job or something
00:23:59
quite grim. Um >> well, like what's an example? >> Oh, like cleaning out bulges and [ __ ]
00:24:04
And that's like, you know, a BGE is literally at the hull of the boat. So like you think of a boat shell, you open
00:24:10
up these little things and you can go in, you can clean them. So, it's it's
00:24:14
not fun, you know, and it it smells down there and there's probably water and
00:24:17
dirt and whatever else, you know, there's like things like that, but I think people forget like I've also done
00:24:23
that. I've been a build trap, you know, like I've I've cleaned up [ __ ] off the
00:24:27
shower. I've cleaned up vomit off the floor. Like, I've cleaned up a lot of
00:24:31
stuff I wouldn't want to clean up, you know? >> Um, >> you pay your dues.
00:24:37
>> Exactly. That's what I said. You've all got to start somewhere, right? M.
00:24:41
>> So yeah, it was you definitely start at the bottom of the bottom >> and the money's good or is the money
00:24:46
pretty average and you get tips. >> I think the thing is with the money and
00:24:50
this is what's amazing for Kiwis especially is because when you work on a boat you're going to earn euros or
00:24:56
you're going to earn dollars um and when you convert that if you're coming back
00:25:00
home when you convert that back to the New Zealand dollar you know you're almost getting double your money and
00:25:05
it's taxfree because you're working offshore and you're getting you're
00:25:07
employed by you know an overseas company. So New Zealand actually our systems and tax laws and all that stuff
00:25:15
work in our favor and look it's all legitimate. It's all legal because you're offshore. You're an offshore
00:25:20
worker. Um so you know you get your base salary every month and then yeah you get
00:25:26
charter tips on top of that. And charter tips can range anything from like €1,000
00:25:30
up to €15,000 per crew member per charter. So, if you say do like a oneweek charter, um each crew member,
00:25:39
you know, could get like an extra €3,000 and then but if you do three oneweek charters in a month, you get an extra
00:25:46
€9,000 on top of your salary. Say like a beginner's salary is normally around
00:25:50
€3,000 per month. That's easy €12,000. You convert that into, you know, so >> obviously the tips is hard because tips
00:25:58
is it's gratuitity. So, it's up to the discretion of the charter guest. So, you
00:26:02
know, you might get one big tip, you might get a $10,000 tip or a $5,000 tip and then like a $1,000 tip. So, yeah, if
00:26:10
you Yeah, you can make a lot of money in that. >> And you're on these these boats worth um
00:26:15
hundreds of millions of dollars. What's the um what's the crew accommodation
00:26:19
like? >> Is it nice or is it pretty sparse? >> So, there are new laws and regulations.
00:26:24
So, the newer boats, crew accommodation like insane. Like we get crew gyms now, you know, like we get we're very crew
00:26:32
are actually really [ __ ] lucky. And I used to tell my last crew this because they used to piss me off a lot of the
00:26:38
time when they'd be ungrateful. >> Were you like back in my day? >> Literally. That's when you know you're
00:26:43
old, isn't it? But literally, I used to say, "Go over to that boat over there
00:26:47
cuz I can guarantee you you're not getting what you're getting on here over
00:26:51
there." Um, yeah. So, crew accommodation now on new builds. It's the Yeah, it's
00:26:57
stunning. Um, there are regulations it has to go by. Like I said, there's crew
00:27:01
gyms, you have crew like lounges. A lot of these crew lounges are like, you know, like PlayStation games, car
00:27:07
simulations, like crew get looked after. And like the longer you're on board,
00:27:12
boats will pay for your courses. So, if you want to work your way up to become a
00:27:16
captain, they'll pay for that. my boat to make it fair cuz obviously as the interior we don't have a lot of interior
00:27:23
crew it's kind of like once you reach the top there's only so long you stay in
00:27:26
that role and then you're kind of done unless you know unless you want to become a captain or something but that's
00:27:30
not that's on deck. >> So um my boat that money that would go to doing those courses we were allowed to
00:27:39
put that money to do anything ourselves so I could learn a language or I could go do my skydiving course and the boat
00:27:44
would pay for it to make it equal for all crew members. So yeah, we're spoiled
00:27:48
little brats. We do work our asses off. >> Yeah. What's an average day?
00:27:53
>> On charter. Off charter. >> What does that mean? Off charter. >> Oncharter is when we have guests on
00:27:59
board. So either the owner or on trip is like with the boss on board or you have
00:28:04
charter guests on board. Then off charter is like >> this is when people think we do
00:28:08
absolutely [ __ ] nothing and we work just as hard. The hours are just a little bit nicer. So like a normal day
00:28:15
on charter by the end of it. I think one of the last days I actually did before leaving my last boat I did a 21-hour day
00:28:22
which technically is legal. Um but on average I think I was doing yeah about a 16-hour day every single day for months
00:28:30
on end. Um as crew members legally it's 14 hours. >> Uh but it always goes over because
00:28:37
there's just always something to do when you have guests on. It's Yeah, you're
00:28:40
you're running around like a headless chicken. >> And are you able to be yourself or did
00:28:44
you have to like tone down the kiwiess? >> I think I've always quite been myself
00:28:50
even on the show and everything. Like I don't I think I'm quite an authentic
00:28:54
person, but no, like obviously >> I used to get a lot of [ __ ] for the way
00:28:59
we say things. I think that's just an accent thing. Um but no, I always had a
00:29:04
very I think more casual approach to dealing with guests. a lot of boats like a real formal. But all the boats I've
00:29:10
worked on, they want it to be a bit more casual. Um, and like you just I don't
00:29:16
know, it's just being polite, right? You know your basic manners. You know how to
00:29:19
treat people and what to call them and stuff like that. >> Do do you have to sign NDAs and things?
00:29:24
You do. >> Yeah. >> Is that like standard standard? >> It's It never used to be standard. The
00:29:29
only time we ever used to sign NDAs is when we had like a really highprofile or super famous person come on board. Um,
00:29:37
and but now it's becoming pretty much stock standard procedure. I think just
00:29:40
with the way like social media is and uh it's just, you know, privacy again.
00:29:45
>> Are you just like a vault? You've got all these stories that you just can't
00:29:50
>> Oh, no. I tell them I don't say who and I honestly I'm trying to actually think when my last
00:29:56
NDA is up. I think I'm pretty much think I'm NDA clear. They >> have expiry dates on.
00:30:02
>> Yeah, a lot of them do. >> Well, drop some names. Who are like some
00:30:04
of the big celebrities that you you dealt with on boats? >> Um, I can drop names. I won't tell you
00:30:09
like who did what. >> Yeah, for sure. >> Um, I've had Simon Simon Cal charter my
00:30:15
boat a lot. Um, he was actually really [ __ ] lovely. Um, and then I think Leonardo Caprio was like one of the
00:30:22
first famous people I ever met. Um, and then >> Titanic. >> Yeah. Hope not.
00:30:30
Um, and yeah, there's people like Lily Allen. She was really cool. Um, I've had
00:30:38
like Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg on board. We had Mercedes charter us one year for the Grand Prix. Um, I don't
00:30:44
know. I think there's just always and then there's like I feel like those are
00:30:48
like the celebrities and then you've got like the really well-known like rich
00:30:53
people which are they are the ones that are a lot more private. So I kind of I feel okay talking about celebrities but
00:30:59
when it comes to like I think the big daddy like billionaires >> I don't tend to drop names on those
00:31:04
ones. >> There are some wild names that you dropped from a girl from fun. What's
00:31:08
like what what are the rules? Are there rules of engagement like you you you know you just have to keep conversation
00:31:14
to a minimum unless they engage first or >> Yeah. I think it's like any service
00:31:18
role, right? I think for you to provide a high-end service is like learn how to read the [ __ ] room. I think that's
00:31:25
any job, right? A lot of guests love talking to us because I think as well because of Below Deck, it was getting to
00:31:31
the point me and my friend Malia who also did Below Deck, we worked on the same boat together after the show and we
00:31:38
would have charter guess that would come up to us, oh my god, like we love the show. So then they want to know about
00:31:43
that. Um, and I actually had Brooklyn Beckham and his wife, um, Nicola Beckham Peltz, is that her name?
00:31:52
Peltz Beckham. Whatever. That's the arrange one. Eh, the one that's not talking to mommy and daddy.
00:31:56
>> So, I've had them. They were lovely. But they were watching, they wanted to watch
00:32:01
our season while on board with us. So, I would like walk through the sky lounge and here's Brooklyn Beckham and his wife
00:32:08
watching me on TV and then they'll be like Katie and wanting to know, you know. So, there's been some weird but
00:32:14
it's it's cool, you know. Um, but yeah, that was that wasn't on my bingo card
00:32:20
ever. >> That's crazy. I I just can't get over the Leonardo thing. Was he Was he there
00:32:24
with a Did Did he like Were you his type? How old were you at the time? >> I was definitely his type at the time.
00:32:29
Not so much now. I'm past expiry. I was 22. So, he was actually the first boat I
00:32:35
ever first big yacht I ever worked on. It was the Can Film Festival, which is a real high-end luxurious film festival
00:32:44
event in the south of France. And it's like anybody that's anybody is there.
00:32:48
and you know everyone's in gowns and all these suits and you know hair makeup
00:32:52
doled up to the nines and um the boat I was working on I think the owner he owned part of Warner Brothers or Sony
00:33:00
or something so he was sewing a big party and then one of the guests was >> Leonardo DiCaprio but you know so
00:33:07
everyone's on board dressed up in these suits and you know all doled up he rocks
00:33:11
in like zero [ __ ] given cargo shorts like cap on hasn't shaved just sitting
00:33:16
there like hooning direct drinking away. But hey, he was having the time of his life. So
00:33:22
>> amazing. I love that. There was a photo that went viral a few years ago. I think
00:33:25
it was him at Coachella and he had like cargo pants on, no top and a super soaker like
00:33:31
>> Yeah, he just seems so comfortable in his own skin. >> I think that's how it should be. And
00:33:36
it's funny as well because one of my owners who I have worked for um he's
00:33:41
very very private but he you know he's like the amount of money this guy had is
00:33:46
like sickening and he would rock up to the boat literally same thing cargo shorts cigarette holes in his t-shirt
00:33:53
like no no [ __ ] given like he just didn't care you know and I'm like this
00:33:57
guy can literally buy this whole marina type thing. So, it's quite funny when
00:34:02
you meet people with what I say is [ __ ] you money. Just like >> they don't care. And it's kind of nice
00:34:07
to see that they're still just like still in their own way and they're just,
00:34:12
you know, cruising. >> Meanwhile, you get people that probably can't afford it that are wearing like
00:34:16
Louis Vuitton suits or suits. >> You nailed it. the Annadelies, the the wannabes, the the friends of the
00:34:24
entourage that act like >> I've said this before, but most of the time like the person paying if we have
00:34:30
like a charter, the person paying for the trip is normally the nicest, most humble, you know, uses manners, always
00:34:38
really kind to the crew. Um, it's the people they bring on that act like, you
00:34:43
know, they're paying for this and this is their boat. So, it's quite a fun
00:34:47
dynamic. Um and you know as crew it does keep us entertained. >> Yeah. What are some of the um wildest
00:34:54
requests or things that you saw? >> One thing I did see which I thought was
00:34:59
quite funny. So the owner I was just talking about who's very private and he
00:35:04
had you know quite a quite a big yacht that I worked on. Um he was in the middle of a court case with this other
00:35:11
big billionaire from America. And because he's so private about the owner, like who he is, so he used to
00:35:19
charter the boat as well. So we'd always get chartered guests asking who owns the
00:35:22
boat and we could never um discuss it. Um and then this guy who was in a court case with had chartered his boat and the
00:35:31
guy who charted it never knew that he was in a court case and he was losing the court case to the owner of the boat
00:35:38
that he had no idea and he was also giving him more money by chartering his boat. And I was like, that's such a boss
00:35:43
move cuz our owner came on after that and was like asking about him and then yeah was telling us this and I was like
00:35:49
>> that's when you know you're a daddy you know. >> Yeah. What about um so say say you go
00:35:54
into someone's room and there's like a pile of cocaine or something there. Is
00:35:58
this something you've ever ever seen? What do you do? You just have to show complete discretion just ignore it.
