Drew Barrymore Chokes Mid-Interview With Henry Winkler And Abruptly Leaves Stage

Drew Barrymore had to excuse herself off the stage while interviewing Henry Winkler during Friday’s live TV show. Things escalated when she began choking after sipping from her mug, making her run off abruptly while Winkler tried to defuse the situation with some of the audience.

Drew could not speak and made some signals with her hands before going backstage for help. Aside from the short-lived mishap, the 49-year-old looked good in her striped pants and waistcoat two-piece, which she wore over a beige shirt.

Drew Barrymore abruptly walks out on interview with Henry Winkler

Winkler swung into action immediately, expressing his gratitude to the audience for their presence and improvising a quick Q&A session. Someone was curious about his role as Barry Zuckerkorn in Arrested Development, and Winkler was happy to talk about it as he walked down memory lane.

He recalled how he became a regular by pulling off his first scene with some humor, where he stole some Danish cookies from the table. While he was wrapping up the story, Drew came back to the stage feeling better and sorry about the awkward moment. As she took her seat again, she assured fans that such had never happened before.

Back to work

Winkler thought Drew was being too sorry for choking as he rhetorically asked if she was a human being. They then continued their conversation, looking back on Winkler’s old times as Happy Days’ fan-favorite character, Fonzie, playing Barry, and their first-ever meeting when Drew was only 6. At 78, fans can be sure to see more of Winkler as he holds no plans to retire for now.

Fans praised Winkler for being proactive, which was a refreshing reminder of his improvising abilities. “How he came to Drew’s rescue when she was choking…he’s such an amazing human being in general. Always The Fonz,” someone gushed, while another said watching him takes them back to childhood.