50 Cent Takes Over For ‘The Drew Barrymore Show’ Days After Drew Barrymore Jokes That She “Can’t Get Away With” Playing Hooky

Today’s Drew Barrymore Show audience was ready to party like it was their birthday as rapper 50 Cent stepped in to take over for Drew Barrymore while she took a well-deserved day off.

“I know what you’re thinking. I’m not Drew Barrymore. But I got you. You know, you’re with me today,” he told the audience before throwing to a clip from one of last week’s episodes where the talk show host joked about not being able to play hooky, since, of course, what’s The Drew Barrymore Show without Drew Barrymore?

“This is what it would be like if I decided to play hooky,” she said in the clip as she hid behind her Drew’s News desk, leaving co-host Ross Mathews sitting alone. “I can’t get away with it.”

“You can’t. Is someone gonna sub for you, Drew? You can’t do it,” Mathews said to which she responded, “I don’t know. But I just simply can’t get away with, ‘I can’t be there.'”

Flashing back to the Drew’s News desk, where 50 Cent sat with Mathews and SNL alum Melissa Villaseńor, the rapper, who said he’s a “huge fan” of the show and that he’s “so excited” to host, pointed out that “she figured out how to get away with it” and joked, “I don’t know if daytime TV is ready for me but we’re about to find out.”

For those wondering if everything is OK with Barrymore, Mathews assured the audience that she’s “doing great.” He said, “We just were Zooming. She says hi to you at home. Hi to all of you here at our studio. And a big hello to both of you and so much gratitude for stepping in.”

The Drew Barrymore Show airs on weekdays at 9:30 a.m. ET on CBS.