Drew Barrymore set the record straight on an awkward viral moment with Martha Stewart and explained why explained why she sits so close to guests on her talk show.
During an appearance on Watch What Happens Live! with Any Cohen alongside Nathaniel Eugene Burleson on Wednesday, the 49-year-old actress defended her habit of leaning in during conversation.
Barrymore jokingly got too-close for comfort with Burleson who asked the ET actress if she had ever pulled away if a guest had bad-breath during moments of close proximity.
Addressing the quirk, she replied: ‘All I’m thinking about also is “How’s my breath?” Here’s the best news, no one has had bad breath yet and I am like pupil to pupil and nobody has had bad breath.’
She also claimed she ‘can’t control’ the need to dramatically lean in during conversation.
‘I don’t know, I can’t actually control it. Because we got focus groups when [The Drew Barrymore Show] launched and it was not good. It was awful,’ the Miss You Already star said.
Drew Barrymore set the record straight on that awkward viral moment with Martha Stewart and explained why explained why she sits so close to guests on her talk show
On Wednesday, the 49-year-old actress defended her habit of leaning in during conversation
In August of 2024, she publicly admitted she would work on ‘practicing physical distance’ with her guests in 2025 — which Burleson brought up.
When asked if she had implemented her prior correction, she said it’s ‘not [going] good.’
Then, Cohen recalled the cringe-inducing interaction Barrymore had with Martha Stewart that set tongues wagging after she got a up-close and personal with the 83-year-old lifestyle queen during a December episode of The Drew Barrymore Show.
In the now-viral clip, Barrymore is seen leaning towards the cookbook author when mid-conversation Stewart playfully pushed the brunette beauty away from her to create distance.
‘I think she was just teasing,’ she said, recounting the moment. ‘Like Martha, actually, I’ve never been able to say this before with confidence, but I can now. I think Martha really does like me.’
‘I think the internet just misunderstood the moment and ran with it,’ she added. ‘When I first was getting to know her I was like, “I don’t think she likes me.” But I think I broke through … and she doesn’t dislike me.’
The Watch What Happens Live Instagram account also shared a humorous skit of Barrymore playfully asking Cohen personal question while getting intimidatingly closer and closer to the host.
‘You can never get too close!’ the official account captioned the snap.
Barrymore jokingly got too-close for comfort with Burleson who asked the ET actress if she had ever pulled away if a guest had bad-breath during moments of close proximity
Addressing the quirk, she replied: ‘All I’m thinking about also is “How’s my breath?” Here’s the best news, no one has had bad breath yet and I am like pupil to pupil’
She also claimed she ‘can’t control’ the need to dramatically lean in during conversation
In August of 2024, she publicly admitted she would work on ‘practicing physical distance’ with her guests in 2025 — which Burleson brought up
Cohen recalled the cringe-inducing interaction Barrymore had with Martha Stewart that set tongues wagging after she got a up-close and personal with the 83-year-old lifestyle queen
In the now-viral clip, Barrymore is seen leaning towards the cookbook author when mid-conversation Stewart playfully pushed the brunette beauty away
‘I think she was just teasing,’ Barrymore said, recalling the moment
Later in the interview, the Big Miracle star also admitted the ‘craziest’ place she has had sex after previously telling actor Terry Crews she had ‘done the deed in many public places.’
‘I am a member of the mile-high club,’ she said, revealing she has had intercourse mid-flight on a plane.
She also confessed to having had sexual relations in the back of a car.
In December, Barrymore revealed that some of her talk show guests have requested that the Never Been Kissed star ‘back off’ despite her effusive and touchy-feely nature.
‘I’m so touchy,’ she declared during a sit-down with Wicked actress Cynthia Erivo. ‘People have to warn me, they’re like, “Back off a little bit.” And I’m like, “Why?”‘
Confessing her naturally warm personality she shared: ‘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.’
‘I think if we could all be more comfortable with physical touch, I would like that world.’