00:36:03
>> That is up to the captain. So yes. I mean, look, it I think everyone knows at
00:36:08
this point the drugs, the hookers, the all that sort of [ __ ] I think that's
00:36:12
that's not just yachts, that's just any elite circle. Um, we do see a lot of
00:36:18
stuff um our job is to inform the captain and then it's up to the captain. Um, we, you know, it's, I think there's
00:36:26
ways with charter guest, if charter guests are being discreet about it, >> yeah, sure, you kind of turn a blind
00:36:32
eye. if they're being like [ __ ] about it or really acting out, that's when it can be become a problem because
00:36:38
I think as well there's a lot of safety on boats and if anything happens like
00:36:42
that falls under the captain. >> Yeah. >> The captains are really liable for a lot
00:36:46
of [ __ ] Like I actually take my hats off to them cuz the [ __ ] they have to deal with. Just being responsible for
00:36:52
you know crew like the last crew on my boat I think there was like 25 of us. So being responsible for that many people
00:36:58
and then adding charter guests on top of that they can lose their license for a lot of things. So if we have because at
00:37:05
any point in times like customs can come on board from any port and just raid the
00:37:09
boat and if we get found then yeah that puts the captain in a really bad position. Um so yeah it's really it
00:37:16
depends on the situation. But >> do the crews gossip about stuff that you see on the boat?
00:37:21
>> Yeah. the best. >> I mean, look, we're there to provide a service, right? But also, like our job
00:37:29
is [ __ ] hard. So, like, give us like it's great knowing the team as well, you
00:37:33
know, cuz basically what happens is the way it works is it's 24-hour service,
00:37:39
right? So, there's always people up like crew up 24 hours. So, for like the interior team at night, the
00:37:46
the late girl will go down once all the guests have gone to bed and then she'll
00:37:50
have a jobs list of all the [ __ ] she needs to do. So when the morning girl wakes up, she's ready to just go
00:37:54
straight into setting the breakfast table. The boat's all clean, so she doesn't have to worry about it. Um, so
00:38:00
normally, obviously in the dark hours is like when a lot of good [ __ ] happens. So
00:38:03
at night, my night girl would leave, you know, of things that have happened or like, hey, this guest request a um a
00:38:11
wakeup call at this time. So in the morning, we know what's going on. And then they always leave just like, oh,
00:38:16
and this so happened. So you you kind of wake up. Yeah. And then honestly when the late girl walks into the pantry,
00:38:22
like when she starts her shift the next day, everyone's like I'm like, "So tell
00:38:25
me what happened last night." You know, cuz they get it all. Whoever's doing the
00:38:28
late night shifts get all the tea. >> Oh my god, you guys must love it. >> Yeah. It's like And it's like we have
00:38:34
like our own reality show because obviously there's cameras around the boat. So you So we see what the guests
00:38:39
are doing. It's all No, within privacy. >> Security cameras. >> Yeah, security cameras. It's not inside.
00:38:44
So you can kind of follow. And a lot of the times, you know, when we're on anchor, say outside St. extra pay or a
00:38:50
visa and you know a lot of the guests will bring extra people back to the bow and then you're like oh who's that and
00:38:56
you know so like in the morning you're like oh is there an extra girl in that
00:38:59
cabin like it's >> it keep it keeps you know >> keeps life interesting
00:39:04
>> it does >> um when I had um Aisha Scott from a a different series of um Below Deck on the
00:39:09
podcast she she told me a story this is like pre-below deck when she was on boats
00:39:13
>> from memory I hope I'm not getting the story wrong but um it was a Russian
00:39:16
billionaire and his son and they' flying prostitutes. Um like one for the dad,
00:39:21
one for the son, but they both had to be on their menstrual cycles at the time. >> Yes, I know exactly what boat that is,
00:39:26
too. Really? >> That is known in the industry. Yeah, they um >> Wow, that's wild.
00:39:32
>> Yeah, this is the thing as well, like boats, you tend to you learn a lot about
00:39:36
different boats and stuff. So, yeah. I mean, like some of these big boats as well, um, a lot of like the Russian and
00:39:43
Ukrainian owners, they have, um, dive like professional divers that will dive the boat to make sure no one's putting
00:39:50
like bombs and stuff in there. I mean, it doesn't really happen, but depending
00:39:53
where you are in the world and what they're going through politically, that is like something that does happen. So,
00:39:59
there's some real serious [ __ ] as well. >> Things like that, which um, uh, I think
00:40:04
most most people would think that's a little odd or unusual, like a father and
00:40:07
son having um, Yeah. Is that quite common place with these? >> Yeah, you have um or they'll have one
00:40:13
girl come on board and they'll switch between father, son, whoever. So, just
00:40:18
one girl sort of going between the cabins. >> That's a common thing. Um
00:40:23
yeah, there's a lot of it. >> Do you have you had any um clients like billionaires or their friends hitting on
00:40:29
you? >> Yes. >> And are you allowed to are you allowed to hook up with them or
00:40:34
>> No. No. got I've never and people don't believe me when I say this, but I've
00:40:37
never hooked up with a charter guest. Um I've had charter guests get my details
00:40:42
and stuff. Um but nothing's ever happened from it. Um my thing is as well like people like, "Oh, you shouldn't do
00:40:51
that." But I'm like, "Dude, like if I'm in a position and I meet somebody that's
00:40:56
like an amazing business person and they want to get my details, even if it eventually if it was a sexual thing,
00:41:01
that's for me to decipher after. if I have any chance of wanting to work in a
00:41:06
position again or like you don't know what gateway they can open for you. So
00:41:09
one of my last charter guests this happened he got my contact details he's building a villa in Dubai and he wants
00:41:15
me to run it like a set it up like a yacht for him. So that all came from that interaction. So it's not always
00:41:22
people just always are quit to assume it's always sexual. So that makes >> if if you're good at your job. Yeah.
00:41:27
That's that's how you get discovered. Um, if someone was acting it like say
00:41:31
say drunk or belligerent and acting inappropriately to you, can can you tell them to [ __ ] off or?
00:41:37
>> Uh, >> have you ever told anyone to [ __ ] off? >> I have. >> Do you get in trouble for that or
00:41:41
>> I think it's one of those things. You read the room. So, if any of my girls
00:41:45
I've had a girl before um that felt really uncomfortable, so she was on late
00:41:50
so she would do the late service and that's obviously when the guests are really wasted or [ __ ] up or high. So,
00:41:55
we actually end up removing her and putting someone else on. Um, and it's one of those things like I'm quite good
00:42:01
at brushing things off. Some people might not feel comfortable. Um, there's only been one time I think I went to the
00:42:07
captain and I was like, "Okay, like this is I'm feeling really like not okay."
00:42:11
So, with things like that, there's different ways to go about it other than like telling off the charter guest cuz
00:42:16
that obviously can cause problems. It's just like making sure if I'm out in the
00:42:20
guest areas, there's always somebody else around with me or a deck crew member with me. So there's ways about
00:42:25
it. Um but yeah, I've told but it was like in a joking way. I had this one guy
00:42:30
and he was just always wasted and just always try to like grab like sit me down. He was like have a drink and I
00:42:35
just I'm at work. I'm at work. I'm at work. And then like he kind of got to
00:42:38
the point where it was like jokingly so I could have that kind of banter with him
00:42:42
>> to tell him to kind of [ __ ] off in a weird in a weird way. But >> yes, it's not an aggressive or
00:42:47
confrontational sort of way. >> Yeah. It sounds [ __ ] up cuz also as well like if anything really serious
00:42:53
were to happen like our captains would kick the like end the charter >> straight away if anything really bad
00:43:00
were to happen. So again, it's just one of those situational things, right? >> Um I don't know. Like I also like I give
00:43:07
a lot of [ __ ] to people too. So >> yeah, you can take the girl out of Northland, but you can't take Northland
00:43:14
out of the girl, right? >> That's the same. >> You really can't.
00:43:17
>> And working um with or for extremely wealthy people. Did it change your
00:43:20
perception about money and success? >> Yes. >> How? >> I think I feel like I've seen so much
00:43:29
incredible stuff. I've seen so much [ __ ] up [ __ ] but I also think, you know,
00:43:36
it comes down to what actually matters because when I see what these people are dealing with and like it's kind of the
00:43:42
same [ __ ] that me and you probably deal with in our life, it's just to a different level. Um, so like in
00:43:48
hindsight, I think we all want to be successful, but I think there's a limit
00:43:52
to that because I've had charter guests that, you know, bring on all these friends and, you know, have asked me
00:43:58
like, "Do you think these people actually care about me?" And my honest
00:44:00
answer is no. I said, "If you went bankrupt tomorrow, I highly doubt any single one of these [ __ ] is
00:44:05
going to be at your beck and call." So like, >> it comes with its own problems. And I
00:44:09
think I think you have to be a really strong minded person to step into that kind of wealth and to still enjoy the
00:44:16
ride, I guess, but not let it take away from who you are. Cuz like I think >> I think this maybe this is a Kiwi thing,
00:44:24
but like we really do have a really beautiful, simple life here. And I notice it more than ever now. Like even
00:44:31
like I live in Dubai, right? That's a very glitzy, glamorous city and I love
00:44:34
it. But there's things that I'm just like, [ __ ] I crave New Zealand. like I
00:44:38
crave >> I don't see I don't need to see another Lamborghini. I don't need to see another
00:44:41
[ __ ] Ferrari like you know. So it definitely has but I think it's changed it for the right reasons. It's given me
00:44:48
enough drive to want to be successful and >> you know make money and do good but then
00:44:55
I think it's also humbled me to be like okay what actually matters cuz when you
00:44:59
die like what actually matters you know. >> Yeah it's Yeah. I mean there's that
00:45:04
saying no one wants to be the richest person in the cemetery. >> Yeah exactly. Does from what you've seen
00:45:08
does money does money buy happiness or can money make you happy? >> I don't think money can buy happiness.
