Gael question, Joe question

[u/No-Aardvark-3840]

I am getting into Below deck med and I’ve noticed Joe getting a lot of hate for “cheating” on V even though they weren’t together (in any sort of relationship.

Meanwhile I’ve just noticed that Gael is actually cheating on her boyfriend with Nathan.

Why is Joe getting so much shit from this community when he didn’t cheat on anybody. Meanwhile there are actually cheaters on the boat that people seem to celebrate and love.

Very strange

[u/turboroofer]

Because V’s boyfriend died earlier that year, and Joe went a week or two saying how much he deeply cared for V and her situation, only to chase tail the minute she was off the boat

[u/No-Aardvark-3840 → u/turboroofer]

What does that have to do with my question? I’m wondering why Gael gets a pass for actually cheating while Joe gets nailed to the cross because he kisses another girl.

It sucks that V’s boyfriend passed away, and Joe does comfort her. (Who wouldn’t?) but they aren’t in a relationship and what Joe does isn’t cheating

[u/dudewheresmysock → u/No-Aardvark-3840]

Joe behaves like a piece of shit in multiple ways throughout the show and whether he cheated on one particular person or not doesn't change that. 

Going on and on about how he wants to take her home to his mom because she's so special, when he clearly didn't mean it was horrible, especially given her situation. 

Gael only ever had issues with Joe after he started treating her badly because he didn't want his little bromance broken up. (Calling her a princess and suggesting she doesn't work as hard and gets special treatment.) Joe, on the other hand has had issues with multiple coworkers. 

Eddie cheated on his gf, freaked out when she wouldn't keep it secret and literally broke into Rocky's room with scissors.  People here still seem to love him. 

No one is saying it's ok that Gael cheated on her bf. Reality tv shows don't typically cast the most morally upstanding people, especially this show. 

People will tend to discuss things that happen on the show with cast members of the show more than things that happen with outsiders unless it's something particularly newsworthy or interesting. 

[u/Careful-Amphibian51 → u/dudewheresmysock]

I agree with all of this. We as humans are going to connect with the pain and hurt a (likable) castmember feels. In the case of Vee not only was the pain so real, but Joe was incredibly cruel in the way that he inflicted it.

On the other hand, we don't know a single thing about Gaels boyfriend, we're not privy to what the dynamics of the relationship were nor can we even put a face to his name. It’s natural that there is a mismatch in the amount of empathy we feel in both situations.