It’s not easy to ruffle David Letterman’s feathers.

Twenty years ago, Drew Barrymore managed to do just that. In fact, people are still talking about the actress’ infamous striptease. When Barrymore appeared on CBS’ The Late Show on Apr. 12, 1995, she hopped up on Letterman’s desk, performed a sexy dance, flashed her breasts and gave the host a kiss on the cheek. “You know, I can’t thank you enough for that,” the birthday boy said.

Letterman’s final episode airs tonight, and to celebrate his 33 years of hosting a late-night talk show, Barrymore is dishing on the bond she developed with him since then. “He’s always been known as the person who had no problem letting the audience know he was not down with what the guest was doing,” the actress tells Entertainment Weekly of her experience as a guest. “It was scary.”

“From the moment I went on—especially with my little dance number, which was completely spontaneous and not calculated in any way—he let the audience know it was OK. He was so accepting of me, and letting everyone know to go on the ride.”

Barrymore’s future appearances on The Late Show were less risqué, but the movie star enjoyed her banter with Letterman all the same.

“From that infamous show, we developed a really fun chemistry. Then I just looked forward to going back. There’s an energy to his show. The more you tried to charm him, the less he wanted it. He either liked you or he didn’t. When you usually go on a talk show it’s very buddy-buddy,” the Never Been Kissed star, 40, explains. “But with him you have to work for it. But not too hard, because he won’t like that!”

For Barrymore, late-night won’t be the same without Letterman.

“It always struck me as what a serious guy he was. However, when I had the crazy notion to dance on that man’s desk…He had a great sense of humor. It was a weird spontaneous moment. He went with it,” the Big Miracle actress recalls to USA Today. “He let everyone know it was OK to let it be joyous and silly and fun.”

(source)