I hope what you're doing at this moment isn't terribly important, because I'm gonna need you to stop doing it. Something much bigger has happened and it must be tended to: The Bachelor's Alexis Waters and Olivia Caridi met, and I need them to start being best friends immediately. Both women are alums of the franchise, but each comes from a different season — Alexis is from the current season with Nick Viall, where you might know her as She Who Wore A Shark Costume Out Of The Limo And Insisted All Night It Was A Dolphin, and Olivia is from Ben Higgins' season, where she got that sweet, sweet villain edit.
And because their time in the Bachelor mansion didn't overlap, I might never have realized how much these two ladies have in common if Alexis hadn't posted a shot of the two of them together. Apparently they met at a Bachelor screening party at a bar-restaurant called Brother Jimmy's in New York City's Murray Hill, and took to each other right away. Alexis' caption for the photo read:
Had so much fun at the #BachelorViewingParty at @brotherjimmys Monday night 💋🌹 #LovedMeetingThisBeauty #PickleBacksForDays #StillHungover
Just FYI, that sensation you're feeling? It's FOMO. And it's going to get worse once you see this photo.
When two of the biggest and best personalities from the past two seasons of The Bachelor cross paths, you're naturally going to be a little bit invested in their friendship, but in the case of Olivia and Alexis, I am all in. I didn't know how badly I needed it until I saw them wrapped around each other. I'm now realizing how much they have in common, and it has my heart all aflutter.
Although their receptions were quite different, each woman came on to her respective season not caring what the other women thought. Each was confident in herself and what she wanted to do and be, and wasn't interested in the petty drama that so often derails shows like The Bachelor. Olivia was there for Ben, and as much as the other women talked behind her back and criticized everything from her behavior to her appearance, she never stooped to their level and snarked back.
Similarly, Alexis was focused on Nick, but whenever he wasn't around, she was having fun and doing her own thing without worrying how it came off to the rest of the women. Interestingly, it worked out better for Alexis than it did for Olivia; after some brief footage of dirty looks and irritation on the part of her fellow contestants, most of the women decided they wanted to be friends with Shark Girl, and the tone was set for the rest of the season. It makes me wish now that Olivia had been on this current season with Alexis; I wonder if the other women would have accepted Olivia a bit more with someone as independent, secure, and self-aware as Alexis around.
In any case, I'm delighted that the stars have aligned and these two have met, because I bet they have a lot to teach each other. Next step: inviting me to their next hang.
