Last week, I was fortunate enough to get tickets to The Drew Barrymore Show for an early Thursday morning taping. In all honesty, I had never watched a full episode of her show, for I, like millions of others, fell subject to the takeover of streaming services and left the world of cable TV. Besides short clips on YouTube, I didn’t know what to expect from Barrymore’s show but I had never been to a taping before so I assumed it would be an experience in itself.
This morning show, in particular, has an overarching presence of optimism – a stark contrast to the commonly negative news that fills the media. Barrymore incorporates an array of segments in her show including human-interest stories, positive news, celebrity interviews, and lifestyle segments. There was a real unique beauty to this show, something I was grateful to experience first-hand. While I was not alive to watch Barrymore’s rise to fame, she’s been an ever-present face in the world of Hollywood for me as I’ve grown up. To see her right in front of me, sitting down at a table introducing “Drew’s News” felt surreal and oddly out of place. I was so used to seeing her on the high-quality cameras in million-dollar productions and now here she is smiling and talking to the audience on commercial breaks.
While it may have just been the excitement of a new experience for me, I felt an abundance of positive energy in the studio. It was calm but lively, filled with people basking in the sunny warmth Drew gave off. There was a real rawness to her, something we don’t always see with celebrities. It wasn’t even that she was vulnerable with us, an audience of strangers, she was just being human. She asked for dating advice in between segments, stepping closer to the audience so she could engage in conversation. She danced to music, hugged her crew, and made hearts back at the audience who presented them to her. Toward the end of the show, she began to cry as she expressed her gratitude for her daughters. While it cannot be said about all celebrities in their public appearances, Barrymore was unapologetically authentic in all that she did.
The most heartwarming segment of the show, “Wildflower” – which highlights successes of self-made women- featured a veteran, Donna Pratt who had been injured while deployed in Iraq. It left her with major complications in her feet and ankles, requiring her to live in a wheelchair for two years, and subsequently, a great deal of depression.It wasn’t until she joined the Wounded Warrior Project that she was able to find an appreciation for life. Having experienced a great deal of oppression as a Black woman, both in and out of the military, Pratt had an important story to share. Barrymore’s desire to bring it to light and sincerity toward Pratt was a wonderful addition to the episode.
Despite the fact that many celebrities have a substantial platform, it’s not always used for good. We’ve seen time and time again the ongoing controversy among celebrities in the (sometimes toxic) world of fame. For the reason that I’m not a celebrity and have not lived through their experiences, I will not comment further on this topic. However, I will say how refreshing it is to see someone use their prominence to better the world and bring focus to the accomplishments of those who are often overlooked. It feels like even more of a proud moment for Barrymore considering her dark childhood past and strong recovery. The trajectory of her life is marked by considerable growth that is easily seen, for she has been in the public eye for all stages of life.
Her show is less conventional than any other daytime talk show I’ve ever seen. Viewers are able to follow along with Barrymore as she navigates her life, and we, ours. She’s confident in her mess-ups, even more so in her growth, and a friend to her audience through it all. So, if you want to know if I’d recommend going to The Drew Barrymore Show if you ever have the chance, the answer is a resounding yes.