Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2008 > March > 24 > Entry
3/25: Britney does “How I Met Your Mother”
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
ABOVE: Here’s a summary of all the Britney bits from Monday’s “How I Met Your Mother.” The show pulled in 10.67 million viewers, up about 10 to 15 percent from its norm, with the most 18-49 viewers in the show’s three-season history.
This is what you called lowered expectations.
In CBS’s modestly funny sitcom “How I Met Your Mother,” Britney Spears tonight nabbed a modest guest role as a receptionist who has a crush on the main character Ted (Josh Radnor). She managed to do her job with passable facility, hitting her punchlines reasonably well, if not nearly as well as the regulars.
Nor was she nearly as funny or facile as fellow guest star Sarah Chalke, best known as the amusing foil for Zach Braff’s lead character on NBC’s “Scrubs.” (She played a doctor here, too, who kept fighting off the adorable advances of Ted.)
But small victories are small victories. Fortunately, Britney didn’t have to do it live — unlike, say, the MTV Video Awards.
She got some bonus laughs at the end of the half hour for going off with horndog Barney (Neil Patrick Harris). He hones in on her after her heart is broken by Ted.
“How would like me to take you out to a fancy restaurant and then go on a shopping spree, treat you the way you should be treated. Would that make forget about that Ted monster?” Barney says.
“Wow, my mom was wrong. There are nice guys in New York!” Britney says.
“We just have to go by my hotel room first,” Barney said. “My bed was broken. I just have to make sure they fixed it.”
“If it’s fixed, can we have sex on it,” she says, “then go shopping?”
“I like you!” Barney utters as they walk off together. Fade.
CBS did this stunt casting to help give “How I Met Your Mother,” in its third season, a lift. The show usually draws about 9 million viewers and when it came back last Monday, post strike, it almost hit 10 million. That’s hardly hit territory but in this day and age, 10 million keeps most shows alive.
Honestly, HIMYM is far better than it was in its first season. The actors, the writers and the producers have all found their rhythms and while it’s no “Office,” it is far better than most of what’s left in the denuded wasteland that is sitcomland. If this was an excuse for you to check the show out of the first time, it sure beats “Rules of Engagement” or “Carpoolers” or “Unhitched.”
And it never hurts that the show highlights the lovely Alyson Hannigan, a former Atlantan.
Meanwhile, over at “Dancing With the Stars,” magician Penn Jillette was amusing during his quick step, which featured a voodoo doll and the floating tie. But he tripped on the steps on the way back to the “green” room. Now that was funny. I’ll link to the YouTube clip when it’s available.
Comments
By Old Fashioned
March 25, 2008 3:24 AM | Link to this
“”can we have sex on it,” she says, “then go shopping?”“.
Thanks so much to CBS for endlessly repeating the above dialog all weekend during the NCAA tournament. I was trying to watch basketball with my kids on a weekend afternoon and you’d think that would be the one time CBS wouldn’t be running promos talking about sex.
Once again. Thanks CBS.
By Jim H.
March 25, 2008 7:46 AM | Link to this
Are you kidding me Rodney, “Unhitched” is friggin’ halarious….funniest sitcom I’ve seen since “Married with Children” (of course, I own the first seven seasons of it on DVD, which pretty much tells you how warped I am). “The Office” is the show I don’t get. I tried to like it but just plain don’t think it’s funnny. I reckon I’m just too simple of a man to get that subtle humor it employs. To each his own. If everybody liked the same stuff it would be a boring world (not to mention that stuff would be hard to get). I do agree that most sitcoms are pretty lame. I still like them better than almost all the reality shows or all the “lets pick at this dead body and see what killed them” shows that are on these days.
By geekboy
March 25, 2008 8:53 AM | Link to this
I guess it takes a Ho to write about one!
By Tre
March 25, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this
Rodney, you may not like Rules of Engagement, but for those of us that are married, or in a long term relationship or engaged, the comedy of real life shown in there is much more appealing than the Steve Carell love fest that is the office. And I like Steve C, but i cant stand the office.
By ksjoyner
March 25, 2008 9:15 AM | Link to this
As for the office - the British original beat the American rip off hands down. Same with Coupling and Faulty Towers and any other BBC original that Americans tried to copy.
By Josh
March 25, 2008 9:17 AM | Link to this
How soon we forget Spears is actually a talented comedienne - she killed in her two “Saturday Night Live” hosting stints.
By Tim
March 25, 2008 9:19 AM | Link to this
I am a faithful viewer to HIMYM, and I was very disappointed that all the hype went to Britney Spears’ speck of screen time while Sarah Chalke was the true “Guest Star”. I have loved her for years on Scrubs, and I feel she got the shaft by getting no adverstising for her guest appearance. I understand Britney is the bigger star, but Sarah is the real actress and should have a recurring role.
By PR
March 25, 2008 9:27 AM | Link to this
She did OK. The charactrer fit her to a “T”…a horny, mindless, bimbo.
By shell
March 25, 2008 9:41 AM | Link to this
@Josh,
I agree Britney a natural comedic actress. She was great on Will and Grace. I personally think she should do more comedies. She has great timing.
By FCM
March 25, 2008 9:45 AM | Link to this
I don’t “Office” either…thought it was just me…..I love HIMYM and Rules of Engagement. Patrick Warburton’s delivery and foil to David Spade make the entire show!
“Two and Half Men” could leave the air at anytime.
I would like programming at the 6-8 time frame I can watch with my children currently the ‘reruns’: Life with Jim, 2.5 Men, Family Guy—-WTH? Isn’t there something decent (ie less sex) to watch after dinner?