00:45:15
No. I think it can help help. Obviously, like it's hard because it's like
00:45:22
somebody that's really struggling financially to pay bills and stuff like that. Sure, you get money that's going
00:45:26
to take that pressure off. You're going to be happier, right? So I think it can
00:45:30
buy happiness, but I don't think I think it's within us to not like to decipher
00:45:36
what actually makes us happy is making sure everyone like your family has a roof overhead and everyone's going to
00:45:41
school and no one has to worry about bills. Sure, that's [ __ ] great. Um, but yeah, I think I mean it's hard cuz
00:45:49
it's like I'd rather be having a mental breakdown on a [ __ ] yacht than like a
00:45:53
shitty ass like flat, you know what I mean? like so >> I think >> yeah I feel like if you're a happy
00:46:00
person you know having wealth would make you happier but you got to have that base
00:46:03
>> you I think you know what it is I think what happens I think it's who the people
00:46:08
are I think when people earn a lot of money very quickly I think that can change them so I think we're seeing that
00:46:14
now in our generation with all these like crypto bros and traders that are accumulating so much wealth so quickly
00:46:20
but they're too young so they think buying all these flash things which don't get me wrong I'm all about a nice
00:46:25
[ __ ] car or watch or jewelry or whatever, but I just don't think that matters at the end of the day.
00:46:32
>> Sometimes you need to go on that journey and accumulate all these materialistic
00:46:36
things to realize, you know, you're you're climbing the wrong mountain. >> Exactly. And I think it's important as
00:46:40
well. A lot of these people that make money and are still levelheaded is because they've been bankrupt probably
00:46:46
once or twice before as well. And that's one thing I learned so much is every
00:46:51
single one of these people I've worked for in my years of doing what I've done,
00:46:54
um, they've all gone bankrupt more than once. So I think I think you make your
00:46:59
first million, 2 million, billion, whatever it is, then you lose it and then you have a new appreciation. Yeah.
00:47:05
>> You know, have a bit more of an understanding. >> Yeah. And if you've done it once, I
00:47:08
suppose you can do it again. >> Exactly. >> Because you've got the playbook. Um, are
00:47:11
you still friends with anyone that you worked for or with any of these rich people? Do you keep in touch? Do you
00:47:16
form those sort of relationships with them? >> Some of them, yes. Um, so like I said,
00:47:20
uh, one of the guys that's building house in Dubai, I'm working for him currently, and he, um, he was one of my
00:47:27
charter guests on a boat, and he was actually really amazing when all this sort of stuff happened in Dubai. And
00:47:32
then when my uncle passed away at the same time, he actually offered me a ride out, he was going to fly um, p like he
00:47:39
was flying a jet out to London. And he goes, I know it's the wrong way, but at
00:47:41
least gets you out because the airspace is obviously closed and all that sort of
00:47:44
stuff. So yeah, there's definitely I think like I said I if you can use and meet these people and meet them in more
00:47:53
of a professional matter and you know don't get ahead of yourself and think it's something sexual and people Yeah.
00:47:59
You can kind of create these like weird little friendships that can definitely help you in your future.
00:48:04
>> It's like networking opportunities can happen in any situation. >> Exactly. So I think you just have to
00:48:10
Yeah. be smart about it. What's the biggest single tip you got? >> €12,000.
00:48:16
>> [ __ ] off. At once. >> That was from Simon Cal. Yeah. For every single crew member on the boat. He was
00:48:21
the biggest tipper. >> How many crew members >> was there? 15 of us.
00:48:26
>> Oh my god. >> 15. Hang on. 15. >> So it's about 150,000
00:48:33
gratuitity for the crew. >> [ __ ] That's wild. Well, these >> Wait, did he make a big like song and
00:48:37
dance about it or was it just like an everyone gets an envelope or was it like Katie?
00:48:41
>> The envelope thing is just a below deck thing that doesn't happen. Um, we have
00:48:47
tip meetings or we have meetings at the end of every trip. Sometimes we don't
00:48:51
know the tip then because it will be wired through to our management agency. Um, but normally cuz the captain signs
00:48:58
down the a couple hours before they depart and just finalizes the bill and everything and then they can talk about
00:49:04
gratuitity and then we know. Um, so we do find out, but the money gets wired into our account. We don't get handed an
00:49:10
envelope like on low deck. >> Amazing. Why was he so generous, do you think?
00:49:15
>> I don't know. >> Surely he he can't be doing that every time he he charters a boat.
00:49:19
>> He's he was known for it. He's lovely. Yeah. One of my old chefs actually who
00:49:23
worked for him on the boat now works in his personal home and London. Yeah. >> Yeah.
00:49:28
>> Did you have any conversations with him? >> Not too many, but he was lovely. Every
00:49:32
single day he would greet every single crew by your first name. If you walk past him, he'd say, "Hello, Katie." Um,
00:49:37
he was I think at the time everyone thought, you know, he had that whole persona on television.
00:49:43
>> Yeah. The Britain's Got Talent. >> He's the mean judge. >> He's actually he was amazing and he
00:49:48
works hard. Like he was always having meetings. We were flying people in and off the boat for meetings constantly
00:49:53
wherever we were. Um, and here's actually one of my favorite charter guests I've ever had.
00:49:57
>> Wow. He'd be mindful if he gave me >> Maybe that's why maybe I forgot about
00:50:02
all the bad. >> Well, this is um these are wild stories and it's a wild job and it must be hard
00:50:09
to know when to stop and become quite intoxicating. Do you know what I mean? >> Yeah. We call it the golden handcuffs.
00:50:16
So they say you leave yaching three times before you actually left. Um so yeah, it's yeah, it's definitely a
00:50:24
golden handcuff, but like I don't know. I think the only downside to yaching is
00:50:29
you you spend a lot of time like on a boat working long hours and then you miss out on a lot of things, you know.
00:50:37
>> Um but I really wouldn't change any of it for the world. >> Yeah,
00:50:43
>> that's cool. Thanks for sharing those stories. So it's at this point that um
00:50:46
your below deck comes knocking and they come knock what? Yeah. Is there a stigma
00:50:51
thing? Is it just considered to be I think you sort of explained this before >> with the odd age.
00:50:57
>> Yeah. Like you sort of thumb your nose up at it >> 100%. >> I still I can still watch it and be like
00:51:04
but like again I actually I loved my experience. Um at the time it was hard and again I don't regret it. Like I
00:51:12
think everything was however is meant to be is meant to be. Um as yachties we definitely turn I think yacht crew
00:51:20
turned their nose up a lot of it. And I think now cuz it was ironic when I I didn't tell a lot of people that I was
00:51:26
going to do it cuz at the time it was still quite like a taboo thing. And then I think when it got announced and then
00:51:33
all of a sudden I had all these yacht crew that used to talk [ __ ] about the show be like hey do you think you could
00:51:39
put me in touch with a producer? do you think you can put me in touch with casting? How'd you go about it? And I
00:51:43
would just sit there and be like, "Oh, what's that?" >> Interesting. Interesting. So, I heard
00:51:46
you on another podcast talking about I think it was an ex-boyfriend that was also in the boating um boating world and
00:51:52
he was like, "Oh, don't do that, Katie." Or >> Yeah. >> You know, oh, what are you doing? What
00:51:57
are you doing with your life? >> He's a Kiwi. Um, so we had separate separated. God, I sound like I'm [ __ ]
00:52:06
married. Definitely was not. We broke up maybe a year and a half prior or a year or two prior
00:52:16
and um I used to joke about it cuz they used to message me all the time casting and I'll be like oh my god below deck
00:52:21
and he always used like don't do that don't do that um as most of us did and I
00:52:26
was just like lol and I always used to make a joke I said when I'm done with
00:52:28
yaching I'll do the show cuz I'll be like a mic drop out like I'm done and so
00:52:33
I ended up doing the show and then when it got announced like the trailer dropped or whatever He was actually one
00:52:38
of the first people to message me and say he was kind of like, "I can't
00:52:44
believe you did this." Like, "What?" Like, and the thing is, the way we broke
00:52:47
up, he kind of left me for my friend or somebody I know. Um, and I just replied to him. I was like, "You didn't give a
00:52:54
[ __ ] about me two years ago. Why think you give a [ __ ] about me now?" You know,
00:52:57
or he made it, he would. He was like, "Oh, I'm just worried about your mental
00:53:00
health and your anxiety and how this might be too much for you." And I said,
00:53:03
"Oh, so now you care. You didn't give two shits about my mental health." year
00:53:07
and a half, two years ago. So, what gives you the right to give a [ __ ] about it now?
00:53:10
>> Why Why was he concerned about your mental health? Have you had mental health um issues?
00:53:15
>> I went through like a bit of a toxic relationship before him and I think he
00:53:18
saw me at probably my lowest. Um which is irony cuz yeah, how our relationship ended was nothing but low.
00:53:28
>> You found a new rock bottom. >> Yeah. >> Um so I think he knew I struggled with a
00:53:33
lot of anxiety. I still do. I think I know how to handle it a lot better now, but obviously at the time and he's just,
00:53:39
you know, his thing was something about like, oh, like I'm just worried about,
00:53:43
you know, the backlash of, you know, the online hate, which yeah, fair enough. It's [ __ ] brutal.
00:53:49
>> But, um, yeah, I just didn't feel he was the person that >> could say that to me because you didn't
00:53:55
you had a chance to once care about my mental health and you really [ __ ] diminish that. So, I don't see how you
00:54:01
think you can care about that now. >> How are you today? Are you in a good
00:54:04
place? Mentally >> I am I mean I'm not going to lie 2026 is dealt a rough card. I don't think just
00:54:13
for me for everyone. Um at the start of the year I had something quite traumatic
00:54:17
happen to my friend who I live with in Dubai. So that was quite hectic and then followed 10 days later um this war
00:54:25
kicked off followed by my uncle passing away and now recently another uncle passing away. So this has all happened
00:54:30
in the space of sort of six weeks. I had my low point I think when I first got back to New Zealand, but I'm feeling
00:54:37
I think I keep reminding myself like when you look at the state of the world, the like everything's [ __ ] right now.
00:54:44
>> So, in some weird way that kind of makes me feel like better, >> but I don't know.
00:54:52
>> It's not just you, it's everyone. >> Everyone's feeling it and everyone I
00:54:55
talked to. Well, I remember like towards the end of 2024, the the slogan was thrive in 25 and and then that never
00:55:02
happened and then there was another another catchy rhyme thing for 2026, but 2026 is turning out to be like another
00:55:09
[ __ ] show. >> Real [ __ ] show. Yeah. So, I think in hindsight there's something like um
00:55:16
weirdly comforting and knowing we're all going through this together alongside
00:55:21
our actual lives. It's like globally there's a lot going on and then we all
00:55:25
have our own personal [ __ ] So >> I think when you when I started to lean
00:55:29
more into that cuz I think it's easy to play like victim, right? Why is this
00:55:33
happening to me? Why is this happening to me? When really >> Yeah. the world's [ __ ] So here we are.
00:55:38
>> Yeah. I've had so many um people on the podcast that have um either survived or
00:55:42
or gone through like traumatic cancer and other sort of adversity. Um the the takeaway from most of them for me is
00:55:49
instead of saying why is this happening to me say why not >> it's nothing personal often.
00:55:55
>> It really isn't. And I think I think victim mentality is probably the worst
00:55:59
way because then you never get out of it when you can like obviously it's [ __ ]
00:56:04
I've you know I'm not going to lie. It's been hard what I've been going through.
00:56:08
But I know I'm not the only one. I I [ __ ] wake up every day and look on my
00:56:12
Instagram and there's just some [ __ ] [ __ ] happening elsewhere. I, you know, one of my friends something
00:56:17
happened. So, it's just like it's just life in a weird messed up way. Like
00:56:21
globally, I don't think a lot of this [ __ ] should be happening, but the personal side of it, you can't help
00:56:25
>> a lot of this other stuff. >> Did you have you engaged with a therapist?
