Even Oprah, the bonafide queen of TV, needs some comforting now and then ... she says she was totally down for Drew Barrymore's caressing, even if some fans were cringing.
We got O Tuesday morning as she headed into the Empire State Building, and she told us she enjoyed the personal touch she got on "The Drew Barrymore Show" ... saying it actually provided her some solace.
In fact, you could say Drew put the pressure on Stedman Graham -- Oprah told us she's now demanding the same arm-stroking treatment from her longtime partner!
Oprah adds she thought it was endearing, and loved Drew for always being herself.
While she didn't mind Drew being all over her ... it was too much to handle for some viewers who criticized the host for creepily invading Oprah's personal space by propping her hand under her chin and holding it there.
Getting up close and personal is clearly Drew's thing ... with many of her interviews going viral because of the same thing -- so she's, quite literally, not letting go of it anytime soon.