Monday was Drew Barrymore Day in West Hollywood.
No one knew it unless they watched Monday’s episode of the Drew Barrymore Show talk show where Mayor Lindsey Horvath presented the actress/producer turned syndicated talk show host with a key to the city as well as an official proclamation declaring it Drew Barrymore Day.
Turns out that Feb. 22 is Barrymore’s birthday. The actress who first came to national attention as a child actress in 1982’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” turned 46 on Monday, having been born in 1975.
Turns out also that Barrymore grew up in West Hollywood, living on N. Poinsettia Place during her formative years.
Horvath appeared on the New York-based talk show via a Zoom link, where she greeted Barrymore by saying, “She grew up here. This is her hometown. We hold her dear in our hearts. West Hollywood is so so proud of the success that Drew has had. While many people know us for fabulous gay men, I myself am partial to powerhouse women.”
Barrymore was completely unaware the proclamation and key to the city were coming. The entire episode was put together as a surprise birthday celebration for her. Barrymore’s best friend, Today show host Savanah Guthrie, stepped in to serve as co-host while many guests feted Barrymore.
Former talk show host David Letterman did a surprise in-studio appearance, while actress Cameron Diaz, talk show host Jimmy Fallon and director Steven Spielberg all Zoomed in to offer birthday wishes.
Then at the end of the show, Horvath Zoomed in from her office in WeHo City Hall to offer the key to the city and the proclamation.
The proclamation read, “Whereas Drew Barrymore, who grew up on North Poinsettia Place in West Hollywood, is recognized as a celebrated actress, producer, director, talk show host and entrepreneur, and whereas Miss Barrymore has a special connection to the city of West Hollywood, now therefore be it resolved that the City Council of the City of West Hollywood declare Feb. 22, 2021 Drew Barrymore Day in West Hollywood, California.”
Crying, Barrymore said, “Thank you. I just officially had a heart attack.”
Still crying, Barrymore added, “I’m very grateful. I loved growing up in West Hollywood. It was such an interesting community to grow up in. It was open minded and open hearted and it set me up for success to accept people and care about them and love them for who they were.”
Watch the clip below:
In 1983 we moved across the street from the house Drew lived in on Poinsettia Place. Her old neighbour was still there and spoke of her fondly. His wife had passed so my pre-school daughters and I would visit him and keep him company. A few doors down was yet another Charlie Chapman cottage cluster. The neighbors told us he used to live there, but over the years I kept hearing finding other cottages he supposedly lived in. Finally, here’s a wonderful story that explains how the Charlie Chapman cottage clusters actually came to be: https://www.westhollywoodhistory.org/charlie-chaplins-courtyard-cottages-leave-their-mark-on-west-hollywood/