00:56:30
>> I have. >> You spend time in America. It's the most America normalizes it more than any
00:56:36
other. >> They love it. They love it. Look, I'm all for people doing what they need to
00:56:40
do. If it's a therapist, if it's a psychiatrist, if it's going and [ __ ]
00:56:44
doing aywaska in a bloody temple in Peru, I don't know if it's going to a
00:56:49
yoga retreat, I'm all for it. Um I I have this astrology lady who I technically she's pretty much my
00:56:56
therapist. She she's more >> like a guidance person. >> Yeah. And she's really good. Like we
00:57:01
have checking phone calls and stuff like that. And when all this stuff sort of happened at once, she reached out to me.
00:57:04
She's like, "Do you want to jump on a call?" And stuff like that. I think she
00:57:07
just helps me just makes it like what your feelings. She validates my feelings because I
00:57:13
think sometimes especially as Kiwis I feel like we feel like I was feeling guilty for being kind of not my best
00:57:18
self around my friends and around my family just for whatever was going on. You feel like you're letting them down
00:57:24
when really it's just like okay I'm just going through a little bit of [ __ ] time.
00:57:26
It's a little bit [ __ ] right now but it's going to be okay. So yeah, but I
00:57:30
probably should at this point honestly like if 2026 keeps going the way it is. >> I don't know. I think everyone's got to
00:57:36
work out um what works for them and sort of create your own sort of toolbox. So when when um some adversity strikes cuz
00:57:43
it will for all of us. You got to be prepared for it. >> Yeah, 100%. I'm a big believer in that.
00:57:48
Um I sort of I've done a lot of like growth over the years and things to like
00:57:54
help me. So I sort of know what I need to do. I think the hardest part is when you're real deep in the trenches to get
00:57:59
yourself to do that seems like >> almost mission impossible, you know? Once you get over that first little
00:58:05
leaf, it tends to >> smooth sailing a little bit. >> Yeah. What What are you So, you like
00:58:09
doing yoga. Do you journal or anything? >> I'm a big journaler. Yeah, journaling's
00:58:13
a big thing for me. I think it like declutters my brain. I just think I like like all of us, we just overthink
00:58:20
everything. And you we all create these [ __ ] scenarios in our head. That's
00:58:24
not the reality. Like, okay. I think as well like I when I write down like the facts on a piece of paper, it outweighs
00:58:32
like what I'm actually thinking or my train of thought or how my brain's like
00:58:35
processing this. It's okay, okay, well that was [ __ ] that [ __ ] this is what's
00:58:37
happened. And then I find it easier to sort of work my way out of it as opposed to just feeling overwhelmed.
00:58:43
>> So do you have like a a habit like you journal last thing at night or first
00:58:47
thing in the morning? >> I used to do it first thing at night. I mean first thing in the morning. I've
00:58:51
been doing it at night now because I was having a lot of trouble sleep sleeping.
00:58:55
So, I think it was kind of just like dumping >> the [ __ ] in my head onto a piece of
00:59:00
paper, just like a weird cleansing ritual. Um, I'm big into breath work. I feel that's helped me a lot, especially
00:59:08
recently. Um, just calming like my anxiety cuz when I first got back, I was just feeling very overwhelmed with
00:59:15
everything. Um, and I think overwhelm's like one of the hardest like emotions to deal with cuz you don't
00:59:22
know where to start. So, it's kind of when you start breaking things down bit
00:59:25
by bit, that's when it became a lot easier to handle. >> Oh, good on you. You seem to have your
00:59:30
systems and processes in place. >> Yeah. We try to, you know. >> All right. So, below deck for the Bravo
00:59:38
people that are watching or listening to the podcast, we finally got there. >> Yes.
00:59:41
>> Okay. So, excuse me. >> No, you have. >> I turned the air con off before. How's
00:59:45
your body temperature? Are you okay? >> I'm good now. >> Yep. Do you need a water or
00:59:49
>> I'm good. So, you agree to go and blow it below deck. Um, is the money good or is it
00:59:56
less than what you're getting as a normal chief stew? >> Like, do you get extra TV?
01:00:02
>> I don't remember what I No, you don't. So, this is So, your first season of
01:00:06
Below Deck, you get paid basically what you would get paid as a crew member on a yacht, give or take. I actually
01:00:15
can't remember honestly what I got paid for that but the tips that we do make on
01:00:20
below tech are real. So whatever you see those we do get that money on top of whatever lump sum has been agreed to in
01:00:26
your contract. Once you do another season that's when things start to change for a crew member. You
01:00:34
have a lot more leeway or you can negotiate I think more money and things like that
01:00:39
>> because you have a fan base know you things like that. And um so like when I
01:00:45
did Winter House, I was paid episodically technically. So I was paid per episode as opposed to just like
01:00:50
here's a lump sum. Um which is kind of what you would want to do to go back on
01:00:56
Below Deck. >> What's What's more important for Below Deck? Is it being good at your job or
01:01:01
being a good character for TV? probably I'm going to say be a good character for
01:01:11
TV, but that doesn't mean that you're not good at your job. I think I mean look, you are filming a reality
01:01:19
show. There has to be something. But I think this is when casting comes into play. Like the way they cast is they,
01:01:25
you know, they put people into sort of roles anyway. They're like, "Oh, she's
01:01:29
going to be the nice person. and he's going to be the bachelor boy that's, you
01:01:32
know, hooks up with all the girls and causes all the drama and she's going to
01:01:35
be the problem and he's going to be the dick or like the arrogant one, whatever.
01:01:39
So, they kind of have an idea. So, I think organically, no matter if you're good at your job or not, it plays out
01:01:44
the way it's meant to play out. But >> who were you, do you think? What did
01:01:47
they cast you for? >> I was [ __ ] good at my job. >> Thank you very much. They cast Joe. Do
01:01:54
you I know my role with Below Deck. I was they wanted I think they wanted to put me out as like the weak cheese shoe,
01:02:00
which don't get me wrong, I had some [ __ ] weak moments on that show. I can
01:02:04
look back now and be like, what was I thinking? >> Weak as in what? What do you mean?
01:02:07
>> I think cuz I had only been a cheese shoe for not long at the time. So I
01:02:11
think now I've been a Chu for what, 5 years more. I feel like the way I handled situations will be a lot better.
01:02:19
But I think as well what people don't understand, there's so much going on
01:02:22
when you're trying to do your job. And I took my job very seriously. like this
01:02:26
was my actual career. I still love the industry. I still love it. So like to me accepting to go on below deck was not an
01:02:33
easy decision. So I was getting really pissed off cuz I'd cast all these people
01:02:37
that were taking the absolute [ __ ] purse and I used to wind me up and I used to get really upset about it cuz
01:02:41
I'm like no, this is my job. This is my industry. Like I'm really proud of it.
01:02:44
I'm really proud of what I do. Like um so yeah, I think looking back there's
01:02:49
a lot of things I would like to I would love to change but look this is the beauty of reality TV. If you can't watch
01:02:55
yourself back and not learn something or just say, "Oh, the the the way I was
01:03:00
edited, the producers did that." Like, no. Yes, they can manipulate things, but
01:03:04
like how you act is how you act. How I acted was how I acted. >> You know, things might have been
01:03:09
emphasized here and there, but I take full responsibility for that. That was me. And these things now I could be
01:03:14
like, "Oh, I probably wouldn't do that again, or I'd handle that better, or I
01:03:18
made a mistake, or I was a [ __ ] there, or I was rude." Like if you can't do
01:03:21
that then, you know. >> Well, do do you have like a top five regrettable moments or what are the
01:03:27
things that got that got you in trouble with the fan base or things that went viral on YouTube or Tik Tok?
01:03:33
>> Firing Delaney. So, there was this girl that came on um to help out because we
01:03:39
lost one of our other stews um because she was just a [ __ ] crazy [ __ ] to be put quite frank who should have been
01:03:47
fired from the get- go, but we couldn't. Um, so there was this girl that came on
01:03:54
and a lot and don't get me wrong, she did her best to help. She came on as a
01:03:59
stewardist. She was actually a deck hand. So we were like two charters out of ending the season. I just need
01:04:04
someone to come in that can do their [ __ ] job. I don't have time to train.
01:04:07
>> Um, it's also a lot of pressure on my team or at the time was only Courtney.
01:04:11
Um, and yeah, I think a lot of people didn't see the [ __ ] that Delaney actually said when the cameras were down
01:04:18
or that they didn't put in. She used to come on clouting that she was going to
01:04:22
be super famous or that she has more Instagram followers than us and like just all this weird stuff. And at the
01:04:27
time it really [ __ ] wound me up cuz I was like I don't like I know we're
01:04:31
signing up to be on TV. I know what's coming after this airs. But also I still
01:04:36
just need someone to do their [ __ ] job. And like she did try, but I think her attitude behind the camera is what
01:04:43
pissed me off the most. And I'm the kind of person I'm like, you won't get the
01:04:47
last say because you've you you act a certain way on camera then a certain way
01:04:52
off. So I don't like that. Like be who you are. Say that [ __ ] on camera. I
01:04:56
don't care. I probably would have kept you if that were the case, but you didn't. So trying to justif not that I
01:05:00
feel like I have to justify that, but trying to justify that to the audience who's only seeing one side of it, you
01:05:06
know, that was a mistake. And look, she would she did help and I probably should
01:05:11
have kept her, but I think at the time my capacity and maybe my ego got in the way for sure.
01:05:17
>> So, you have these moments and then um you forget about it, get on with your
01:05:20
life, and then months later it goes on TV. That what the [ __ ] is that like? That must be wild.
01:05:25
>> It's a whirlwind. And I think as well, >> do you brace yourself for the storm?
01:05:29
I don't think I don't think there is or I don't think anyone that becomes famous
01:05:34
overnight for whatever reason or like gains a platform overnight for whatever reason. I think the hardest part that I
01:05:40
struggled with was the amount of access everyone had to you know just replying to DMs and stuff like and yes you don't
01:05:46
have to check it but tell somebody new to this [ __ ] not to check it. Everyone does it. So like you get you know and
01:05:53
it's like they start nitpicking but it's like that's the point of it right if
01:05:57
people aren't nitpicking the show what are you doing the show for because they
01:06:01
are the dieh hard fans so at the end of the day the way I saw it was okay I'm
01:06:06
getting crucified but if it wasn't for them I also wouldn't have the platform I
01:06:10
have today I wouldn't have had the opportunity so I mean this is looking way further down the track but
01:06:16
>> yeah it's you can't brace yourself for it I think over time you become a lot
01:06:20
more immune to it and you definitely build up a wall. Um it doesn't mean to say that I still receive the odd hate
01:06:27
message and stuff that I read and I'm like that's a bit [ __ ] you know.
