Oprah Winfrey is coming to Drew Barrymore’s defense after clips of her touchy-feely interview style have gone viral.
via Page Six:
The legendary talk show host went into defense mode after the actress was slammed by “Drew Barrymore Show” viewers for caressing her guest in Tuesday’s episode.
“I was actually comforted by the stroking of the arm,” Winfrey, 69, told TMZ Wednesday. “I was not uncomfortable at all.”
Despite having “never seen [Barrymore] do that,” the media mogul “thought it was really great.”
She gushed, “Drew is terrific, and I love that she is always herself.”
Winfrey went on to joke that she wishes her longtime partner, Stedman Graham, would follow Barrymore’s example.
“I went home and told Stedman, ‘You’ve gotta stroke my arm,’” she quipped to the outlet. “‘Stedman, I need to be stroked on the arm.’”
Barrymore, 48, and Winfrey shared a couch while speaking about interacting with studio audiences.
The 18-time Daytime Emmy winner wore an all-purple ensemble as the “Never Been Kissed” star held one of her hands and rubbed her arm.
Social media haters blasted the behavior as “cringey,” pointing out that Winfrey appeared to attempt to free herself as adjusting her position.
When Barrymore eventually let go, the “Color Purple” star began gesturing with both hands.
“Oprahs body language was so clear she wanted her hand back,” one Instagram user claimed after watching a preview clip, with another calling the “E.T.” star “overbearing.”
While Barrymore’s rep did not respond to Page Six’s request for comment, the “Charlie’s Angels” star has previously poked fun at her intense interview style.
After a Q&A with Pamela Anderson in April, Barrymore posted a roundup of memes via Instagram joking that she gets eye-to-eye with her guests and climbs into their laps.
Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner, Kate Bosworth and more A-listers praised the “50 First Dates” star in the comments section at the time.
Drew is who she is. At this point people know what they’re going to get when they’re on her couch.
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