Is Chad Johnson Friends With Ben & Lauren?

Ben Higgins and Lauren Bushnell might be living "Happily Ever After?" (emphasis on the question mark, considering the show is called Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After?), but that doesn't mean they are immune to Chad Johnson and his villainous ways. Mostly because they've invited Chad to be a part of their Freeform show, Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After? As the Bachelorette franchise struck reality gold with Chad Johnson, it's fair to question the motives on bringing him around for this spinoff. Is it possible the trio's get together on Ben and Lauren: Happily Ever After? is all business, aka, solely for entertainment value? Whether or not Chad is friends with Lauren and Ben in real life, tough to say for sure, but, by considering we know about all three parties, it looks like probably not. Shocking, right? Chad "I'm like a manlier, more rugged version of Ben" Johnson doesn't appear to be close to Ben or his wife-to-be, Lauren.

Which does make his appearance on their show even more interesting. Recently, Ben and Lauren sat down with People to talk all things Chad. Higgins divulged, “Chad still is Chad," and Lauren added the bone-chilling tidbit that he still whistles. Picture it: Chad Johnson. With his deli meat. And his devilish grin. Whistling in the woods. Because that's what you'll see when the episode airs — the couple invited chad to a weekend getaway in the woods. “We invited Chad… we just kind of wanted to give him some redemption and I think that’s what the whole episode is about,” Higgins told People “You’ll see Chad in his element once again.”

Considering that Chad's element is Oklahoma, with his lap dog and protein powder, I don't believe that Chad, Lauren, and Ben share the same element. There's no trace of them being close on social media, or hanging together outside of Bachelor functions. When Ben and Lauren were asked if Chad was "misunderstood" Ben did say “We like to think so.” Obviously — if they agreed to let him on their show — the two are friendly. But does that mean they're for sure friends? Not necessarily.

However, that's not to say their budding friendship can't emerge. Maybe we are all wrong about Chad, and maybe Ben's right: Maybe we can chalk all of Chad's antics up to him being "misunderstood." And who knows? Maybe the man standing next to Ben as he exchanges vows with Lauren will be the one, the only, Chad Johnson.

Though I highly, highly doubt it.

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