In recent years, actress and host Drew Barrymore has focused solely on her talk show, The Drew Barrymore Show. She’s become known for getting close to her guests, maybe too close.
In a recent episode, she told Wicked’s Cynthia Erivo that people “warn” her from being too physically intimate with her guests.
Barrymore is often touchy with her guests
The talk show host has become known for being too physically intimate with her guests. She holds their hands and sits next to them on the couch while they share their stories.
“I’m so touchy!” she told Cynthia Erivo on her December 10 episode.
People have warned her about the intimacy
Barrymore continued her confession to Erivo, “People have to warn me. They’re like, ‘Back off a little bit.’ I’m like, ‘Why?’”
The Wicked star told Barrymore that she has no issue with the host’s love for being physically close to guests, and she appeared not to mind holding hands.
Erivo expressed her welcomeness
The Tony winner laughed, saying, “I’m the welcoming Capricorn. It’s like ‘I love you. You can touch.’”
Erivo has actually become more known for her physical connection with Ariana Grande in the recent days of promoting their musical Wicked.
Erivo and Grande were holding hands during promos
The two singer-actresses have been holding hands or walking with their arms around each other during their promotions.
“If [we’re] not connected, I’m like, ‘What’s wrong? What’s happening? Where are you?’ You know what I mean?” Erivo told Barrymore. “We walk hand-in-hand very often. Like, if we’re not walking hand-in-hand, we’ll find each other somewhere.”
Barrymore agreed with Erivo’s sentiment
The host responded, noting her relationship status as part of why she enjoys physical intimacy.
“That’s how I want life to be. Because physical connection… I’m single. I’m not dating anyone. I don’t have that in my life, but I don’t know how I would ever hold back from holding hands, hugging, snuggling,” she said.
The two delved deeper into the topic of intimacy
Barrymore and Erivo started delving deeper into why people have such divisive opinions on physical intimacy.
“I think we get a bit afraid of physical connection,” Erivo suggested, “I think we assume that physical connection can only be romantic.”
Erivo expressed that intimacy is needed in friendships
“Sometimes you can’t say anything and you’re in a room and…it’s just a squeeze of the hand,” Erivo said, sharing that the physical connection between friends is sometimes all the comfort you need.
The Harriet actress finds physical intimacy with friends to ease anxiety.
Communication is special between Erivo and Grande
“And that’s sometimes how [Ariana] and I communicate, we might be talking to someone, or I might need to communicate something to her and it’s just a squeeze of the hand or just a pinch of a finger or a hug,” Erivo expressed.
Barrymore agreed with the actress’s sentiment
The talk show host found Erivo’s sentiment about communication heartwarming, saying, “I think if we could all be more comfortable with physical touch, I would like that world.”
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The duo bonded over their love for platonic physical intimacy, with Barrymore sitting next to Erivo on the guest couch during the show.
Erivo isn’t the first to defend Barrymore’s intimacy
The musical star isn’t the only one to support the talk show host’s tendency towards physical intimacy.
When on the Drew Barrymore Show, Oprah Winfrey said she was “not uncomfortable at all” with the host’s intimacy, “I was actually comforted by the stroking of the arm.”