01:06:30
>> Do you? >> Yeah. >> What what do they say? >> Um oh people people call me weak. So
01:06:36
that was I guess the character or the kind of role I fit fit into. Um, which is hard cuz I also feel like I'm
01:06:44
actually a really kind person. And I feel like a lot of people take my kindness for weakness. But I always try
01:06:50
to make sure everybody's happy, everybody's included. And that's kind of
01:06:54
what I was trying to do when we were filming. So >> when things get portrayed a different
01:06:59
way, which is fine. Like I'm I signed up for this, so [ __ ] bring it on, you
01:07:03
know? Like >> Oh, no. I was just going to say in your defense like being being called weak,
01:07:07
kindness can be mistaken for weakness. as you said, it's even a line in one of
01:07:11
my favorite Lana Del Rey songs. Um, >> oh, there you go. >> But it's um I mean, it's not the worst
01:07:15
thing in the world to be called, is it? >> I think at the time, like I said, you're
01:07:18
just not used to it. And I think when you're getting criticized from so many
01:07:21
different angles, >> it's like it's very overwhelming. And I was actually I was still I was on a boat
01:07:27
on charter at the time this all happened. So like people I think people think we just film shows and we go do
01:07:31
whatever. Like this is my actual job. I'm still working in this industry. Like
01:07:34
this is still all happening for me. So >> yeah, it's a lot. But hey, what doesn't
01:07:40
kill you makes you stronger. >> So they say then that's that's the
01:07:44
thing. You just got to make sure it doesn't [ __ ] kill you. Like if you're
01:07:46
in a mentally vulnerable spot, it would be very tough to handle. >> How was your mental health through that
01:07:51
that time? >> When we were filming it actually wasn't good. >> So I think that's why I struggled with a
01:07:56
lot of big decision- making at the time. >> Um I you know this is five six years ago
01:08:03
we filmed this. So I think as a person I've developed a lot more as a chief stew I've de developed a whole lot more.
01:08:09
My tolerance for bullshit's a lot lower. >> I think that comes with age as well.
01:08:13
>> 100%. So you know but like look I don't I'm not sitting here trying to justify
01:08:17
anything. Like I did what I did. I stand by it and I still think at the end of the day I worked my [ __ ] ass off
01:08:23
filming that show and that's something I'm proud of. So >> yeah. What's it like on on the below
01:08:27
deck boat? Like how is it different from being on a normal charter? Cuz I'm I'm
01:08:30
guessing you've got the you've got the confined area below deck, but you've
01:08:33
also got how many other people there? Like you got camera people, sound people, producers,
01:08:37
>> lighting, audio, the whole >> How many like 10 extra people, five
01:08:41
extra people? >> Um well, no, you've got all producers and stuff on board as well. So they
01:08:46
rotate. You've got your exec producers, your producers, and they rotate shifts
01:08:49
cuz we are filming 247 as well pretty much give or take. So that's the same with our crew and then the filming crew.
01:08:57
So we actually have a chase boat. to another boat that all the production stay on. So you'll probably notice in
01:09:04
like some of the background you'll see a boat coming to and from the big boat and
01:09:09
that's actually just dropping off production or swapping out. So they have there. So there's a lot going on. So
01:09:14
>> I think when you film below deck I don't think a lot of yacht crew understand
01:09:19
like our job as yacht crew is so [ __ ] hard. Like the work isn't hard. But I
01:09:23
would say the hours and the determination and the always being on and always, you know, being your best
01:09:28
self and being in front of guests 24/7. It's it's very demanding job what we do.
01:09:33
So you do that and then you add a film crew to the mix. Like this is why the recipe so good and the drama on Below
01:09:38
Deck's so organic because that just naturally creates drama cuz it's stress.
01:09:43
It's lack of sleep and then you know we're out drinking which we all know how
01:09:47
that turns out. So it's just you know it works. >> It's the formula. It's a formula for
01:09:53
every reality TV show. >> Um, yeah. In terms of scripting, are there is there any sort of storyboarding
01:09:59
or anything or are they No. >> No. So, uh, this is what I'm saying. Everyone's like, "Oh, that script." I'm
01:10:05
like, "It really isn't." Cuz we really are just doing our jobs and there are
01:10:08
just cameras there. Um, I'd say that there's much scripting as people want to
01:10:13
get into. Cuz if say me and you were having a conversation about something big that happened the night before with
01:10:20
the crew or with the guests production or producer will come tell you to stop to get a big camera on you if there's
01:10:26
not a big camera following you around at that certain point cuz obviously they've
01:10:29
got eyes on whatever's you know there's multiple things happening on a yacht at
01:10:33
once you know like five six different areas. >> Um so if they hear cuz we obviously
01:10:40
>> hold that thought hold that thought >> basically. Yeah, it's basically like
01:10:42
stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop stop get a big
01:10:44
camera in or if you know you're going to do something so like I want on my season
01:10:50
I promoted Courtney to second stew and I knew I was going to do that so I told production hey I'm going to promote
01:10:55
Courtney let's get that on camera cuz that's a big moment for her and for the
01:10:59
show. So it's like you you know over time you start to understand how that sort of work and it's not really
01:11:05
scripted it's just like well this is what we're filming right this is what
01:11:09
this is part of it. So, you want to capture those moments so the audience can understand the full picture
01:11:15
>> and expectation versus reality. Going into that first season, you thought it
01:11:18
was going to be like total [ __ ] >> I thought it was going to be a lot [ __ ] easier. Did you?
01:11:23
>> I came out of that an absolute [ __ ] wreck. I think the scene there's like a
01:11:29
scene on one of my last charters and I worked a 21-hour day. I literally slept for 4 hours
01:11:35
>> and yeah, there's like memes that went around being like I'm a vampire and all
01:11:38
this [ __ ] and I think I made like a really bad joke about I probably should be smoking crack or something to stay
01:11:43
awake at this point. I don't do that. Just put that out there. >> Okay, you're from Northland. No one
01:11:48
would No one would be too surprised, >> right? >> Oh yeah. How was it um how was it for
01:11:53
your family and friends in New Zealand suddenly having you on screen? Um, I was definitely anxious, but you know what? I
01:12:01
said to myself when I agreed to do this, I said, "I'm going to do everything to
01:12:04
the best of my ability and I'm going to do it and be me." I And I believe I did
01:12:10
that. And one of the first things my best friend said to me, she goes, "You
01:12:13
haven't changed one bit just because there's a camera there." And I think
01:12:15
that was something really important to me. Um, and my parents were really proud and still to this day, um, people come
01:12:23
up and, you know, say stuff to my parents and stuff and how much, like >> I think Kiwis, we, you know, we love
01:12:29
seeing a Kiwi do something and I had so much love from the Kiwi community, like people DMing me just being like so proud
01:12:35
of putting New Zealand on the map. And I'm sure Asia, she would get it tenfold,
01:12:38
you know, and like I feel the same when I watch her doing all her stuff. I'm
01:12:42
just like, look at us little Kiwi chief shoes from New Zealand, you know, like doing something big. Um, and putting our
01:12:48
country on the map because I think as Kiwis, well, we're proud to be Kiwi, you
01:12:52
know. >> Did your mom manage to uh I mean, you if it's on your phone and people are DMing
01:12:57
you um with abuse, you can't avoid it. But did your mom manage to avoid message
01:13:01
boards or Reddit threads and things like that? >> My mom's not that good with technology,
01:13:05
so that kind that kind of worked in her favor. Um, so my mom saw more of the good stuff, I think. Oh, that's cool.
01:13:12
It's just stuff that's in like Women's Day or >> Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly.
01:13:17
>> Um, yeah. Did you with the cameras there, did you act I know you said before you
01:13:22
were authentic, but did you ever like play things up a little bit or hold things back a little bit because of the
01:13:27
cameras? >> I didn't have [ __ ] time to think about the cameras. Like, this is what
01:13:32
people I think get really confused about. Like, I was working my ass off as I would do on any charter. So it gets to
01:13:40
the point you forget the cameras are there and like I'll catch myself saying
01:13:43
something and I'm like oh [ __ ] Like I wish I didn't say that, you know, but
01:13:46
it's just like you're so caught up in the moment. I didn't have time. I was
01:13:50
literally survival mode. Like pure survival mode like so no. My answer is no. >> And when did how many Instagram
01:13:57
followers did you have going going into it? You for for context you've got about
01:14:00
150,000 now. >> I think I had like a,000 or 1200. And as soon as it went to air, it started to
01:14:08
started to go up. >> Yeah. Within the first episode. So, I actually was on a boat in
01:14:14
Alaska and we were up in a glacia at the time and our sats like we didn't have um
01:14:21
we lost internet for the night just because we were so up in the middle of this [ __ ] glacia. So, I knew it was
01:14:27
airing and I had all this anxiety cuz I knew the minute we got back to an area where um our vis would work again, we
01:14:35
could get internet. Yeah. My phone was just like and I was also working. I was on charter, so it was just like I didn't
01:14:41
even have time to look at it, but I'd just see. Um and yeah, it was [ __ ] overwhelming
01:14:49
>> in an exciting way. It it's really exciting because I think in the it takes
01:14:55
about nine months from when you wrap filming for the first episode to drop. So there's this 9month period and you
01:15:02
you kind of know what story lines are going to play out because when you go back and do so we do our green screens
01:15:09
after every single charter when we're filming and then as they start to edit
01:15:13
we'll fly back to LA or whatever for like three or four times and do more green screens as they want more. Um
01:15:20
>> what does that mean? >> So the confessional so you know when you see like say a scene will play out then
01:15:25
you see like the crew member talking to the Oh yeah. So we do so we do those after every single charter when we're
01:15:31
filming and then as they start to edit we get flown back to LA or wherever the production company's based to film more
01:15:38
of these just to get a different take and a different twist or they want a different angle. Um, so you as you know
01:15:45
what the producers asking you, you sort of know what's going to play out. So
01:15:48
you're like, "Okay, I feel like this." But the thing is as well, like I feel
01:15:52
like I blacked out because we're working six weeks nearly every single day. You're working you're doing two jobs.
