In an exclusive statement,
Neil Patrick Harris responds to the Associated Press article that suggested he would like Britney Spears banned from the set of his CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. "It seems that yesterday a writer took some quotes of mine and
speculated an opinion about their intent. I write to you to set the
record straight," the actor says. "Britney did a great job on the show. She
really did. In fact, we are all hoping that she returns rather soon to
reprise her role as Abby."
Spears guest starred as a lovestruck receptionist on the March 24 episode, which earned the series’ highest ratings in the 18-49 demographic in its three seasons on the air. The appearance also garnered remarkably strong reviews for the troubled pop star. In the AP story, however, Harris was quoted as saying, "I’m in the minority that our show does not need stunt casting in order to succeed…. I worry that if they start Will & Grace-ing us too much, that the show will suffer." Now he tells EW.com that he would welcome Spears back — because he has "great faith" in the show’s producers and writers. He also says, "My job description is to act, and I should really do just that."
At first, the AP stood by its story. "I respect his right to change his stance," said AP entertainment editor Jesse Washington, "but… Neil Patrick
Harris told us unequivocally that he did not believe that Britney should be on
the show." But by late Friday, April 11, the AP seemed to have changed its tune. "We’re issuing a clarification to our story," Washington said in a statement. "Harris did not say that he opposed a return engagement for Spears, and our lede said that he did."
Harris’ full statement appears after the jump.
"It seems that yesterday a writer took some quotes of mine and
speculated an opinion about their intent. I write to you to set the
record straight.
"As I have said all along, Britney did a great job on the show. She
really did. In fact, we are all hoping that she returns rather soon to
reprise her role as Abby. Look, that episode garnered our highest
ratings of the season — I would never ignore or disrespect that fact. I
am just very protective of our show, and its content. I have a high
standard of quality, and hope to maintain it on every level. Television
is big business, I understand that. I have great faith in our casting
department, as well as [Twentieth Century Fox Television] and CBS, to
find the appropriate person for every role on our show. I was remiss in
speculating otherwise. My job description is to act, and I should
really do just that.
"Britney Spears fits into our make-believe world very well — if she
chose to return I can only imagine that Carter [Bays], Craig [Thomas],
and the rest of the writers would create a humdinger of a storyline for
her. We should be so lucky." (Additional reporting by Whitney Pastorek and Adam B. Vary)
"It seems that yesterday a writer took some quotes of mine andspeculated an opinion about their intent. I write to you to set therecord straight.
"As I have said all along, Britney did a great job on the show. Shereally did. In fact, we are all hoping that she returns rather soon toreprise her role as Abby. Look, that episode garnered our highestratings of the season — I would never ignore or disrespect that fact. Iam just very protective of our show, and its content. I have a highstandard of quality, and hope to maintain it on every level. Televisionis big business, I understand that. I have great faith in our castingdepartment, as well as [Twentieth Century Fox Television] and CBS, tofind the appropriate person for every role on our show. I was remiss inspeculating otherwise. My job description is to act, and I shouldreally do just that.
"Britney Spears fits into our make-believe world very well — if shechose to return I can only imagine that Carter [Bays], Craig [Thomas],and the rest of the writers would create a humdinger of a storyline forher. We should be so lucky." (Additional reporting by Whitney Pastorek and Adam B. Vary)
Comments (1-30) of 103 Add your comment
that’s lame neil.. if you said it be a man and admit it!
If I were on a show that had an ensemble cast, I would be very protective of it. And even if you enjoyed other performers coming in to add a new dimension, does not mean you want THEM to become the focus. With HIMYM, the ensemble is the show…and the hunt for who is Teds wife. So I can undestand why “Barney” said what he did.
I agree completely with what I believe to be Neil Patrick Harris’s stance on this. Sure, Britney did an okay job on the show, but HIMYM doesn’t need that sort of distraction. Fans like myself like the show because of the non-linear storytelling, the characters, and the underlining mysteriousness of it all. If they screw with the ensemble dynamic they’ll doom the show … and HIMYM deserves better than that.
OMG – The new Chaotica video for the song WHEN SHE FALLS on YouTube reminds me so much of miss Britney. I love it when she signs the dog poop bag and hands it to her fan.
OMG – The new Chaotica video for the song WHEN SHE FALLS on YouTube reminds me so much of miss Britney. I love it when she signs the dog poop bag and hands it to her fan.
It’s clear form the clarification that EW invested this ’story’. Expesssing an opinion that a show must be careful about relying on stunt casting to be succesful is in no way a suggestion that he did not like Britney, her participation, or her future appearances. And to be blunt, a recurring character is hardly stunt casting, even if it was clever and successful, as in the case with Miss Spears.
Clarifcation: It’s clear form the clarification that EW *invented* this ’story’. Expesssing an opinion that a show must be careful about relying on stunt casting to be succesful is in no way a suggestion that he did not like Britney, her participation, or her future appearances. And to be blunt, a recurring character is hardly stunt casting, even if it was clever and successful, as in the case with Miss Spears.
I’m absolutely astonished that anyone, especially NPH who is no stranger to bad publicity and crazy photographers himself, would lash out at Britney Spears being on that boring show of his. I don’t like her, I’m not of fan of either of them actually, but as a human being watching her train wreck of a life unfold bring sadness to me because she has children. They are the true victims of her actions let’s not forget. The fact that she is trying very hard to make a comeback is wonderful, not for her, but for her kids. If she is healed she can work on her strained relationship with her children. Don’t hate her NPH because she is the queen of your stupid show and you are no longer are.
love you brit
So stupid. Anyone with half a brain could see what NPH was saying. Stunt casting is usually a desperation move to boost ratings. He was worried that Britney’s cameo would become a trend and he feels his show doesn’t need such tactics. How much clearer could it be? But no. The AP decided that he said something completely different, and of course the press is ALWAYS right, facts be damned… right, Fox News?
