Olivia Dunne recounts overheard remark in restaurant bathroom

Olivia Dunne says she overheard two women in a restaurant bathroom discussing her, a moment she recounted in a video posted to TikTok last week. The former LSU gymnast, who has built a massive following online, said she was on a date with Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes when she went into the bathroom and heard two women nearby talk about her.

There were two women around her age who were already in the bathroom stalls, Dunne said, and she listened closely as they spoke. “There’s these two girls that are communicating through the stalls and they were saying, ‘Did you see that Livvy Dunne was here? Like, what is she even doing here?’ So, I stop what I’m doing and I’m trying to listen a little closer,” she recounted in the video. “And I kid you not, these girls are like my age, or maybe a little younger, but one of them goes, ‘Like, honestly, I thought she’d be more chopped in real life.’”

“What?! I didn’t even know people used ‘chopped’ in their everyday vocabulary. So, naturally, I chimed in, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, I heard Livvy Dunne’s the worst.’ At this point, they’re like, ‘Really? What do you know?’” Dunne said she came out of the stall soon after and the two women were embarrassed. “I think I heard literal crickets.” But then they asked her for a photo, and she obliged.

Anyway, funny story. The dinner was good. I’m glad I’m not as chopped in real life. The moment, she said, underscored the strange intersections of fame, privacy and sports for a figure who has become a household name beyond the gymnastics mats.

Dunne, who rose to prominence while helping LSU win a national title during her collegiate career, has built a significant presence online. She has more than 8 million followers on TikTok and about 5.4 million on Instagram, making her one of the most recognizable athletes in the social-media era. Her appeal has crossed into mainstream media and fashion as well: she has been featured in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit edition and has walked runways for the magazine’s swimsuit show.

Her visibility this year has extended beyond the gym floor. Dunne has been widely seen at baseball stadiums, often in the stands supporting Paul Skenes as he has begun to establish himself with the Pittsburgh Pirates. The public scenes—sudden on-field moments, multi-platform attention and a growing list of endorsement and media opportunities—reflect a broader trend in how college athletes leverage digital reach to expand their careers, sometimes drawing attention from fans and critics alike.

Dunne’s experiences also spotlight the pressures that accompany stardom in both collegiate and professional sports. While the bathroom encounter was a private moment recounted publicly, it aligns with a broader pattern of athletes navigating the scrutiny that comes with unprecedented social-media access. In interviews and on social media, Dunne has frequently discussed how she manages privacy, authenticity and the balance between her athletic identity and celebrity.

The dynamic is not limited to the playing field. Dunne’s presence has elevated conversations about name, image and likeness in college sports, and her ongoing relationship with Skenes—who has quickly grown into a notable figure in MLB circles—has amplified the attention around her daily life, travels and appearances at various venues. As she continues to expand her brand, the conversation around her experience reflects a changing landscape in which top-tier athletes can cultivate broad audiences while remaining subject to public commentary, both supportive and critical.

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As Dunne maps the next steps in her athletic and media career, fans and observers will watch not only for her competition results but for how she navigates the evolving relationship between sports fame and personal privacy. The incidents described in her TikTok recounting provide a window into the daily realities faced by public figures who straddle the line between elite sport and digital stardom. In the coming months, her appearances at public events and stadiums, along with continued social-media engagement, will likely keep her at the center of conversations about how athletes monetize and manage attention while pursuing peak performance.