Drew Barrymore finally reveals why she sits so close to guests on her talk show: "I like to be..."
Actress and podcast host Drew Barrymore once revealed why she sits so awkwardly close to her guests on her talk show 'The Drew Barrymore Show'. During an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the daytime host talked about the success of her show following its renewal for Season 6, mentioning also that she was going to work on maintaining a 'physical distance' on the couch with her guests. Barrymore faced immense backlash on social media as netizens took notice of her physical interactions on the show and dubbed it weird. “I’ll try to practice physical distance, which is not my strong point,” Barrymore told the media outlet at that time.
The 'Charlie's Angels' star shared, “First of all, we’re always going to be big on joy and laughter and feeling good. That was something that I always wanted to do but I never thought we would launch in a pandemic. And trying to lean into the joy and the feel-good comedy at that time was really weird and wacky. Do you know how hard the pandemic was for me? I was alone in a studio by myself. I like to be around people.” Barrymore also offered an apology to guests who may have felt uncomfortable by her touchy nature. “I’m sorry to those people!” she said.
As reported by Page Six, the host faced backlash when she was seen caressing Oprah Winfrey on the show's couch. Viewers noticed that Winfrey tried her best to put a distance. In light of the same, a netizen slammed, “Drew is too overbearing and cringe, and it doesn’t seem genuine the way she fawns all over her guests!!” Another pointed out, "The handhold and the arm being caressed is past my boundary."
However, Winfrey came in support of Barrymore and defended the '50 First Dates' actress' behavior. In a conversation with TMZ, Winfrey stated that she was "actually comforted by the stroking of the arm” and “not uncomfortable at all.” Barrymore also took the backlash lightheartedly, quipping that her interview style is “not everyone’s favorite.”
Barrymore remains dedicated to her show's philosophy of positivity and growth. "I am so into working on myself as a person that I think that’s always gonna be a big part of the show: ‘How do we live a life? How do we thrive and not just survive?’ I love listening to people. I love learning from people. I’m a student. I will never not be a student," she added.
'The Drew Barrymore Show' first premiered on September 14, 2020. Barrymore's talk show consists of different segments including human-interest stories, lifestyle segments, celebrity guests, and other field pieces. The sixth season of the show is expected to air later this year.