Actress Drew Barrymore’s interview of Oprah Winfrey went viral on Tuesday after clips circulated of the enthusiastic talk show host stroking Winfrey’s arm and holding their hand as they talked.
During an appearance on “The Drew Barrymore Show,” Winfrey and Barrymore discussed the importance of crowd interaction.
Winfrey, who rose to fame as a daytime talk show host, praised Barrymore for beginning her show without a live studio audience during the COVID-19 pandemic, but Winfrey also said she felt audience interaction was “necessary” and joked her crew would often lament how much time she spent with her fans.
Barrymore agreed that her interactions with the audience were a crucial part of her process and credited Oprah’s success partly to her commitment to engaging with her guests and fans.
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Fans online said a recent viral clip of Drew Barrymore holding onto and caressing Oprah Winfrey was “cringe.” (The Drew Barrymore Show/screenshot)
Both women were sitting on the couch during the discussion when Barrymore grabbed Winfrey’s hand and propped it underneath her chin. Barrymore, a longtime movie star, is known for fawning over celebrity guests on her cheery program.
While the two women held hands, Barrymore repeatedly caressed Winfrey’s arm. Barrymore continued to hold on as Oprah used her hands to speak and even when Winfrey tried to shift position on the couch, and Barrymore reminisced about appearing on Winfrey’s talk show when she was a teenager.
One viral X post showed Winfrey speaking expressively with her hands, yet Barrymore continued to hold on.
Winfrey told TMZ Tuesday that she enjoyed Barrymore’s hands-on approach during the interview and admitted it provided her solace. She added that she thought Barrymore was endearing and said she loved the actress for staying true to herself. Winfrey then joked that she now demands that her longtime partner, Stedman Graham, offer similar stroking sessions.
Despite her approval of Barrymore’s cozy interview approach, fans online were left cringing after watching the clip.
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Drew Barrymore at the TIME100 Gala held at Frederick P. Rose Hall on April 26, 2023 in New York City. (Nina Westervelt/Variety)
“Oprah is clearly like ‘Girl, give me my hand,'” one Instagram user wrote.
Another Instagram account said she loved Barrymore but found the exchange “cringe” and “difficult to watch.”
“You need to dial the touchy-feely neediness back like 10-fold,” the user added.
Over on X, one account said Oprah’s body language “says it all.”
“Drew is holding on too much. Oprah is trying to release her hand from Drew’s grip. Drew is just too creepy and needy,” the user added.
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Barrymore has previously been criticized for her unorthodox interview etiquette.
In March, Barrymore was blasted online for an interview with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney when she knelt on the floor and put her hands on the guest’s leg.
The exchange led to a hug between the two as they continued the segment, kneeling and sitting on the floor.
Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.
