MAFS: How The Afterparty Showed That Olajuwon Was Impatient With Alyssa
Olajuwon Dickerson returned to Married at First Sight: The Afterparty, where he made it clear that he was losing patience with Alyssa Ellman’s explanations. Olajuwon was one of the most excited grooms on the show. On the other hand, Alyssa’s reaction to her new husband Chris Collette was lackluster, to say the least. Meanwhile, Mark Maher and Keshia Knight Pulliam attempted to be neutral parties as Alyssa's tension levels rose with each question.
Since she met Chris, no part of Married at First Sight seemed to be up Alyssa’s alley. She looked visibly uncomfortable as she walked down the aisle, and when it came to the vows, she kept her distance from Chris. Things got even worse as she avoided Chris throughout the evening, and learned from his friend group that he can be a tad condescending at times. MAFS fans think producers set Alyssa and Chris up for disaster. Alyssa latched onto this criticism (and some of Chris’s commentary), which explained her cold demeanor. After throwing a fit with producers, she requested that she and Chris sleep in separate hotel rooms. Last week’s MAFS: Afterparty was Alyssa’s first, and she wasn’t ready to answer Keshia’s questions wholeheartedly.
Olajuwon was quick to question why Alyssa didn’t even give Chris a chance to open up with her in a more intimate setting. In comparison to Alyssa, Olajuwon opened up to Keshia about his playboy tendencies and his willingness to be vulnerable with Katina Goode. Keshia pointed out that Alyssa only gave vague responses to Chris when he asked what the problem was, and continued to provide superficial answers to her at that moment. The one thing Olajuwon and Alyssa could agree on was that Lindsey Georgoulis was way crazier than her. MAFS's Alyssa is still getting the villain edit for now. While Mark was stoic, Olajuwon’s raised eyebrows, pursed lips, and shifty body language said he wasn’t buying what Alyssa was selling. Meanwhile, Alyssa’s body language was very guarded, with crossed legs and clasped hands. Keshia questioned why Alyssa would join the show if she wasn’t willing to be vulnerable about the pros and cons on camera.
After growing upset and highly defensive, Alyssa ended up walking out, to Keshia’s surprise. Olajuwon and Mark then shared their opinions when Keshia asked for their takes. Olajuwon said, “straight up, this is all bulls**t. I think she got married. She wasn’t attracted to him. The fact that you had his friends, his corny a** friends come over and say some corny s**t to you, you indulged in it because it was a leeway to get out.” MAFS producers might prioritize drama over love. Everything Olajuwon is saying rings true, as experts and fans alike suspected that Chris would not be Alyssa's cup of tea aesthetically. That being said, Alyssa's reaction makes it seem like he's one of the ugliest men she's ever laid eyes on. In fact, he's a perfectly good-looking man, and more importantly, kind.
Keshia emphasized that she is always looking to lead with empathy and give the participants a platform to explain their feelings. It seems like Olajuwon’s been on two episodes of MAFS: The Afterparty because of his innate ability to be transparent. He knows how to talk and isn’t afraid to share his lived experience authentically. For better or worse, vulnerability is precisely what Married At First Sight asks of participants, and time will tell if Alyssa is willing to put it all out there.
Married at First Sight airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EST on Bravo.