01:15:58
You're filming a show and you're working on a yacht and you're I was doing 18our
01:16:01
days every single day. >> So you do black out and you do forget a lot of [ __ ] And then when production's
01:16:06
telling you, you know, you're like, "Wait, what did that happen? Did I do
01:16:10
that?" Um, so then there's also that angst where you're like, "Oh, what what
01:16:15
is actually going to make it to air?" Because there's so much footage and you
01:16:19
guys see literally a blimp of >> like the whole the whole thing. >> Yeah. How did being um a reality TV star
01:16:26
change you professionally and personally, >> if at all? >> I don't think it's changed me as a
01:16:33
person. Um, I think it's giving me a lot more confidence. I think um it makes you a lot more yeah
01:16:42
like hard shell. You can tolerate a lot more crap as we were saying. >> Um and professionally it didn't change
01:16:49
me at all. I still worked in the industry for pretty much four or five years after I filmed that. Um and I
01:16:58
never had a problem with it. I never had owners that had a problem with it and a
01:17:03
lot of charter guests loved it. So I I think it depends how you portray yourself, you know. Um,
01:17:09
>> and and what about going from um being relatively anonymous to having a
01:17:13
profile? Like coolest perks or opportunities? >> Yeah. Opport being a reality star, that wasn't
01:17:24
something I want to do. You know, people want to go on like Love Island, do all this stuff, and that was never really
01:17:28
something I want to do. I saw it as an opportunity. I was like, "Okay, I already have the knowledge. I work on
01:17:32
yachts, and this has kind of been handed to me on a silver platter. They've asked
01:17:35
me for what, three or four years now and I keep saying no. They're asking me
01:17:39
again. I'm feeling like I'm in this zone where I'm like, "Fuck yaching." So, why
01:17:43
not? And it was the best decision I ever did because it's allowed me a lot more
01:17:47
freedom. Um, and yeah, it's just I don't know. I think you can do a lot of stuff
01:17:52
with it, too. >> Yeah. >> Like what? I think a lot I I feel like I've always wanted to like
01:18:00
be a voice for people and I've had a lot of people I guess you do a lot of podcasts right and I do a lot of like
01:18:06
female-based podcasts and podcasts based yaching in the industry so it kind of just like all your knowledge you get to
01:18:13
share with the world which is something I enjoy doing cuz I love learning about other stuff and learning from other
01:18:18
people um and inspiring people too. I think that was the biggest takeaway from doing the show was when people would
01:18:24
message me and say like I've inspired them or even just how I dealt with certain things in the workplace they've
01:18:29
taken to that like that's something I never even thought would be on my radar
01:18:33
and then when you start getting these messages you're like [ __ ] that's kind of
01:18:36
cool like yeah it's like a little like pinch yourself moment. >> Yeah. So the good outweighs the bad
01:18:42
>> for me. Yes. Yes. >> It's quite funny. Like I think um yeah there's a good lesson in there. You were
01:18:47
saying before like you said no three times, four times or whatever and then it turns out to be one of the best
01:18:51
things you did. >> I know. >> I think that's the case for a lot of
01:18:53
people in life. Like the thing that you're scared scaredest of or most reluctant to do can often end up being
01:18:59
like the the game changer. >> Well, it was obviously meant to be. I'm a big believer in whatever is meant for
01:19:04
you will find you. And I'm not saying like sit in your ass and not do anything
01:19:08
like I mean that like you've got to be proactive. But I also now I normally so
01:19:14
now because of that I say any to anyone that has an opportunity that falls on their lap that kind of is like a handed
01:19:20
to them on a silver tray like take it. What's the worst that could happen? You
01:19:23
can say no or >> I don't know you can get halfway through and you don't want to do it but unless
01:19:28
>> then that question box is kind of shut you know >> you like I've had a lot of people that
01:19:32
said how did you just up and leave and move overseas and I was like because I knew I wanted to do it. I could feel it
01:19:36
in my gut. They're like well what if it didn't work out? I said, "Well, then I'd
01:19:40
come back to New Zealand and start my life here." Like, what's the big [ __ ]
01:19:42
deal about that? Unless then, I think the hardest thing we do as humans is we live our life with these things that we
01:19:50
want to do, but we always just put it, oh, it's in the too hard basket. When
01:19:54
it's actually not as hard as maybe we think, >> but then I think the worst thing is when
01:19:59
we you die with that longing like, "Oh, why did I wish I did that? That would be
01:20:04
terrible." >> Yeah. Give it a shot and if it turns to [ __ ] then there it is.
01:20:08
>> Absolutely. And and um yeah, just to like um add on to what you're saying,
01:20:12
like if you're not burning the bridge, so say you leave a job to go and work on
01:20:15
the boat and that job is still going to be there or you could go back graveling maybe when when it doesn't work out.
01:20:20
It's a no-brainer. >> Exactly. >> Try the other thing. >> Yes, 100%. Just do it.
01:20:26
>> Um and is Bravo a good company to work for? What are the Did you go to the
01:20:30
conventions and things? >> Bravo Con? Yes. >> Bravo Con? Yeah. What is Bravo Con?
01:20:34
>> Oh my god. You know what? That was one of the craziest weekends of my life. Um,
01:20:41
Bravo Con people don't know is like this convention of basically they call us
01:20:46
Bravo Liberty. So, anyone that's on a current Bravo show and I'm going from
01:20:50
Below Deck to the Housewives to Vanderpump to Southern Charm to whatever other show is on Bravo. Um, and you
01:20:59
basically I felt like I was in a petting zoo, like you're on display for fans to
01:21:04
come up to you and stuff like that. So, but the way they do it is they'll do
01:21:07
different panels. So, they have like a big auditorium full of, you know, fans and then they'll put the cast of
01:21:13
whatever show up and then, you know, you do like an interaction, they ask you questions, there's a host, they make it
01:21:18
really fun, you do fun games. It's quite like ideally lighthearted, but obviously
01:21:23
reality TV being reality TV, there's a lot of drama going on. Um, and then they
01:21:27
kind of mix and match different panels of different shows. Um, and then yeah, so and you do like lots of meet and
01:21:34
greets and like people come and take photos of you. And it was just crazy to me because in terms of like the Bravo
01:21:40
world, like I know I'm like at the bottom of the, you know, Asia's done so
01:21:44
much more. So, she's way higher up the section than me. But when people like
01:21:48
come running up to you and they know your name and they know what's going on
01:21:51
and they ask you and they talk to you and they want a photo and like they say all these like really incredible things
01:21:56
to you, you're like, "Holy [ __ ] >> I'm just a girl from this shitty little
01:22:00
town in New Zealand." And you actually care. Like it was that was like a pinch
01:22:05
me moment, but it was [ __ ] exhausting as well cuz we were also in Vegas, which
01:22:10
let's put all these [ __ ] reality TV stars in Vegas. >> And so we also had to do appearances at
01:22:16
these nightclubs. So some people be invited to go here, there. So we're like
01:22:20
at this convention center and like you're in hair and makeup at like 6:00 7:00 a.m. in the morning. So Bailey
01:22:25
actually was my stylist and did mine and Aisha's hair and makeup. So she was
01:22:29
working like a dog. Um, and yeah, so it would be hair and makeup at like 6:00 a.m. Meanwhile, you
01:22:36
would have only got home at about 3 hours earlier. So, and then you've got to be up, then you've got to be on, then
01:22:41
you get out of the car and people are screaming your name. Then you walk into this auditorium and then you go to the
01:22:45
green room and you kind of chill there and then you go on stage and then um me and Malia had a podcast at the time, so
01:22:51
we would go do these like meet and greets at her little stall and like it was just chaos for three or four days.
01:22:57
I've never felt so >> exhausted in my life afterwards. But >> wow, what an experience though.
01:23:03
>> Amazing experience. But it's Yeah, it was a lot. But again, like I said, it
01:23:07
was just a really cool way to interact with the fans because I always say even though like Bravo fans, like they're
01:23:14
serious people. They like ride or die for us. Uh but without them, I wouldn't
01:23:19
again without them I wouldn't have had, you know, the opportunities that I've
01:23:22
had. So >> yeah, 100%. Yeah. >> And you've been on the iconic um TV show
01:23:27
Antie Cohen's Watch What Happens Live. >> How's that? What's that? What's that
01:23:31
experience like? >> That's very quick to film. It's literally So that's filmed live in New
01:23:36
York. Um and like it's fun, but like you have to keep your answers short. Like there's so
01:23:42
much you want to talk about cuz it's always relevant at the time of your show
01:23:46
airing. So there's so much going on. There's so much you think you want to
01:23:49
say or how you want to answer it, but it's just like quickfire questions. Um,
01:23:53
but Andy's hilarious. Like, he's great. He's great at what he does. And yeah,
01:23:58
super fun. >> Did he tell you off the swearing heaps? >> He did. This was during I think it might
01:24:04
have actually been the Below Deck reunion. We filmed it. It was that or it was something for
01:24:10
Below Deck. It wasn't a Winter House thing, but yeah, I did get in trouble. >> Sorry, Andy.
01:24:16
>> You you you've you've sworn a lot today. And I'm I'm not mad about it because to
01:24:19
me it it says you're you're completely comfortable and we're getting the the
01:24:22
unfiltered uncensored Katie Flood. Um but is it like um I suppose I swear quite a bit but in front of you my
01:24:30
parents or grandparents or whatever then I I wouldn't Is it the same with you
01:24:33
like when you're on duty you're working on a boat you'll just you'll rain it in?
01:24:38
>> I like to hope so. I am a sailor guys. Look I'm a sailor of the seven seas.
01:24:43
I've been at sea for 10 years. Okay. You do you do learn some crazy [ __ ] in the
01:24:48
industry? No. Um >> obviously when I'm working I'm a lot more aware because I think my responses
01:24:54
aren't as free as this and I'm thinking a lot more about what I'm replying to a
01:24:59
charter guest than I am >> um on a podcast cuz >> I mean yeah this is me. I'm not going to
01:25:04
change myself. So if I've offended anyone, I'm so sorry. >> Um and where are things at now with you
01:25:09
and Bravo or reality TV? Are you are you done? Is that door completely shut? >> The door's never shut. Um, I actually
01:25:17
feel like I'm ready. Like I It's quite overwhelming when you do reality TV.
01:25:21
It's very consuming. It's quite a lot. Um, but I kind of feel like I want to do
01:25:26
another show. It doesn't like I would love to do another Below Deck. I've only
01:25:30
just recently really felt that way. Um, I think I've had a break >> from Below Deck and from the industry.
01:25:37
Um, so I would love to do that again. Um, I don't know. I'd love to do like
01:25:44
the Amazing Race or something like that. I don't know. I I definitely want to get
01:25:48
back on TV soon. >> That's the That's the goal. >> Yeah. Once once you get a taste for it,
01:25:52
it can be quite addictive, I guess. E >> I think it's just something like I said,
01:25:56
I really enjoy like I when I film Below Deck as well, even though I didn't want
01:26:02
to be on reality TV, I think the whole process of production and like I loved it. Like it's so fascinating to me.
01:26:09
Um, so yeah, maybe I'll get into it and just be on the other side of the camera.
01:26:13
Who knows? >> Yeah. And the other show that we've referenced a couple of times, um, Winter
01:26:17
House. >> Uh, yeah. How do How do you explain that? Where where was it? It was in some
01:26:22
>> We were in Colorado. We're in a place called Steamboat Springs in Colorado in
01:26:28
um in America. >> Was it like a winter love island, >> give or take? So, basically, Winter
01:26:34
House is kind of a spin-off show. There's a house. There's a house. There's a show right now on Bravo called
01:26:39
Summer House. There's a lot of tea going on with that for my Bravo lovers. Um, a
01:26:44
lot of tea. Um, but anyway, so this is a spin-off show of Summer House called Winter House. And obviously it's in the
01:26:52
name. We film it in the winter, they film it in the summer. And they kind of made this season like a bit of a
01:26:57
crossover from different Bravo shows. So they got people from different shows and
01:27:01
kind of put us all in this like winter like ski chalet and you know we go skiing and then we'll be partying and
01:27:08
then you know naturally you put all these or you put all these reality TV stars in a house together for two weeks
01:27:14
add a film crew add some alcohol um and add some fun adventures like yeah you're
01:27:18
going to get some you're going to get some reality TV. So >> yeah and you mentioned before you were
01:27:23
getting paid per episode. How many episodes were you were you there for? That was only nine episodes and I did
01:27:29
get paid more for Winter House than I did the whole time doing Blow Deck. >> Wow. How much per episode? Well, you
01:27:35
can't say. >> I can't say. But >> Well, that says a lot though.
01:27:38
>> Yeah. So, I filmed for 17 I think it was 17 days in total. That's with two dark
01:27:43
days. Um I got paid more for that than the six weeks of filming of Below Deck. >> Right. And this is where you met Tom
01:27:50
Schwarz. >> Yes. >> So Tom Schwarz is from uh Vanderpump Rules. >> Yes.
01:27:54
>> Yeah. >> Yes. And and what happened there with you guys? >> You you had a thing.
01:27:59
>> Oh, we had a thing. A >> situationship. >> Absolute situation.
