Drew Barrymore says she will keep distance from talk show guests amid backlash for being 'touchy-feely'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Drew Barrymore has promised to try to keep her hands to herself after getting heat for being too “touchy-feely” to guests in her eponymous talk show. 

After ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ got the green signal to return for Season 6 and 7 on Thursday, August 22, the 49-year-old TV host admitted that she will try to “practice physical distance” in her show. 

Talking to Entertainment Tonight, the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ star acknowledged the backlash that she received for her warm gestures toward her guests - including holding hands and sitting in close proximity - and said she would try to keep her hands to herself.

Drew Barrymore said she would practice maintaining ‘physical distance’

Over the recent years, Drew Barrymore has received criticism on social media for her overtly warm gestures toward her guests. While some of the fans slammed her for disrespecting her guests’ personal space, some shared that all of her celebrity guests may not be comfortable with the proximity. 

However, now it looks like, the ‘E.T.’ actress understood the grievances and decided to address the same. 

During the interview with Entertainment Tonight, she shared, “I’ll try to practice physical distance, which is not my strong point," per New York Post.

She continued, “Do you know how hard the pandemic was for me?” and recalled, “I was alone in a studio by myself! I like to be around people!”

Nevertheless, she admitted that she has now realized that getting up close and personal was “not everyone’s favorite.”

She also apologized to the guests who might have felt discomfort at her gestures, saying, “I’m sorry to those people!” 

The ‘50 First Dates’ explained, “I think that first of all we’re always gonna be big on joy and laughter and feeling good, and that was something 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 and the comedy at that time was real weird and wacky.”

Her show first started in 2020 and is returning to CBS next month for the fifth season. 

The ‘Never Been Kissed’ actress continued to shed light on her working process while sharing, “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?’”

Barrymore added, “I love listening to people. I love learning from people. I’m a student. I will never not be a student.”

While not directly attributing her “touchy-feely” nature to her inherent desire to make people feel “feel and believe in the good,” Barrymore acknowledged that she wanted people to have a “collective experience.”

She recalled, “Ever since I did ‘E.T.’ as a kid, I was very convinced that people want a collective experience.”

“They want community. They want to watch something and experience something together,” continued the ‘Never Been Kissed’ actress before adding, “And that really hit me; seeing all those lines around the corner, and people coming out of the theater, laughing and crying.”

“We need this. We need the life-affirming. We need to feel and believe in the good. Because it’s there. And I will spend every day finding it. And it’s needed for when it’s not there. And life is the rollercoaster but what a lovely ride,” added the star. 

Barrymore has faced the heat over her affectionate approach with several of her guests including Oprah Winfrey and Jason Momoa in the episodes from the fourth season. 

Fans weigh in on Drew Barrymore's vow to change her 'touchy-feely' attitude

The audience, however, had their opinions to share as they commented online about Drew Barrymore's on-screen behavior. Criticizing her "touchy-feely" behavior, several fans welcomed her plan to curb her enthusiastic behavior. 

One of the fans commented on Facebook, "I love watching her show but sometimes it can be a little uncomfortable watching her be to touchy feely with the guests."

Someone else declared, "It’s very uncomfortable to watch! I’m not really a fan of hers but she’s had a couple guests on I’ve tried watching and I just can’t. If I feel that way watching imagine how her guests feel? Cringe!"

"I rarely see her show because I usually work during the week. But I watched it yesterday when Jason Mamoa was the guest. Yes, it’s Jason Mamoa, but she was so close and kept touching him. It was a bit much. It was uncomfortable. He played along nicely," commented someone else about Barrymore's episode with Jason Momoa from December 2023.

Another fan added, "Good idea. I had to stop watching the show because she's too close and too handsy with the guest."

Someone else chimed in, "Good. I can't watch her. She's too touchy feely and listens like an actress rather than a listener. Seems to think we all need to know everything about her rather than her guests."

"I like her but sometimes she’s just over the top," commented another fan.

A social media user added, "I love her natural self but she should be respectful that many of us have our own comfort boundaries. I think she will make the change."

"Love Drew but I would not be comfortable with all the touchy feely stuff," said another fan.

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