Drew Barrymore, who likes to get questionably close to her interviewees, said that her recent sit down with Kamala Harris made her afraid that she would harm the Vice President’s career.
The “E.T.” star admitted to feeling “sick to her stomach” about the possibility of ruining Harris’ political career, after the April interview on the actress’s eponymous show was widely criticized in the media.
Barrymore, 49, and Harris, 59, spoke about the Democrat nominee’s role as a stepmother to husband Doug Emhoff’s two adult children in detail.
Though it was ahead of Biden dropping out of the race, Barrymore’s cringey remark about Harris’ role as “Momala of the country,” was virally mocked.
Drew Barrymore: “We need you to be ‘mamele’ of the country.”
Kamala: “Yeah, I mean, yeah, no, I know.”
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 29, 2024
Barrymore wanted the interview to be more “personal” and was extremely nervous before Harris took the stage.
“I want to take the armor off. This isn’t about discussing issues like that. This is not the place for that,” Barrymore remarked.
She told moderator Nate Burleson at a Monday event at the Paley Center to promote the upcoming season of her show, that her intention was “to disarm.”
“All I kept thinking was, if you do one thing to screw up this woman’s path — and you are the clown to do it — and if you do one thing that makes her look bad, or creates a gaffe, or just does something to…” she trailed off before stating that speaking to famous guests “is such an art.”
“How do you get so personal? I’ve never… that’s the scariest conversation I’ve done in the entire show’s history,” the “Charlie’s Angels” star added.
Barrymore noted that while she was worried about harming Harris’ image, she still wanted the audience to see the politician less official capacity.
“I wanted to see her be fun and disarmed, but I was like, what if I do one thing that’s goofy and she plays along, and I’ve led her down a bad path?” she considered.
“That was making me so sick to my stomach, but I wasn’t going to give up trying to [do it].”
Burleson said that Harris “came to play,” and Barrymore replied that “she really did.”
“It was one of the most ignited, exciting experiences of my life,” she said about their “electric connection.”
“And it was about something she lives every day, which is how to not get it wrong.”
Barrymore’s interview sparked a wave of online criticism, notably from former Fox News host Meghan Kelly, who admonished the talk show host for conducting a “demeaning” interview.
“I feel like Secret Service is probably like “a little farther away, madam.” And the, “Ah!” When [Harris] is like, she’s got her mother’s laugh,” Kelly said on her SiriusXM show.
In her latest episode, Kelly launched into a fiery tirade against A-list actress, Jennifer Aniston, ticking off the numerous ways in which she believes Aniston has betrayed women.
Aniston entered the election discourse by criticizing JD Vance’s comment that “childless cat ladies’ were running the country.”
Kelly accused Aniston of falsely claiming that Vance opposed IVF, then detailed how the “Friends” star has failed to advocate for women’s sports safety and health.
“What has she said about the woman who got her faced punched out by the man in the boxing ring? ZERO.” Kelly stated.
Kelly was talking about Algerian Olympic boxer Imane Khelif, who won a gold medal in the women’s welterweight category in Paris despite widespread controversy over her gender.
Damn Megan Kelly just took a blowtorch to Jennifer Aniston 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KzNVNkjSmY
— Karli Bonne’ 🇺🇸 (@KarluskaP) September 9, 2024
“What has she said about Payton McNabb, who’s suffering permanent nerve damage and brain damage from getting hit in the face and head by that volleyball player in North Carolina? NOTHING,” the radio host continued.
The teenager lost consciousness after a trans player spiked a ball into her face during a game.
Kelly further charged Aniston with another incident, demanding, “What’s she say about that girl who got all of her teeth knocked out in a field hockey game by a boy pretending to be a girl? ZERO.”
She was referencing a 2023 varsity girl’s field hockey game, where a male player inflicted severe facial injuries on a female opponent.
Kelly concluded by blasting Aniston for focusing on what she considers a minor issue compared to the severe experiences of the women she listed.
“So I don’t give a s— what she thinks about JD Vance and childless cat ladies,” Kelly remarked. “She masquerades as some protector of women, she’s quite the contrary.
“She’s never stood up on any of these issues? This is the one she comes out on? You don’t want childless cat ladies to be offended? That’s where you’re gonna’ plant your flag?” the former Fox News host questioned.