Barbra or Momala: Who Had the More Viral Moment of the Week?
After a pop culture dry spell, the rain came pouring down.
We could touch down on the response to Jerry Seinfeld declaring that TV comedy is being hurt by "the extreme left and P.C. crap, and people worrying so much about offending other people,” or Darren Criss stating he’s been "so culturally queer [his] whole life,” or Brian Cox proclaiming the Bible is “one of the worst books ever.” These are three worthy conversations to have… in any other news week that’s not this one.
Instead, we were treated to a one-two punch of push notification-worthy moments; one a sneak attack, the other an oopsy-daisy. Let’s start with the what had happened was…
First up, Drew Barrymore. It’s hard to know where we’ve netted out on Drew as a cultural entity in the wake of her terrible, horrible, no good, very bad week back in September. In the months since, Barrymore, through her own shrewd strategizing or perhaps through our collective diminishing attention span, has been able to move forward from her week-long status as public enemy number one. The strike ended, focus shifted and she returned to what she does best: displaying her “bizarre unhingedness,” as the New Yorker once described it, as she attempts to resurrect the waning art format that is the daytime talkshow interview.
Cut to April 29th, when Vice President Kamala Harris made a rare daytime talk appearance. “We have all women here today in the audience. Thank you ladies!” Barrymore declared to the kind of crowd who you might expect is finding out they’re getting a car shortly thereafter. Barrymore started off by asking the Vice President, “Do you remember that day? What was it like?” about meeting her step-children. Harris’s response set up what would go on to be the viral clip in question. “We don’t use the word ‘step’ ‘cause I love Disney, however, Disney kinda messed that up for a lot of us over the years — y’know, the evil step-parent. Their word for me is Momala.”
Minutes later, Barrymore shifts the conversation by saying she’s been thinking in her head that we all need a mom. “We all need a tremendous hug in the world right now.” Then: “But in our country, we need you to be Momala of the country.”
The audience burst into applause as though Barrymore had announced her return to the Scream franchise.
Harris began a face journey.
Then: “Oh. Yeah. I mean… yeah. No, I know.” [Giggles] I… it’s…”
Oblivious but mercifully, Barrymore interjected to mitigate Harris’s discomfort. As New York Magazine pointed out: “The vice-president nodded respectfully but also might have been holding in a laugh.” There hadn’t been this level of a viral talk show moment in a good minute. I’d say the last one was Gypsy Rose Blanchard on The View when Ana Navarro had to remind Joy Behar that murder is wrong. There’s a “we are so back” energy to the thrill I feel rewatching Harris’s pained expression, wondering what was going on in her head in this moment.
After I, of course, posted a meme of the exchange, many were quick to point out some footnotes: This entire exchange had big Veep energy. Agreed. It also had big Tyra Banks interviews Beyoncé energy. Also agreed. Out of context, the exchange has a variety of meanings. For instance, Momala sounds like a conjugation of the verb "mamar,” meaning "suck it" in Spanish, and is also a Yiddish term of endearment.
Some are calling it “cringe,” others “awkward,” and yes, both of those things are true, but it’s also excellent in adhering to Barrymore’s bizarre unhingedness. There’s Barrymore’s earnestness coalescing with Harris’s discomfort with the added layer of the audience’s applause (akin to the audience applause after Andy Cohen announced Osama bin Laden’s assassination in 2011) that make this moment cook with all the necessary gas. In a talk show landscape that can no longer rely on Wendy Williams or Meghan McCain, we need moments like this.
And then, benevolently, there’s Barbra.