Drew Barrymore's First Visit On 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson' Will Melt Your Heart

Stephanie Kaloi
·2 min read
6

This video shows that Drew really hasn't changed at all.

Drew Barrymore was already an established actress when she first visited The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson at the seasoned age of 7 years old. Barrymore made her cinematic debut in the uncredited role of Bobbi Graham in 1978's Suddenly, Love, and her beloved blockbuster hit E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial had just been released ahead of her 1982 stop by Johnny Carson's set.

Barrymore is precious in the 16-minute interview, clearly embarrassed at the beginning after she takes a small fall and is helped to her seat by Carson and co-host Ed McMahon. After Carson reassures her that plenty of adults have fallen on his stage, too, Barrymore admits, "It’s probably my shoes because they’re real slippery."

The interview is a sweet glimpse into the life of a little girl who was famous before she was born, and who would endure so much in the public eye. True to form, Barrymore is soon lively and upbeat. When she tells Carson, "I’ve been waiting all my life to meet you and I’m finally on the show. It's a miracle." the sincerity and thoughtfulness that we all associate with Drew Barrymore the adult is on full display.

Related: Drew Barrymore on Playing Journalist With 'Heart and Humor' on Talk Show

Carson is also at his best, immediately letting Barrymore know he feels the same. He tells her, "Well, that’s why I stayed on the show an extra seven years—just so you would show up here."

Barrymore later revisited the moment in a 2022 interview on Late Night With Seth Meyers. After telling Meyers that she "went splat" upon arriving onstage, she added that ultimately, the moment had its purpose. Drew said, "That was a good moment in that it never can get worse than that. You can't like, eat it in your first time out in national television and not go, 'Well, you know what? Only up from here. No fear and embarrassment anymore."

Next, Watch Drew Barrymore's Vintage Rice Krispies Commercial

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