Drew Barrymore joined the viral “We know ball” trend, and it blew up in ways neither she nor her social media team imagined possible.
Like countless other uploads following the trend, Barrymore wrote, “When people talk about growing up together like we don’t know ball,” as the caption. She shared an old image of herself and Cameron Diaz, followed by a more recent snapshot of the “Charlie’s Angels” co-stars. Now, eagle-eyed fans want the entertainer to explain why an offensive caricature of a Black woman was spotted in one of the photos.
The women met as teenagers and have been best friends for over four decades. At first glance, the vignette looked like two pals in a social setting, but a closer inspection of the background soured the otherwise jovial moment of the friends hugging each other.
What onlookers noticed by zooming in was the head of a Black rag doll wearing a red and white kerchief attached to the wall over Barrymore’s shoulder. A TikToker by the name of Lextoxicainc screenshotted the blunder, asking followers if they could “see what’s wrong” and “what is that?”
Her TikTok reached more than 34,000 people. Several of users called out the object in the back. “The Mammy in the background,” wrote one user. The mammy caricature dates back to slavery in the U.S. It was used to mock the appearance of Black women and to reinforce their roles as servants.
There is no context on when or where Barrymore’s photo was taken, nor who the doll belongs to. Still, the fact that it was spotted in an environment where she and Diaz felt comfortable remains an issue.
The talk show host’s team realized that, too. “The fact that she probably filtered her comments cause I’ve only seen one comment asking about it LMAOO,” said one person. The post was ultimately deleted as the discourse grew louder.
“Of course they deleted it because back pedaling and ignoring it is easier for them. No accountability,” an appalled onlooker wrote.
For others, the mammy dredged up hard feelings about Barrymore looking to Kamala Harris as America’s savior during the 2024 presidential race against Donald Trump.
@letoxicainc #drewbarrymore #camerondiaz ♬ original sound – Letoxicainc 👁️🫦👁️
“I’ve been thinking that we all really need a tremendous hug in the world right now. But in our country, we need you to be Mamala of the country,” said the host during their sit-down two years ago.
The former child star faced backlash for her comments then and continues to do so presently. According to a critic of the mammy slip-up, “This makes her ‘Mamala’ comment more…ancestrally disturbing.”
Harris, however, embraced Barrymore, even letting out an awkward chuckle during the exchange. Although others felt uncomfortable with the nickname, the then-VP was unbothered.
Drew just called the vice president of the United States a mammy https://t.co/BUXwKLqyT7
— 👽brittny pierre🪩 (@sleep2dream) April 29, 2024
“It is one of my favorite titles, being Momala… It’s a name the kids gave me, and I wear it proudly,” explained Harris to People in 2023, referring to her husband, Doug Emhoff’s two kids, Ella and Cole.
Still, another TikTok user shared, “I knew something was off about Drew Barrymore.” A fourth person quipped, “Oh I am so here for a Drew Barrymore cancellation.”
Her daytime program, “The Drew Barrymore Show,” was renewed through its sixth season that kicked off in September 2025. A decision regarding a contract extension has not been revealed.
