By Hello

Copyright hellomagazine

Before Drew Barrymore became a celebrated talk-show host in 2020 and after she became a child star with the success of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial in 1982, she went through a serious downtime in her life and career. “When I was 14, I got emancipated,” she said when she was inducted into the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame Tuesday, September 30 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in NYC.

“I had just come out of an institution, not to be heavy, like that’s where I was at. I’m like kicking it at my new apartment and I’m like ‘What the [expletive] am I doing?’ I’m scared [expletive], I don’t have a job. I’ve gone from the life that I knew, and they don’t want to have me back for a while, and I need to respect that. I never screwed up at work, but I screwed up in my life, so I’m like ‘how am I going to get this back?'”

Being alone wasn’t the carefree experience in freedom she expected. She said: “I’m so terrified, I could not sleep at night in that apartment.” Technology served as a comfort.

“The thing that kept me feeling safe is my television,” Drew continued. “That goddamn TV is still on today in my kitchen, and I have a sign on it that says ‘Please do not turn off this television.’ It saved me. It made me feel like I was a part of something that other people were a part of at the same time.”

Pal Valerie Bertinelli did the honors of inducting the screen star. “Drew is the epitome of what you see is what you get,” Valerie said. “She is the sweetest, kindest, most interested and least judgmental person I think I’ve ever met. And she wants people to feel seen.”

Drew’s relatability was on display as she was gracious when fans approached her in the ballroom and even in the restroom at the event. It lends well to hosting a talk show. Prior to COVID, honoree Jon Steinlauf, former U.S. chief advertising sales officer of Warner Bros. Discovery, was pitched The Drew Barrymore Show while he was sitting in a massage chair in the locker room after playing a game of tennis.

“Drew’s authentication, her love, how real she is, within five minutes of seeing the tape — I’m like ‘Alright, we’re in.’ Lo and behold, COVID comes, and poor Drew has to do a talk show to an empty stage, and how bad is that when you can’t get the feedback from the audience?”

“It was awkward,” Drew shouts from the audience. “It was a one-year deal, and it was awkward for Drew, but it was great to have fresh content during really trying times,” he said. “Year two came about and I didn’t care what the ratings were.”

“Thank God,” Drew interjected. “Ultimately anybody who could pull this off in the worst time that we’ve faced deserves more time,” he said. “And it takes more time today to have a hit show, and Drew has proven that, so we love Drew.”