01:28:01
>> Is that what the Gen Z's are saying? >> Yes. Um it was very lighthearted like
01:28:07
God, this is years ago now, you know. Um and it was one of those things. It was at the time it seemed a lot more
01:28:15
dramatic than what I actually was. We're really good friends. Like we actually
01:28:18
haven't spoken in a while. I did see him last year. I was in America. Um I did
01:28:21
his podcast actually. Um, and I think, yeah, it we're we're just mates and it
01:28:28
was a really light-hearted situation and I'm glad we kept it that way because,
01:28:33
um, there are a few other people that had a bit more intense relationships going on and it ended up quite bad, but
01:28:39
I feel like we're on just like completely great terms. Like, wish him all the best. I think he's got like a
01:28:44
girlfriend now. Like, super happy for him. Um, but yeah, it was fun at the time.
01:28:48
>> So, you hooked up in the in the Winter House. >> Yes. >> Right. And did you know who he was?
01:28:53
>> I didn't. And people still don't [ __ ] believe me about this. So I cuz he's
01:28:58
from a big show called Vanderpump Rules and they did like 10 seasons of it. But I think at the time I've been living in
01:29:06
Europe for nine 8 n years at this point. We don't have Bravo over there. Like
01:29:11
sure you could, you know, VPN and get it online. I barely watched Below Deck get
01:29:17
enough, let alone any other show on um >> Bravo and because at the time there was
01:29:24
a big scandal that had just broken out as soon as we started filming Winter House that Schwarz was kind of involved
01:29:30
in, but I genuinely didn't know. And there's a clip of me saying I don't know
01:29:34
who Tom Schwarz is. And I got so much [ __ ] for that. And I'm like, guys, it's
01:29:37
really not that hard to believe. Like I had a job that I worked months on end, hours like days on end. I never really
01:29:44
had time to watch [ __ ] TV. And you think the minute when a yacht crew member gets off a yacht, we go
01:29:50
traveling. We don't sit at home and binge watch our favorite shows, you know? So, people really couldn't come to
01:29:56
terms with that. >> But it is the die hard truth. >> Yeah. Yeah. Researching this this
01:30:00
podcast, I I had I'm aware of Vanderpump Rules, but I I've never really sort of
01:30:04
watched it and I don't know who Tom Schwarz is, but I looked him up on Instagram. He's he's got like over a
01:30:07
million followers or something. E big deal. This is what it this is and this is Thank you for saying that's a very
01:30:14
Kiwi thing. We don't know a lot of We also don't get a lot of these shows, you
01:30:17
know? So, in America, it's like people ride or die for this [ __ ] And I love it. But like
01:30:24
just because you do doesn't mean that I know exactly what's going on. >> Have Have you been out with him in LA?
01:30:31
>> Yes. But >> what's that like? >> It was a lot. But it was funny cuz when
01:30:35
we went out together in LA, it was before Winter House had aired. >> So, no one really knew. There was rumors
01:30:43
that kind of was speculating the internet that me and him had hooked up, but they didn't actually have any
01:30:47
confirmation or they didn't know who was actually in the house cuz we hadn't the
01:30:51
cast hadn't been fully announced. >> Um, so yeah, we went out in LA, but no
01:30:58
one really knew about this at this time. Um, but yeah, he gets bombarded everywhere. He acts like he doesn't like
01:31:03
it, but low key loves it. >> I reckon they all do. I was in um I think it was West H. I don't know. There
01:31:12
there's a restaurant in Hollywood called Craigs. >> I think it's in Melrose or one of those
01:31:16
areas. And um I was at a Mexican place over the road and there was suddenly all this paparazzi there and and I was like
01:31:21
joking, oh it's probably the Kardashians. And then next thing you know, without a word of a lie, no, it
01:31:26
was um like Christina, >> Kim, Courtney. It was the whole lot of them. It's like you guys are literally
01:31:32
going to a place where you know the paparazzi's hanging out. >> Well, that's what they do. Yes. They tip
01:31:37
them off. But um No. Yeah. So Tom actually has a had a bar in West Hollywood and we went there. But it was
01:31:42
quite it's funny looking back now cuz no one knew, you know. So >> yeah,
01:31:47
>> that was under wraps. >> And at the beginning of the this podcast, we talked about um Jack
01:31:50
Sturrup, the the the guy that's got the the the tattoo of you on his arm. I've
01:31:54
got a quote from you about him. Uh he was I'm not sure where I got this from.
01:31:59
maybe another podcast. He was that one really deep love. I don't know if I if
01:32:03
if if we could ever be together again. I have so much love for that kid and like
01:32:07
he is such a big part of my life and he'll always be in my heart. >> 100%. Yeah.
01:32:12
>> Still feel that way. Um >> why aren't you together? >> He drives me up the [ __ ] wall.
01:32:19
No, like we have such a I think when we we were so young when we met and it was one of those like crazy loves when you
01:32:26
fall you fall so hard and I literally am so thankful for that. Like I learned so
01:32:31
much from that relationship. Like I literally love this man like so much. Um >> he still got the tattoo. He still loves
01:32:39
you so much. >> Yeah, we we honestly and this is the thing we have like such a beautiful
01:32:42
relationship. We don't talk often, but like you know, we were on the phone like
01:32:48
I think like the day before all this [ __ ] happened in Dubai. Uh, and we still just joke and get along, but like um I
01:32:55
think we're just really happy for each. I think it's just like one of those
01:32:57
things. I'll always love him for sure, but I could never like the love's
01:33:01
changed in a way. >> It's evolved. >> Yeah. And I just don't I think I know
01:33:07
what I want a relationship in terms of you don't just need love, you need a lot
01:33:12
of other elements to make it work. Whereas we really had love and that's really all we had.
01:33:17
>> Are you seeing anyone at the moment or are you just quite happy being? >> Oh my god, my love life is a shambles.
01:33:21
Like it's not like this is the most single I think I've ever been. Like >> are you okay on your own?
01:33:27
>> I am. I am. I think that's the problem. I think I'm so okay on my own that now
01:33:33
the thought of letting someone in like kind of stresses me out a bit. >> Um,
01:33:38
>> you got to be careful that you just don't get set in your ways and then
01:33:41
you're unable to let anyone in. >> Well, this is I think right now I think
01:33:45
obviously there's been a lot going on just with my family and what's going on
01:33:48
with the world. Um, like I haven't really like I'm not even talking to anyone. I accidentally went on a date
01:33:53
with a 22year-old. I didn't know he was 22. Nothing happened. But like >> how old are you? 34.
01:34:01
>> That's Is that okay or not? Really? Is that a bit younger than what you'd like?
01:34:04
>> He's a bit younger than what I'd like. But he was funny. You know what? He was
01:34:07
very charming. And I didn't know he was 22 and we went out for a couple of drinks. That was it. And it was super
01:34:14
funny. But now like he'll just send me like the odd meme and it's just about
01:34:19
like an old lady and like a young man. So it's quite funny. And like but otherwise like I genuinely I think the
01:34:26
last time I hooked up with someone was like January and I just there's like no
01:34:30
one on the radar. >> I need to change that. >> No, I think that's that's fine. There's
01:34:35
no one wants to be lonely but there's there's nothing wrong with being alone.
01:34:38
I think there's a difference between being alone and being lonely. And if you're quite comfortable being on your
01:34:41
own, I think that's a good space to be playing in. >> I think I'm just so I've just done it
01:34:45
for so long now. So, I think look, I'm all for like having fun and dating if it
01:34:51
if it feels right. Um, but I also like I don't just go out and date anybody, you
01:34:57
know? Like it has to be worth my time cuz like I just can't be [ __ ] with [ __ ] anymore, you know?
01:35:02
>> Uh, and I also like if I'm going to be with someone, you need to add value to
01:35:06
my life and I want to add value to yours. And that's not like a financial or superficial thing. That's like how
01:35:11
are you, you know, like bettering me and how am I bettering you in a way? >> I haven't found that yet.
01:35:18
>> You you don't have any issues with um like trust issues based around people
01:35:22
dating you for clout or anything like that? >> God, no. I don't put myself that high up
01:35:27
on the bloody pedestal. Maybe I should. No. Uh no, no, no, no. I did actually have
01:35:33
an in uh an incident where this did happen and I got completely fooled. um he was by another yacht crew and yeah he
01:35:44
was very concerned about his image and I think he liked the idea that I had a platform and all this stuff and he kind
01:35:50
of expressed me then he wanted to be on below deck and I'd found out I went on
01:35:53
my rotation and he went around the boat talking about how Katiey's going to get
01:35:56
me on below deck I'm going to be on below deck and then um that wasn't the
01:36:00
case cuz I I can't I don't have the power that's not up to me I can introduce you to casting sure I know who
01:36:06
the casting agents are but at the end of the give you an email. >> All I can do is literally connect the
01:36:11
dots and then what happens after that I don't have a lot of them will ask me
01:36:15
okay what's this person like and I'll say oh they'll see it's a mutual friend
01:36:18
>> sure but other than that so that was like a really weird situation and I
01:36:23
think once I learned how concerned he was about his image um that's when I was
01:36:28
like this isn't going to work cuz I'm not that concerned about my >> Yeah it's funny it's like it's very
01:36:32
different levels but it's like we were talking before about some of the billionaires that you worked for and
01:36:36
that the the tag tag is on >> you at that level you'd be skeptical about you know what people's intentions
01:36:42
are and who you can trust and who's genuine >> and this kind of goes back to what we
01:36:46
were saying before when you said like do you think you can buy happiness or do you think being that like has that
01:36:53
changed my perception and those instances like I had a charter guest once where he was super lovely he was
01:36:59
the primary so he was paying for everything and there was like this big argument going on at the dinner table he
01:37:04
walked off in a storm and I caught him um walking down like the corridor. So, I just stopped and I said, "Are you okay?
01:37:10
Can I get you something to drink?" He goes, "Yes, can you bring me a drink?" I
01:37:12
brought him a drink into his cabin and he asked me, he goes, "Katie, can I ask
01:37:17
you something?" And you're kind of like, "Oh, God." You know, when you get
01:37:20
cornered with these guests and you're like, "Okay, what's coming?" And he
01:37:23
said, "Do you think these people are my true friends?" And I said, "Did do you
01:37:28
want my honest answer or would you like my professional answer?" And he goes,
01:37:31
"Give me your honest answer." And it's the same thing I said to you. I said,
01:37:34
>> "I don't know them like you know them from what I'm seeing. I can make an a
01:37:38
judgment based on what I'm seeing. And what I'm seeing is obviously not that
01:37:41
positive right now. But all I'm going to ask you is if you went bankrupt tomorrow, who out of this entourage
01:37:49
would be there consoling you, offering a couch to sleep on, a room to, you know,
01:37:55
because I can guarantee your who's paying for the jets? He is. The yachts, the jets, the parties, the the beach
01:38:00
clubs. And you know these beach clubs in Europe, they'll spend minimum like 15 to
01:38:03
20 to30,000 per lunch. and this is multiple day, you know. So, and he just said thank you to me.
