It's no secret that Drew Barrymore likes to touch people. Literally. Some seem to take a liking to it and even find it endearing. Others, however, are a dash turned off. In a now viral clip that made the rounds a few months ago, Martha Stewart seemed to have fallen into the latter category.
Access Hollywood was one of many outlets covering the story after Martha gently pushed the host away in response to Drew feeling her arms. In a clip from the show shared on NBC.com, Drew gets extremely close (in her trademark way) and asks, "What makes you soft and gooey though?" Martha answers, "Soft and gooey treatment." Drew then begins petting her sweater, and what seems to be a visibly uncomfortable Martha responds, "You're the wrong gender," as she nudges Drew back onto the couch.
The Hollywood Reporter shares that Drew, however, went on Watch What Happens Live and insisted, "The internet just misunderstood the moment and ran with it." THR further explains that Drew simply gets overcome with connection. "'I can’t control it,' she said when explaining why she tends to get so close to guests. When Barrymore was asked if any of her guests have had bad breath, she confirmed that no one had yet. 'And I’m like pupil to pupil!' she quipped."
Drew is very much aware that her "physical touch" love language is sometimes the talk of the town. Recently, even Duchess Meghan Markle made an appearance on the show and jokingly referred to Drew's touchy-feely propensity to caress guests. "I hear you like to connect."
Drew completely owns it: "I feel like once I’m with someone, I mean, I like to connect. I might, you know, octopus." She further explains, "I'm such a warm person, and I love affection. How do you feel about that?"
Meghan is totally receptive. "I just think it's really important. We've missed human connection, certainly after the pandemic. We crave that. We crave being able to go, 'Hi, my friend, are you here?' And really be able to hold, touch, and embrace someone."
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In typical, vulnerable Drew Barrymore fashion, she's willing to go deep on the subject. In another interview with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo, she gets right in there, asking if Ariana Grande is as touchy as she is. Cynthia says the two "walk hand-in-hand very often."
Again, Drew is self-aware. "People have to warn me. They're like, 'Back off a little bit.'" But she explains, "You know, I'm single, I'm not dating anyone, I don't have that in my life. But I don't know how I'd ever hold back from holding hands, hugging, snuggling."
And while some on the internet continue to mock her, Cynthia affirms Drew's feelings. "I think we get a bit afraid of physical connection. I think we assume physical connection can only be romantic."
Drew feels seen. "Yes, that's my point! You're saying it so much better than I did. If we could all be more comfortable with physical touch, I would like that world."
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A family makes heart shapes with their hands at sunset
Ketel Marte was brought to tears during an MLB game after facing a shameful fan taunt.
Baseball manager's poignant support for a player brought to tears after shameful fan taunt
Whether they’re expecting perfection from their favorite players or, worse, behaving callously toward opposing teams, sports fans often forget that athletes are human beings. But athletic competition has the ability to unify and uplift, even amid such painful and unpleasant encounters. Take, for example, a major-league baseball game held June 24, 2025 between the home team Chicago White Sox and visiting Arizona Diamondbacks.
A shameful low point occurred when Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte was at bat in the seventh inning. Per ESPN, a fan reportedly yelled out a comment regarding Marte’s late mother, Elpidia Valdez, who died in a 2017 car accident in the Dominican Republic. Team personnel, including manager Torey Lovullo, then requested the 22-year-old fan be ejected. (Though he was remorseful and admitted his actions were inappropriate, according to an ESPN source, he was nonetheless banned indefinitely from all MLB ballparks.) "We commend the White Sox for taking immediate action in removing the fan," the MLB said in a statement. Marte reportedly declined to comment.
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While the fan’s behavior is inexcusable, it did spark a powerful and inspiring moment. After hearing the comment, Marte was visibly upset, prompting Lovullo to walk on the field, put his arm around him, and offer some words of encouragement. "[I said,] 'I love you, and I’m with you, and we’re all together, and you’re not alone,'" Lovullo said in a post-game interview, as documented by The Rich Eisen Show. "'No matter what happens, no matter what was said or what you’re heard, that guy is an idiot.’"
According to Arizona Republic, Lovullo heard the fan’s comment but didn’t want to repeat it. “I looked right at [Marte] when I heard,” he said. “I looked right at him, and he looked at the person, as well. He put his head down and I could tell it had an immediate impact on him, for sure."
Elsewhere in the post-game interview, the manager called the moment "terrible" and reflected on why he stood up for Marte. "Fans are nasty, and fans go too far sometimes," he said. "I love my players, and I’m gonna protect them…I’ve known Ketel for nine years. He’s had some unbelievably great moments and some hardships as well and some really tough moments in his life. I know those. At the end of the day, we’re human beings, and we have emotions. I saw him hurting, and I wanted to protect him."
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The following day, the Chicago White Sox X account sent out a message in support of Marte, writing, "We’re with you" and "Baseball is family." On The Rich Eisen Show, the show's host addressed the need to eradicate this kind of toxic athlete-fan interaction: "I was hearing [people saying], 'There’s no place for this in major league baseball.' There isn’t. There’s no place for this in our society. I understand that people are saying the MLB has got to do something about this. Fans have a right to heckle players—this is something that has happened forever…But there is a line."
In another recent, depressing sports moment with a beautiful coda, let’s look to Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder. During the first quarter, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton tore his right Achilles tendon—a devastating injury that could potentially sideline him for most of the 2025-2026 season. Following the game, in a lovely display of sportsmanship, Thunder point-guard and league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went to the Pacers locker room to check on his competitor. In a press conference, he said, "You just hate to see it, in sports in general. But in this moment, my heart dropped for him. I can't imagine playing the biggest game of my life and something like that happening. It’s so unfortunate."
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