How I Met Everyone From the Show
The invitation came without solicitation. Well, that’s not entirely true. I had added Carter Bays and Charlene Amoia as friends on Facebook and, to my surprise, they not only confirmed but Charlene sent me a nice note thanking me for the site. I wrote her back and in a fit of confidence offered to buy her a beer the next time she was in New York. Proving how legendary she really is she did me one better: “How would you like to attend a party in New York tomorrow with Carter Bays, Pam Fryman, and the cast?” I would like that very much I told her.
So when I got out of work yesterday I headed to 55th and 8th to a bar called McGee’s where the interior looked eerily familiar. Turns out Bays and Thomas spent a lot of time in this bar while writing for Letterman. It was in this very place that How I Met Your Mother was born, and served as the model for MacLaren’s. If you’re ever in New York, be sure to check it out. It’s great to see the real thing, the staff is wonderful, and the drinks are great. (The were also free last night, which was a classy touch. Thanks 20th Century Fox!)
The first person I recognized was Josh Radnor. It’s always strange seeing someone in real life that you’ve seen on TV a million times. They look just they do on TV, but right there in front of you. Josh was suited up, although his tie was loose to match his “messy-cool” hairstyle. I wondered if his hair is more Radnor or Mosby.
The entire cast was there, except for Jason Segel sadly, who was off filming a movie (I Love You, Man I assume.) The cast was in the press core doing their thing but Carter and Pam came back to the bar and I got a chance to chat with them for awhile. Carter is great—humble and funny, proud of the show but still very kind and appreciative of praise. Pamela is funny and sweet, like the aunt you always love to visit. She talked about her twin fifteen-year-old daughters and how Allyson Hannigan takes them shopping and Josh Radnor calls them to ask “how’s adolescence?” I think I was the most excited to talk to these two since it’s really their vision and hard work that makes the show possible. They were both familiar with the site and wanted to thank you for all your great support of the show.
Then it was 7:30 and time for the screening. All the TV’s in the bar showed How I Met Everyone Else. It was a very unique experience watching an episode that takes place in a bar that was built to look like the bar in which I was watching the episode. It was also interesting to see Barney make a joke on screen, then look to my right and see Neil Patrick Harris watching the same screen just a few feet away. I’ll remember that feeling every time I watch that episode from now on.
After that was the Q&A upstairs. The pictures at the bottom of the post are blurry, unfortunately, but you’ll see NPH, Radnor, Smulders, and Bays. Fryman and Hannigan were off to the right. They talked about season 3, the future of the show, and answered fan questions. Carter promised that they have something really good coming up to explain The Goat and revealed that anytime we’ve seen “the mother” with the yellow umbrella, it was actually Pamela Fryman. There goes our theories on hair and body type as clues.
I was impressed with how funny the actors were. Not “I’m on a sitcom so I have to be funny” but actually funny. Neil Patrick Harris, channeling Barney, was not only suited up but was sipping scotch the entire time.
Once the Q&A was over, I made my way up to meet the cast. Hannigan was being accosted by fans on one side so I couldn’t make my way over to her. I chatted with Carter for a few minutes before I got to Josh. He and I had sort-of emailed regarding the soldier in Iraq so he recognized me as soon as I introduced myself. I also work with a guy who went to Kenyon with Josh so we had some things to chat about. There were a lot of other fans (mostly ladies) waiting to meet him so I moved on.
Neil Patrick Harris was the actor who, going into the evening, I thought I’d be the most nervous around. He made it really easy to chat comfortably with him, as he’s professional and very down-to-earth. We talked about this season and next, and he expressed his excitement for 26 episodes next year. He also explained to me why the announcement of renewals doesn’t happen until the last minute. It has to do with new shows and pilots—most decisions are made in advance and it’s just the announcement that takes time to be made public.
Cobie was walking by so I tapped her arm and introduced myself. She probably looked the most different in person. She’s quite tall and very thin. She was wearing this dress (thanks to Elizabeth’s eagle-eyes and Internet-savvy for that.) We chatted about her clothes and necklace for a bit but since things were starting to wind down it was brief. With her hair and makeup I didn’t feel like I was meeting Robin, but the woman who plays her on TV.
People were leaving and NPH was the only cast member left. I asked him for the picture above and thanked him again. I ran into Carter on the way out and thanked him for inviting me. Then I walked away toward Broadway, thinking about how legendary the evening had been.
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Dan Nocket | June 4, 2008 @ 12:07 pm
Holy crap, that’s awesome!
the modern gal | June 4, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Lucky duck!
Eric J | June 4, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
For more details on the event, you can see Alan Seipenwall’s blog. He was the moderator.
Shashwat Gupta | June 4, 2008 @ 1:44 pm
wow
Geri | June 4, 2008 @ 1:45 pm
That’s not only legendary, but awesome and blows my mind hole!
Virtual high fives!
Marko | June 4, 2008 @ 2:20 pm
That was awesome times awesome. It was awesome squared. I’m jealous.
Liz | June 4, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
Wow! It seems like you had a great evening.
Kristen | June 4, 2008 @ 4:31 pm
McGees is only a few blocks from my apartment. You best believe I’ll be popping in one of these days to check it out!
bauerknight | June 4, 2008 @ 5:01 pm
You mean you didn’t propose to Cobie right there and then? cuz that’s what I would have done…j/k..maybe.