Lisa Smith- you are dumb.
I love HIMYM and I agree with what NPH said that the show sould not rely on stuntcasting to boost its ratings. So the show only has so so ratings, its a great show and it should be happy with what its accomplished, not worrying about a few extra rating points.
Either way, NPH is HOT!
Harris must have gotten a lot of pressure to make that apology. You don’t need to apologize, Neil. You’re right, the show doesn’t need guest stars to get ratings. If anything, when I see that an Enrique Iglesias or Britney Spears is going to be on the show, I skip that week. The core cast does a great job and the writing is exceptional. There is no need for a lousy guest stars getting squeezed in just for the sake of a ratings point.
Neil Patrick needs to sit his arrogant, self-centered, egotistical, primadonna attitude down and take a very deeply needed reflection of himself. He’s “no” standard for quality himself!!! I’ve personally never watched the show or even heard of it until Britney’s appearance. I thought that Britney did a great job. Shame on you Patrick!!! Obviously, you have some real insecurity issues that you need to deal with on your own. You don’t make the show — they can “erase” you with a stroke of a pen. Just remember that pal, when you decide to attack Britney again.
It’s obvious that Neil Patrick Harris is an intelligent, articulate, thoughtful person.
It’s also becoming obvious that Associated Press writer probably is an out-and-out liar.
Like that’s anything new for the infotainment press……
Its brain dead reporting. NPH’s point is obvious – even though individual guest stars might be great, you don’t want to overdo it or the show becomes all about who’s on it tonight and the story and characters suffer.
Oh my, Rita…do you even know how to read or are you just full of yourself. Even the AP said they mis-attributed him. Thanks for showing all of us what a fool you are.
To Lisa Smith: you’re just not very bright. If Britney really wants to improve her life for her kids she should start by, oh I don’t know, show up to her custody hearings! And to say that Britney is the Queen of HIMYM, well … like I said, you’re one of the dimmer bulbs. Anyone who watches the show (and it’s obvious you don’t) knows that NPH is the biggest star in a very good cast on a very good show. Britney’s wasn’t even the best guest performance on that episode; that would be Sarah Chalke. So go back to watching shows more to your comedic tastes, like Two and a Half Men and Reba.
It has become abundantly clear to me that written news stories are written and published strictly for entertainment content–if the truth is any part of it, that’s a plus; if the truth is not in any part of it–so what?
To Lisa Smith and Dino: Britney’s casting is the epitome of stunt casting, a tactic that indeed ruined the last couple seasons of Will & Grace. She’s not an actor at all (unlike the cast of the show). So it’s obvious that she was cast so people who didn’t watch would tune in to see if she screwed it up. Neil is not responsible for “saving” Britney from her “trainwreck of a life”. I wish her well.
I get what Neil was saying. He is afraid that since they scored great ratings in the show, they will now start introducing guest spots weekly. Which, I agree with him that Will & Grace did all too much. He never meant to attack Britney personally. Society tends to believe the media to ofen. The newspaper journalists’ take quotes and break them apart in an article, add their tidbits in between, then run with the story. NOT GOOD.
Wow Dino, ever watched HIMYM before?? Neil Patrick’s Barney is the breakout character, and to say to him, “You don’t make the show,” is about as ridiculous as saying Kramer wasn’t one of the best things about Seinfeld.
Giving the choice between “erasing” Neil Patrick’s character or Britney’s “possibly recurring” role, I’m gonna say 99% of all true HIMYM fans would pick the latter without hesitation. Because Lord knows there’s NO OTHER MEDIA OUTLET where you can spot Ms. Spears…
Neil Patrick Harris didn’t have to clarify what he said. It’s obvious to anyone who’s not a moron that he wasn’t denigrating Spears or any other guest star. The problem is, of course, that a lot of people *are* morons.
I for one, hope Britney doesn’t do any more guest appearances. I’m tired of hearing that just because she wasn’t totally terrible on the show, it consitutes some sort of “comeback.” We should expect more than mere adequacy from our stars; otherwise, why are they stars in the first place?
Whatever! Sounds like you stepped in it NPH. If you are such a perfectionist in all that you do, then why not stand by your statements. Now you look weak and stuck-up. Why don’t you just go back to your high quality standard of living and shut-up!
GracePayne – You obviously don’t know how to read through all of the bullshit in the Associated Press’ initial artical. It was all pure conjecture on the part of the reporter…very irresponsible writing indeed. And now the AP has issued their own clarification:
http://www.news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080412/ap_en_ce/how_i_met_your_mother
It’s really easy to take someones words and turn them into something else especially in print.
Neil seems cool although I’ve never met him. Britney I could take or leave but she did a good job in that role. Plus it’s entertainment and it shouldn’t be taken that seriously.
By watching Britney on this show, I learned some things about it that were confirmed by my friends, who USED to watch it regularly… How I Met Your Mother has great actors, but craptastic writing. It’s just awful, predictable, and the laugh track doesn’t help. Neil shouldn’t be ashamed of his “sticking to acting”–those writers need to stick to writing.
This show is fun to look at, but not really funny at all. NPH is the only cast member who offers something unique to the plate.
NPH raised a few good points: relying on stunt casting can negatively impact a series. As a devoted fan of HIMYM, I felt Britney performed well, but Sarah Chalke was better. The episode itself was “Meh” and the rest of the cast (all of whom are great) had to take a back seat to Ted’s encounters with Sarah Chalke and Britney Spears. It was a disappointing episode and not reflective of the show’s overall quality. Unfortunely, a lot of people tuned in without experiencing how good the show can be. That was why NPH was reluctant to rely on stunt casting.