Drew Barrymore Opens up About Being ‘Ghosted’

Contrary to what many might think, celebrities are not safe from many of the same social perils the rest of us endure. That’s never been more clear to actress and talk show host Drew Barrymore after she found herself “ghosted” by a date. Opening up about her dating life to PEOPLE, the Never Been Kissed star first explained that she has gone out a few times but it’s not a huge “priority” at the moment.

“Every once in a while, I think I force myself to put myself out there almost as a box to check,” Barrymore shared. “I am like, oh, let’s not lose sight of this.” Understandably, the busy mom has a lot on her plate — like a TV show, podcast, and multiple businesses — so she doesn’t have excessive time for going on dates. “I’m such a mom and I’m so under the workload and I love being with my friends and I love being alone, so where does [dating] fit in? I struggle with it,” she said. “My kids aren’t old enough and my life isn’t quiet enough.”

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Barrymore eventually revealed that she has faced her fair share of ghosting, which is the word that has come to describe when someone you’re dating stops speaking to you entirely, without warning. “I can’t believe how much ghosting hurts,” she said candidly. “For anyone who’s been ghosted out there and they feel like a brush fire went through their bodies, I totally get it. It is so strange that someone would behave that way.”

She also made it clear that having a famous face in no way makes dating easier for her. “People don’t ask me out a lot. It’s not like I have all these offers or names on my dance card. That’s not the way my life works,” she stated, then adding that she is looking for something more serious than a one-off evening. “I don’t want to meet someone to have sex with them. I’m happy to go on a date and get to know somebody,” she shared. “I’m not in that place anymore that’s just looking to hook up. That doesn’t even make sense to me right now.”

Barrymore added that, still, “every once in a while, I’ll go on a date because it’s a very human, natural thing to do.” She continued, “I feel like it would be unhealthy to cut it out completely, so I’m trying it to just the normal female, single [thing].” Ultimately, she confessed that the bad dates she’s been on are worth the trouble. “I love the stories that come out of it,” she quipped. The Drew Barrymore Show airs weekdays in syndication. Check your local listings for time and channel.