01:38:11
>> So, that was it. But I was like, who in the right mind do I think I am telling a
01:38:14
[ __ ] >> Yeah. Well, if they ask >> Well, that was it. That's why I said I
01:38:18
was like, I'm going to give you you can give me I can give you a really like
01:38:21
polite basic [ __ ] answer, but if you want Yeah. my honest opinion, my opinion is no,
01:38:26
>> I don't think. >> So, you've had all these cool experiences. You've seen and done all
01:38:30
these cool things. When when are you when are you your happiest though and or most relaxed? When do you feel the most
01:38:35
authentically yourself? >> When I'm in New Zealand. >> Yeah. >> Or like
01:38:39
>> at at the family home. When you've got your shoes off. >> When I'm around. Yeah. Like rugged ass,
01:38:44
no makeup, no shoes, doing like out on the water. Like this summer we're out on
01:38:49
my friends boats a lot. Like that to me like [ __ ] fuels my soul. >> Um, sure. Being on a [ __ ] yacht off
01:38:57
the coast of bloody Italy or whatever is amazing. >> Um, >> it's an illusion though, isn't it? It's
01:39:03
not real. >> Yeah. And I And like look, I've had a lot of amazing experiences in my life
01:39:07
and I still am so thankful and I still enjoy these incredible things, >> but I think it doesn't it's not me to my
01:39:15
core, you know, like I I will enjoy the ride. I'm very thankful to enjoy this
01:39:19
ride and I will I still want to enjoy it. >> But yeah, I think here or when I travel
01:39:26
to a new country and there's something I think when people have been traveling
01:39:29
for so long, you go to certain places, you just feel connected. That's a really
01:39:32
powerful feeling, too. >> But that's just Yeah. >> What does a good life look like for you
01:39:38
right now? What is that? >> A good life for me, my ideal life, I definitely have to be split country. So,
01:39:45
it's kind of the irony that I'm forced back here now. Um, I kind of said at the start of the like
01:39:52
I want to start doing more of like a 50/50 split between New Zealand and right now it's Dubai, but I don't know
01:39:59
if it'll always be Dubai. always want a foot in the door at Dubai just because
01:40:02
of like the financial, the way I'm set up there, taxfree, all that stuff is really beneficial for my future.
01:40:08
>> Also, it's so easy to get anywhere cuz it's like a a transit hub.
01:40:12
>> Exactly. >> Um, so ideally, yeah, sort of like a 50/50 now. I mean, if I had kids in the mix,
01:40:20
I'm sure that would change cuz that, you know, you need a bit more structure, but
01:40:24
definitely New Zealand as a base and somewhere else. >> You want kids? >> I do want kids. Yeah.
01:40:30
>> So, I probably should start dating. But, >> have you um you can tell me to [ __ ] off
01:40:34
with this one, but have you frozen eggs or anything like >> No, but I am thinking about it. The only
01:40:39
thing that really scares me about that is the hormones. I'm [ __ ] terrible on
01:40:44
hormones. I haven't been on hormones since I was about 21, 22 cuz I was like
01:40:50
depressed. I couldn't leave the house. Like, it really messed me up. But then I
01:40:54
have to think about, you know, I think that's just like a terrifying thing. >> Yeah. Um, but it is something I really
01:41:01
need to consider quickly because if I'm not >> You're not getting any younger. But it's
01:41:05
it's terrible that at 34 and you're still very young on the big schemes of
01:41:09
of things in terms of life, you're still very young. But in in fertility circles,
01:41:12
I think 34 is considered geriatric. >> It is. Someone said that to me the other
01:41:17
day and I was like, girl, >> it's so offensive. E, >> I know, but it's true. And it's I think
01:41:23
it's hard because I'm also like I know I want kids, but I am ne I'm not one of
01:41:30
these girls that just because if say I get to 36 and I haven't found somebody
01:41:35
that I'm just going to get pregnant to [ __ ] >> Joe over here, you know, like I want to
01:41:42
create a family with someone, which I think is very different as opposed to just having kids. If it doesn't work out
01:41:46
for me that way, then that is what it is. And I think when you get further down that track, there are options, you
01:41:52
know. So, >> are you going to be to have a jetet lifestyle with kids? >> Well, no. That's why I said when kids
01:41:58
come into I'll reevaluate my life then, but right now I don't need to. So,
01:42:02
>> I mean, yeah. Yeah. I mean, you can make it work. I guess doesn't have to be the
01:42:06
handbreak that everyone says it is. >> I think in this day and age it's a lot
01:42:09
different. I think while they're younger, maybe I think it's when you start getting to like the school ages is
01:42:14
obviously it will be a lot more affected. Um I don't I'm such I think I'm quite
01:42:21
whimsical. What a what a word. Whimsical in the way it comes to my life. Like I'm
01:42:26
very okay with the way things happen. Um >> and what's meant for me will be for me
01:42:32
and I do have to remind myself that and so yeah I don't know. >> Yeah. What would you say your best and
01:42:38
worst habits are? >> My best and worst habits I'm a procrastinator. I will procrastinate,
01:42:45
but that kind of is the contradictory because I know I will get [ __ ] done when
01:42:49
I need to. If I have a long timeline, I'm not good at that. I think as well,
01:42:55
for the last 10 years, I've been on this constant like just thing. So now when I
01:43:00
have time to do [ __ ] I won't do it until the last minute. But I get it I get it done. That's just like I will
01:43:06
always get everything done. It's just so yeah, I think I I can be I can procrastinate a lot. But it will get
01:43:14
done. >> What about um big What are you most afraid of? >> What am I most afraid of? Not being
01:43:21
happy. >> And like I know that's like such a [ __ ] like [ __ ] answer, but in
01:43:27
terms of I mean obviously through life like I'm going through a bit of a lull right now.
01:43:32
We have moments but I think in a scheme of things Yeah. like not being happy or content I think with my life
01:43:41
>> which I am. Um >> but that comes I don't know it's like yeah just moments in life.
01:43:47
>> Oh like for for me I I find um yeah mindfulness helps like you got to sometimes you have to remind yourself to
01:43:52
be happy. >> Gratitude right being grateful. I trust me right now I can tell you every single
01:43:57
day I have to remind myself because like I said I'm feeling you know the wrath of
01:44:03
the things that I've gone through recently but then it's like okay but it
01:44:07
could be worse like you're not the only one going through this and I think there
01:44:10
is a comfort >> and when you don't feel alone cuz like this is where I love and hate social
01:44:15
media because you can go online it can be very overwhelming but then when someone talks about something and you
01:44:20
really relate to you feel seen you feel heard and you're like okay it's not that
01:44:23
bad you know. Yeah. >> So, >> yeah. Yeah. Sometimes like if I get too
01:44:28
much in my own head space, I can miss things like a like a gorgeous sunrise when I'm out running or you the smell of
01:44:33
that smell of rain on foot paths. >> Oh my god, I crave that. >> But if you, you know, um there's good
01:44:40
stuff happening all the time, that gratitude piece. So, yeah, sometimes you need to um you can't just wait to be
01:44:45
happy. You need to sort of look out for it. >> Oh, it's you've got to make a conscious
01:44:49
effort. It's been conscious, right? So, you have to make a conscious effort as
01:44:52
[ __ ] up as that sounds. And then over eventually over time it should happen a bit more naturally.
01:44:59
>> Do you have any regrets >> apart from being weak? From being weak
01:45:04
and uh below deck med. >> Do I have any regrets? >> I think I don't really know because everything
01:45:19
has worked out the way it's meant to be. M >> there's not one thing that comes to mind
01:45:23
really. Um I mean sure there's things there's like regrets with my parent or
01:45:29
like fights I've had with my mom that I regret or I wish I didn't say that thing
01:45:33
like >> really. But you're good now though, right? >> Oh yeah. No, that's what I mean. There's
01:45:37
no big thing in my life that I regret. I feel like >> all those [ __ ] up times or hard times
01:45:43
has actually pushed me onto a better path. M >> um so no >> it all then those things like the
01:45:50
whatever that argument what what was it by the way the argument with your mom how old were you? Oh, just when you're
01:45:55
younger, you know, and just like >> you're still you're still holding guilt
01:45:57
about it. >> I think cuz like my mom's such a like giving. She's like the rock of our
01:46:02
family and I think right now it was I was just thinking about it earlier today cuz what she she's dealing with a lot of
01:46:08
stuff and >> I could see her struggling. So then I was like [ __ ] like and I think as you
01:46:13
get older you have a better understanding of parenting and what our parents actually did. When you're
01:46:17
younger, you don't understand the sacrifices and everything. And you know, also, a lot of my friends are all having
01:46:22
kids now, and I see, you know, what they're going through and their day-to-day struggles. You just have a
01:46:26
better understanding. So, you're like, I didn't have to be such a little [ __ ]
01:46:29
you know? >> Was it a one-off or was it just a period of time in your life? You need to
01:46:34
forgive yourself for whatever this is. >> Oh, it's No, I I do. I do. I do. But I
01:46:39
think those are like the things I think, you know, like your mom's your mom, you
01:46:43
know. >> Yeah. >> They do a lot for us. But as long as you can stuff up like that, but as long as
01:46:48
you learn from it and you do better next time. >> 100%. >> It's part of life.
01:46:52
>> Are you proud of yourself? >> I am. >> Yeah, I am. >> I think it's funny. When you're younger,
01:46:59
you think at this age you'll be in a lot different situation, but I'm glad I'm
01:47:03
not. Like, like I said, I'm so content with how my life is planned out and what
01:47:09
is coming for me. I think a lot of females at my age feel that society societal pressure. I really don't feel
01:47:16
that. I mean in hindsight like there's bit of times it's like oh I wish I wish
01:47:21
and like times like now where I'm kind of forced out of well I'm not forced out
01:47:24
of Dubai but like there's a lot going on where I've chosen to set my life up for
01:47:28
now you know you're a bit like oh you kind of like look back at those decisions but um no I'm super proud of
01:47:36
myself. I think I've accomplished a lot and I think I still have a lot more to
01:47:40
accomplish and I'm okay with what's happened. >> Yeah. Well, this has been a fun podcast today.
01:47:47
>> It's been really good. Lots of cool stories. >> Yeah. >> How's it been for you?
01:47:50
>> Good. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> You're driving back up north after this.
01:47:55
We're in We're in central Oakland. So, you're driving back to >> No, I'm actually going to I'm going to
01:48:00
My friend has a bar on Ponby Road. So, I'll probably go see him, have a drink
01:48:04
there, and then >> go back up to Omaha. >> So, not far. So on the drive back to
01:48:09
Omaha, will you be like ruminating over the things you've said on the podcast
01:48:12
and have like a vulnerability? >> This is where reality TV really like you
01:48:17
just you just don't care, you know? Like if I said something, I'm like, "Oh [ __ ]
01:48:21
probably shouldn't say that." But look, it is what it is. So I I don't dwell on
01:48:25
those things anymore. I used to for sure, but now like >> someone's always going to hate,
01:48:30
>> you know? And I've always said to people, if you don't have haters, like
01:48:35
the minute you have haters means you're doing something right. Yeah. >> You know, if you're not getting if
01:48:39
someone's not talking bad about you, if someone's not you're not doing something
01:48:42
right, you know. >> Yeah. I I say if you if you don't want um haters or you don't want to offend
01:48:48
anyone, you can do it. Just don't do anything or don't say anything. >> Exactly. No way to live your life.
01:48:53
>> Exactly. >> Hey, this has been great. You're a real breath of fresh air
01:48:57
>> and I've really enjoyed it and I'm so pleased we finally connected and I can't
01:49:00
wait to see what you do or don't do next. >> Did I? >> It doesn't matter as long as you're
01:49:05
happy. >> Exactly. Exactly. Thank you for having me. >> Thanks, Katie. Flood.
01:49:09
>> Cool.
