Words like “cringe” are being tossed around with reckless abandon after the circulation of a clip showing Drew Barrymore gripping Oprah’s right hand and caressing her arm.
The clip comes from Oprah’s recent appearance on Barrymore’s daytime talk show, which earlier this year became the subject of widespread criticism after it briefly resumed production despite the then-ongoing writers strike. In the footage, Barrymore and Oprah discuss the importance of establishing and maintaining a strong relationship with one’s in-person audience when putting together a successful daytime production. Barrymore pointed to the influence Oprah’s approach to audience interactions has on her own show, with Opra returning the praise.
“You are the human thought bubble of all the crew here!” Barrymore exclaimed at one point in the interview, which quickly spurred impassioned reactions on Instagram.
“If I were ever a guest in this situation I’d have to have a boundaries discussion backstage,” one viewer said in the comments.
“Not everyone wants to be touched and fondled,” another viewer added.
Elsewhere, the clip was called out as “all too cringey” and “very uncomfortable.”
Despite the public's take on the televised moment, Oprah herself later said she felt "comforted" by Barrymore's affection. Asked if she felt “uncomfortable” during the interview, Oprah confirmed that she felt no such thing.
“Not a bit,” she told a TMZ paparazzo. “I was actually comforted by the stroking of the arm. I went home and told Stedman, 'You gotta stroke my arm. Stedman, I need to be stroked on the arm.' It’s so comforting. No, I was not uncomfortable at all. I’ve never seen her do that but I thought it was endearing."
