Drew Barrymore rain: why has TikTok video been accused of racism? Clip explained and reaction online

A TikTok video that Hollywood star Drew Barrymore (Santa Clarita Diet, Charlie’s Angels) posted earlier this year has recently been accused of being racist by one user.

An account by the name of @amushroomblackly has left social media pretty confused after claiming that the video from Barrymore was racist.

The TikTok account, and by extension the video, has been removed from the platform, however her response is still available to watch on the platform through screen recordings, stitches and duets that have been shared.

This is everything you need to know.

What did Drew Barrymore post on TikTok?

Back in July, Barrymore posted a video of herself laughing and openly enjoying a downpour of rain.

Soaking wet, Barrymore takes off her glasses and says: “Whenever you can go out into the rain, do not miss the opportunity!”

At the time, Barrymore and her rain video went viral simply for how wholesome it was.

In the comments of the video on TikTok, one person wrote: “PROTECT THIS WOMAN.”

Another commented: “u r too precious.”

“I love how pure this is! You deserve all the joy!” wrote another.

Who called it racist?

A TikTok account by the name of @amushroomblackly responded to the clip of Barrymore in the rain by implying that it was racist.

She said: “You and I both know that you are capable of enjoying the rain, frolicking freely without filming it and then posting it to TikTok.

“Now you’ve just co-signed at least three million, eight point five by eleven front and back people who just go out of their way to disrespect and dismiss boundaries that Black creators have set. And now you’re one of those people.

“So I guess my question would be, why? Why is it so important to all of you to treat us like we don’t matter?”

Why is it racist?

In a video that has over 16 thousand likes, Harriet Pinero (@elleololol) explained that it appeared that @amushroomblackly was calling out Barrymore for co-opting a trend of “Black creators frolicking in the wilderness”.

She said: “You know I’m the last person to come on this app to openly criticise a Black woman, however I did some investigation and I think what the woman is talking about when she talks about boundaries and racism and cultural appropriation.

“I know it sounds ridiculous. I think there was a trend with Black creators frolicking in the wilderness and nobody kicked up much of a fuss about it, I think it was something that Black creators were doing and that’s that.

“Then Drew Barrymore frolicked in the rain and everybody kicked up a fuss about it and [@amushroomblackly] is basically saying that this was something for Black creators as a means of expressing freedom that the world hasn’t allowed them to express - I guess?

“Because everything they do in the world is like, criticised or villianised or demonised.

“It’s a stretch, personally.”

She added that “we don’t know what stage this person is at in their life that this has triggered them” and that “personally, I wouldn’t have been offended by it”.

Pinero ended the video by saying: “In this case, I don’t think it’s that deep, but it’s not my place to say what’s deep for somebody else.

“This took a lot, my brain is tired from trying to understand what she is saying, I can’t lie. And I do personally think it’s a bit of a stretch, but each to their own I guess.”

Pinero also pinned a comment to the top of her video as well by a viewer which added: “The original trend was Black men frolicking in fields. Enjoying life, not getting shot. It was considered that that specifically was a trend solely for Black men.

“[@amushroomblackly] stretched by trying to paint Drew as one of the many white people that tried to stomp on that trend.”

What has the reaction been like?

A number of people on social media, especially people of colour, have responded to the video from @amushroomblacky to push back against the racism accusation.

On TikTok, one person wrote: “Anybody can enjoy the rain like damn we have been in an awful drought. She needs to chill because this has nothing to do with race [laughing emoji]”

Another person said: “This is just straight up ridiculous. Some people have such victim mentalities that they can see the most wholesome s**t and see issues within it, like those high school English teachers that would interpret way more into a poem than there actually was.”

The conversation continued over on Twitter, with one user writing: “WHY is this random woman calling Drew Barrymore racist? It sounds stupid. Please don’t give the TRUE RACISTS a platform to deny racism even EXISTS because of what seems to be a woman carefree & playing in the rain!!! Can someone, not a hater, explain this woman?”

Another tweeted: “To Drew Barrymore, I’m sorry this Black lady is an idiot. She is the personification of why the more technology becomes advanced, the dumber people become. Now when real racism happens we’re not believed. This dumba*s just sat there and made people who love to hate us right.”

Actress Yvette Nicole Brown (Community, Disenchanted) also wrote: “Just saw why @DrewBarrymore is trending. I believe in fighting racism, but this is NOT that. 1) It is NOT racist for Drew to enjoy the rain. 2) She was not mocking the beautiful video of our brothers frolicking. Calling everything racist provides cover for actual racists.”