By Alan
March 25, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this
I’m with ya, FCM! HIMYM is wonderfully underrated and Patrick Warburton alone makes ‘Rules of Engagement’ truly worthwhile TV. Both are real-live, funny sitcoms - a very rare treat these days.
By SM
March 25, 2008 11:12 AM | Link to this
To FCM: Here’s an idea: don’t let your kids watch TV! It’s not the networks’ job to provide something for you to do with your kids. That’s your job as a parent. There are plenty of things to do with your kids that are more stimulating and educational than staring at the tube for an hour before bedtime.
By Josephus
March 25, 2008 11:19 AM | Link to this
She managed to do her job with passable facility[,] hitting her punchlines reasonably well, if not nearly as well as the regulars.
better yet…
She did a passable job, but did not hit her punchlines nearly as well as the regulars.
Big HIMYM fan, nice article!
By Just me
March 25, 2008 11:39 AM | Link to this
Re: your sentence, “He hones in on her after her heart is broken by Ted.”
It’s “…homes in on…”
You hone (sharpen) an ax. When home is used as a verb, it means to be guided or lead to a goal or target.
Most people get this wrong. But you are a writer, ya know… ;-)
By BBHays
March 25, 2008 11:40 AM | Link to this
HIMYM is one of the best shows on TV. Doogie’s character is brilliant and gets laughs out of me 95% of the time. He also reminds me of myself. John Hays
By dave vulcano
March 25, 2008 11:44 AM | Link to this
To the ajc.com and Mr. Ho,
I would like for you to go to the NYTIMES.com, find the article entitled “Six of the Fallen, in Words They Sent Home,” click on page two, scroll to the bottom of the page and find the paragraph titled “What the Hell America?” written by Sgt. Ryan Wood.
I am appalled that ajc.com believes Ms. Spears’ performanace is top left front “page” news.
To quote Sgt. Wood, in reference to our fixation of Ms. Spears (or even Pamela Anderson or Paris Hilton, for that matter)
“I was amazed, truly dumbfounded wondering how we as Americans have sank so low. To all Americans I have but one phrase that helps me throughout my day of constant dangers and ever present death around the corner, “WHO THE [expletive] CARES!” Wow America, we have truly become a nation of self-absorbed retards. … This world has serious problems and it’s time for America to start addressing them.”
Yes, the Britney article is a sad commentary.
David Vulcano
By rocky
March 25, 2008 11:55 AM | Link to this
i think carpoolers is the funniest thing on tv.
By Have you met Ted??
March 25, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this
I <3 HIMYM….
If you are between the ages of 25-40, working in a career using your college degree, and not procreating, you should be watching and loving this show.
Not to find out who’s the mother, but for a)the wonderfully snarky banter between friends, b) the almost daily repetition of new adults, and c) the immaculate storytelling technique of flashbacks and flash forwards.
I fear, however, that too much of CBS’ executives are over 50, in a loveless marriage, with teenage kids who were produced just to ensure the divorce settlement falls in he wife’s favor.
How in the world is Rules, New Christine, and 2.5 Men enjoyable?
Or Perhaps those of us that are single professionals, aren’t a valuable demographic…
Selah..
By Captain Herb
March 25, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this
HIMYM is so lame. It’s Friends II. The punchlines are not only predictable, they are not all that funny. “Life With Jim” is the worst. How is this crap still on. It’s like watching a train wreck or a W. Bush press conference. “Rules of Engagement” is not great, but I could watch Patrick Warburton doing “David Puddy” forever. “Two and a Half Men” is still good and “Big Bang Theory” is worth the time invested. Fox’s “Back to You” is one of TV’s best.
By L.S.
March 25, 2008 12:18 PM | Link to this
Two And A Half Men is the funniest sitcom on TV. We roll on the floor laughing at most of these shows.
By southside z
March 26, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this
what a c u m bucket //yea c.mon
By atlsitcom
March 26, 2008 4:00 PM | Link to this
I just cant wait till Britney is on two and a half men.. that should be priceless TV… whoo hoo
By TruthHurts
March 26, 2008 6:23 PM | Link to this
I’d motorboat that azz!
By Ilene
March 27, 2008 3:16 PM | Link to this
I’ve been watching How I Met Your Mother from the beginning and find it very entertaining and smart — for a change. I also love the flashbacks and flashforwards.
I was waiting for a Britney trainwreck and all I ever heard is good things about her appearance. I would like to see her become “average” and “normal” again. Maybe getting her away from the poisonous influences she was hanging around with is helping.
By Ilene
March 27, 2008 3:18 PM | Link to this
I’ve been watching How I Met Your Mother from the beginning and find it very entertaining and smart — for a change. I also love the flashbacks and flashforwards.
I was waiting for a Britney trainwreck and all I ever heard is good things about her appearance. I would like to see her become “average” and “normal” again. Maybe getting her away from the poisonous influences she was hanging around with is helping.
By statebrandwaterheatersSack
August 19, 2008 6:35 PM | Link to this
Your site- www.accessatlanta.com is cool resource, good job, owner. And see this http://carolinecs.150m.com/state_industries_water_heater_parts.html > state industries water heater parts
By buyliquoronlineSack
August 20, 2008 8:00 AM | Link to this
Your site- www.accessatlanta.com is amazing resource, good job, owner. But look at this http://howdoqj6.netfirms.com/buy_liquor_online.html > buy liquor online
By BuyViagravadodriedetag
August 20, 2008 10:44 AM | Link to this
The www.accessatlanta.com is cool resource, good job, webmaster. viagra http://sci.rutgers.edu/forum/member.php?u=25882 > viagra drugs.