Neil Patrick Harris: Emmy host we’ll love the most
Doogie Howser MD has come a long way.
Neil Patrick Harris, or NPH to his pals, has been building up a solid rep as comedy actor for years, but who knew he had some massive comedy chops as an awards show host?
Let’s face it, the Tony Awards lauding the best of New York theater isn’t exactly the kind of show you’d expect anyone under 40 to give a tweet about. But after NPH’s smokin’ stint as the host of the TV Land Awards, and of course his fame on How I Met Your Mother, people tuned in to see NPH in action.
And he didn’t disappoint. From quick quips to the final improvised closing number, NPH made Hugh Jackman almost disappear from our memory banks.
Now he’s set to host the Emmy awards this fall. Not that he has a tough act to follow after last year’s horrific experiment using deadly boring reality show hosts Jeff Probst, Howie Mandel, Tom Bergerone and Heidi Klum as the Emmy emcees. Lord, there isn’t enough beer in St. Patrick’s Day and Octoberfest combined to kill those memory cells.
Thank god we’ll have NPH, a guy who doesn’t mind poking fun at his own Howser beginnings. He kicked it with Harold & Kumar as they searched for a White Castle burger back in ’04. He played the role of Neil Patrick Harris, a drug-addled, hooker-addicted nut case and had so much fun he went for the sequel, Escape from Guantanamo Bay.
Remember when Harold & Kumar doubted his driving skills just because he was under the influence of hallucinogens?
“I performed an appendectomy at age 14. I think I can handle a few mushrooms.”
In the film, he also explained what the PH in NPH stood for, but you’ll have to check out the movie for that one. Of course it was a parody and a delicious one at that. There are few gay men who can pull off the womanizer roles like NPH.
In a recent chat with NPH, he said he’s eager to take chances like his role in Joss Whedon’s Web-tacular Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.
“I said yes before Joss even said what he wanted me to do. But when you are asked by Joss Whedon of all people to play the title character in a super villain musical, well you don’t say no to that,” NPH says. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity. The music is so great. I still listen to those songs ad nauseum, and I was in it.”
So for fans and potential NPH fans, we offer up some great lines and moments with the man formerly known as Doogie.
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
“I say successful in that I achieved my objective. It was less successful in that I inadvertently introduced my arch nemesis to the girl of my dreams.”
“Oh, goodness. Look at my wrist! I gotta go.”
“I also need to be a little bit more careful about what I say on this blog. Apparently, the LAPD and Captain Hammer are among our viewers.”
“The world is a mess and I just need to rule it.”
“Texting. It’s very important or I would stop.”
The 2008 Tony Awards Host Highlights
“Chris Sieber. Please! Performing on your knees? Dude, that only works to win Golden Globes!”
“Take my advice. Cash in. Go Presidential. I can see the marquees now: ‘Barack of Ages.’ ‘Phantom of the Oprah’ — she’s almost the president. ‘Obama Mia.’ “
How I Met Your Mother – Barney Stinson Speaks
“When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead…True story. I’m teaching Ted how to live. I’m like Yoda, only instead of little and green, I’m awesome and wear suits. I’m Broda, and tonight you’re going to use the force to get any girl in here.”
Ted asks if he has a cold. “I’m fine. My nose is just overflowing with awesome and I had to get some of it out.”
“This is going to be LEGEND — wait for it and I hope you are not lactose-intolerant because the second half of the word is — DARY!”
“Marshall, you’re no Lily. Lily is a diabolical puppet master, surreptitiously manipulating every situation to get exactly what she wants. She is pure evil, Marshall. You’ve got a good one. Hang on to her.”
“That’s what corporate America wants. People who seem like bold risk takers, but never actually do anything.”
“The only reason to wait a month for sex is if she’s 17 years, 11 months old.”
“Every Halloween, I bring a spare costume in case I strike out with the hottest girl at the party. That way, I have a second chance to make a first impression.”
“A girl is allowed to be crazy as long as she is equally hot. Thus, if she is this (indicates amount on chart) crazy, she has to be this hot. You want the girl to be above this line. Also known as the ‘Vicki Mendoza Diagonal.’ This girl I dated. She played jump rope with that line. She’d shave her head, then lose 10 pounds. She’d stab me with a fork and then get a boob job. I should give her a call.”
More lines? Drop a comment.