Jenn | June 4, 2008 @ 5:47 pm
You are so lucky!!!
eduardo | June 4, 2008 @ 7:07 pm
wow [3]
you mean you didn’t propose to cobie right there and then? [2]
virtual high fives! [2]
This is really awesome JD!
Neil | June 4, 2008 @ 9:18 pm
Sounds like it was legendary!! I love the show and the blog.
Neil
J | June 4, 2008 @ 9:38 pm
that was legendary, wait for it… dary!
blarg | June 4, 2008 @ 9:45 pm
WOW that is unbelievable. Sounds like you had an amazing night. It really sounds like the cast is down to earth. Maybe thats why the cast and show are absolutely legendary! btw looks like I get to add another place to my ‘places i want to visit when i’m in NY’
Lora | June 5, 2008 @ 1:00 am
I’ve been reading for awhile but hadn’t commented before - this is an awesome place you’ve got here! Thanks for everything you put into it, I enjoy reading.
What a fabulous opportunity the evening was, and I’m glad you enjoyed yourself!
High Hoper | June 5, 2008 @ 3:48 am
WOW! Wish I were there…
Kevin Flynn | June 5, 2008 @ 7:40 am
Yeah, whatever. Not nearly as cool as hanging out with the boys at Cissos. But I guess your little adventure would be cool. Come up and see us sometime you big lug.
Chrissy | June 5, 2008 @ 8:15 am
You’re the luckiest HIMYM fan in the world!
Dave | June 5, 2008 @ 8:49 am
Wow, I’m jealous. That sounds like a whole lot of fun. I would have been a slobbering fanboy with the cast. Especially Cobie Smulders. I probably would have told her I love her.
Pat | June 5, 2008 @ 9:51 am
Dude! Would you mind if I photoshop my face with your picture with Barney? I’m soooo jealous!
saya | June 5, 2008 @ 11:50 am
yaay! I’m so happy for you! and incredibly jealous.
saya | June 5, 2008 @ 11:52 am
oh, and can Elizabeth’s eagle eyes figure out NPH’s suit? that is a really really nice lookin’ uh, look.
Elizabeth | June 5, 2008 @ 12:39 pm
Since I was lucky enough to go with JD, I got to ask Cobie who made her necklace. When i looked up the brand, I found the dress instead! But, I have a few guesses, and will see what I can dig up…
aaron | June 5, 2008 @ 2:47 pm
Simply Awesome. Congrats man, that sounds like such a cool experience. I am quite jealous…the closest thing I have is when I found a penny on the subway one day. Actually, it was just a penny at a Subway… Not too many actual subway trains in TN.
Isabel | June 5, 2008 @ 3:03 pm
Dude, SO AWESOME.
Marcy | June 5, 2008 @ 6:52 pm
Congrats! You lucky bastard (sorry for the Bridget Jones quote, but I simply couldn´t resist)! And a double high five from me of course! Totally awsome!
Lynn | June 8, 2008 @ 12:49 am
awesome!!! im happy for you!
but like many others, very jealous!!
Giselle | June 8, 2008 @ 1:21 pm
It’s not even funny how jealous of you we all are at the moment.
*lol* But thanks for the re-cap! It sounds like you had a great but chill time with the cast/crew. By the way, anything else that struck you in the Q&A or otherwise about the upcoming season? (Besides the Goat (oh my god, I can’t wait!) and fake-mom-under-the-umbrella (*lol* I love Pam F.)?)
Chris | June 8, 2008 @ 2:50 pm
Wow, that is awesome.
Glad you had a fun time! =D
John | June 8, 2008 @ 6:14 pm
Ah you lucky duck! So jealous. Glad you had an awesome time though! Awesome that the people working on the show know of this awesome site, keep up the great work!
alea | June 8, 2008 @ 9:06 pm
Mann, you are so lucky. Going there must have been awesome. And like everybody, i am jealous
Thanks for this blog and thanks for all your effort…
luis | June 9, 2008 @ 1:35 am
Fantastic! I want to go to McGee next time I’m in NYC.
Ajay | June 10, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
Jeez now dats awesome!! meeting them specialli Robin!! hehe man ur vry lucky 2 hve gt such an opportunity NPH and Josh Radnor.
AF | June 11, 2008 @ 10:37 am
That’s amazing! I’m so jealous.
I would love to meet NPH and Alyson Hannigan. They rock my rocks off.
Ae | June 11, 2008 @ 11:15 am
Check this out, TVguide interviews at the party.
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Tv-Mattrs/Met-Mother-Cast/800041252
john darc | June 20, 2008 @ 1:59 am
that is pretty damn rad, and I’m so jealous.
I’m surprised Craig Thomas wasn’t there too. His wife’s parents live and work in Brooklyn!
solsta422 | July 25, 2008 @ 7:54 pm
Does anyone else think it’s creepy that john darc knows where Craig Thomas’ parents live and work?
JD | July 28, 2008 @ 9:42 am
In today’s world where that info is probably on Wikipedia, no, I don’t think it’s creepy.
dibya/dnA | September 12, 2008 @ 12:46 am
i was hoping you would give some detail about Cobie since i dont like the character robin. blink!