Martha Stewart Pushes Drew Barrymore Away During Interview

An unexpected moment between Martha Stewart and Drew Barrymore left viewers cringing during a recent sit-down on "The Drew Barrymore Show."

The 83-year-old business mogul appeared on Tuesday's episode of Barrymore's talk show, which honored Stewart’s legacy and celebrated her as the “original” influencer.

However, things took an awkward turn after Drew Barrymore, known for her bubbly, hands-on interview style, may have gotten a little too close for comfort with Martha Stewart.

The interaction began innocently enough, with Barrymore leaning in close to Stewart and asking if anything makes the lifestyle icon feel “soft and gooey.” Stewart appeared slightly taken aback by the personal question, pausing thoughtfully.

In a playful but slightly awkward exchange, Barrymore then pressed Stewart on what she meant by “soft and gooey treatment,” leaning in and gently caressing Stewart's arm. “When you’re treated like a lady?” Drew asked, to which Martha simply replied, “It’s nice.”

Barrymore tried to continue, suggesting, “When someone comes in…” but was cut off when Stewart batted her hand away with a laugh, exclaiming, “You’re the wrong gender!”

The talk show host, always quick to joke, leaned back dramatically, acknowledging, “I know, I know.” She added with a laugh, “Although, with the way things are going with men, Martha, I’m not so sure anymore.”

The tension quickly lifted when one of Barrymore's dogs jumped onto the sofa, providing a welcome distraction and a bit of comic relief. The moment wrapped up on a positive note, with the actress warmly praising Stewart for “opening the door for everyone” throughout her life, paying homage to her guest’s legacy.

"As much as we're here to honor you today, I want to thank you also for honoring every person that you've influenced in the world too," she said.

Last December, Barrymore faced criticism for being "clingy, creepy, and cringe" after caressing Oprah Winfrey's arm during an interview. More recently, her close interview style drew comments from viewers who found it "invasive," especially after she sat in close proximity to Austin Butler on the sofa.

In August, Barrymore explained her tendency to sit near her celebrity guests, attributing it to her love of connecting with people. Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, she said, "Well, I'll try to practice physical distance, which is not my strong point."

Recalling her experience during the pandemic, she shared, "You know how hard the pandemic was for me? I was alone in a studio by myself. I like to be around people."

Acknowledging that not everyone appreciates her close style, Barrymore added, "It's not everyone's favorite, but I'm sorry to those people."

Reflecting on the show's tone, she 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."

In her Netflix documentary Martha, released on October 30, the lifestyle icon revealed a surprising personal secret: she had an affair during her marriage to Andy Stewart, something she claims he never knew.

The couple, who were married for almost 30 years after tying the knot in 1961, welcomed their daughter, Alexis, in 1965.

“Young women, listen to my advice, if you’re married and your husband starts to cheat on you, he’s a piece of sh-t,” she said. “Get out of that marriage.”

A producer chimed in, “Didn’t you have an affair early on?” to which Stewart admits, “Yeah, but I don’t think Andy ever knew about that.”

The documentary also covers Stewart's five-month prison sentence in 2004, following her conviction for conspiracy and obstruction of justice linked to a stock sale.

Stewart’s time in federal prison began in 2004, following her conviction on charges related to her sale of shares in ImClone Systems. The charges included conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and making false statements to investigators.

The case centered on Stewart’s sale of roughly 4,000 shares of ImClone stock just before the company announced negative news about one of its drugs, which caused the stock price to drop significantly.

Throughout the trial, the now 83-year-old Stewart maintained her innocence, asserting that her decision to sell was based on a prior agreement with her broker, not insider information. Despite her defense, she was found guilty in March 2004 and was sentenced to five months in federal prison, followed by five months of home confinement and two years of probation.