Pictured: Alyson Hannigan and her husband, Neil Patrick Harris and his boyfriend, David Burtka, Michael C. Hall and his costar & wife, Jennifer Carpenter,  Kristen Chenoweth, Glen Close, Toni Collette, Cat Deely, Jenna Fischer, Michael J. Fox and his wife (of 21 years!) Tracy Pollan.

Fame, Bauer Griffin

It’s unusual to celebrate your first day back at work after a summer vacation, but that’s just what the cast and crew of How I Met Your Mother did this week.

They had plenty to celebrate: In addition to Neil Patrick Harris’s third consecutive Emmy nomination for best supporting actor in a comedy, the CBS sitcom nabbed its first nomination in the best comedy category – and stars Alyson Hannigan and Cobie Smulders became mothers over their summer breaks.

Opting for orange juice rather than a champagne toast while backstage her husband Alexis Denisof looked after 4-month-old Satyana, Hannigan told People, “I’m so fortunate that she’s here. We set up a nursery, and daddy and baby are in nursery right now. So I can run off and get to see them when I have scenes off. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me! I’m so in love.”

The show’s Emmy nomination isn’t too shabby, either. “It’s so nice that it finally gets recognition,” she says. “Instead of being a little show, we’re finally like, ‘We’re in that club, we get to go to that party!’ ”

Hannigan says she’s narrowed her choice of gowns for the big night to two dresses. “This year, [my goal] is to make sure the boobs stay in. I have boobs now! They’re my new accessory,” she joked. “I want to make sure they stay in, and they stay dry.”

Harris’s Hosting Hitch
Costar Neil Patrick Harris, who is hosting the Emmys for the first time this year, has different things on his mind in preparing for the big night. CBS will air the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards on Sunday, Sept. 20 at 8 p.m. ET

“I’ve thought about it an insane amount,” he says. “I know a lot of things that might happen, but nothing has been locked down.”

Harris says his hosting philosophy is to keep the show moving. “I’ve always been less enthusiastic [about] stand-ups [who] host, because they feel obliged to show how funny they are during the process,” he says. “I think it’s more about keeping things at a tight clip and making sure the audience at home is having a good time.”

Source, Bauer-Griffin

Neil Patrick Harris’ Emmy hosting gig has moved from the talking stage to the definitely doing stage.

Multiple sources are now confirming that the How I Met Your Mother star has formally signed on to emcee the 61st annual ceremony, which airs Sept. 20 on CBS.

An official announcement is expected early next week.

As pointed out by Variety, which was first to report the NPH negotiations, Emmy producers are under pressure to boost the kudocast’s ratings and critical reception in the wake of last year’s apocalyptic reality quintet train wreck. (The opening “comedy” routine still gives me nightmares.)

Harris, meanwhile, is coming off of a rapturously received Tony hosting stint. He’s also one of CBS’ biggest stars, so the cross-promotional possibilities with HIMYM (which kicks off its new season the night after the Emmys) are endless.

It’s a no-brainer, folks!

Source, Bauer-Griffin

Neil Patrick Harris and his boyfriend David Burtka are on the hunt for a surrogate mother so they can be fathers.

The couple are reportedly using the same agency as Sarah Jessica Parker, Growing Generations.

After going through a rigorous screening process, “Neil and David were so relieved and excited once they were approved,” says the source. “Now they have so many surrogate profiles to go through to find the right woman to carry their child.”

“Neil and David can’t wait to hold their baby; they don’t care if it’s a boy or a girl. They just want a healthy child,” says the source.

How sweet. I’m sure they’re going to make loving fathers.

Source, Bauer-Griffin

Love him!

Splash

Neil Patrick Harris has paid tribute to the mother of his longterm boyfriend, who lost her battle with cancer last week.

The How I Met Your Mother star spoke out on Friday, during his stint as guest host on morning TV show Live with Regis and Kelly.

Referring to his partner David Burtka, he said, “David’s mother passed away last week from a leukaemia and pneumonia. It took her out really quickly, in just four and a half weeks. It’s been a really sad time. I just want to wish he and his sister Jen and their amazing dad Dan all the best.”

Source

WENN

Britney Spears may have wowed fans with her cameo on CBS’ How I Met Your Mother, but she apparently still has something to prove to a few of the show’s cast members.

“I’m in the minority that feels our show does not need stunt casting in order to succeed,” HIMYM star Neil Patrick Harris declared during a break from taping the sitcom. “I worry that if they start Will and Grace-ing us too much, that the show will suffer. We’re all really proud of the content of the show.”

Britney has been the most high-profile guest star to visit the set, following past appearances by Mandy Moore, Enrique Iglesias and Heidi Klum. Spears’ cameo as a bubbly, sweet receptionist created so much buzz that 10.6 million viewers tuned in to watch the March 24 episode — that’s roughly two million more than the sitcom averages per showing. Among the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, it was the most-watched episode of the series ever.

HIMYM executive producer Carter Bays told the AP he’s proud of the result. “We had no illusions about what the stakes were,” he said. “And if it was classic stunt casting like, ‘Oh, my tour bus broke down outside’ and I just go, ‘Wow, Britney Spears! What are you doing here?’ then, like, we’re just flying over that shark real fast.”

Bays adds, “It was a great character and I think she played it well… I’m glad that we didn’t sensationalize the character in any way.”

Last Monday, the show introduced a “mystery woman” who warns women not to date the single-minded Barney, played by Neil Patrick Harris. When asked who he thinks the network may cast to play the woman, Harris replied, “No telling, but based on the stunt casting we’ve done in the past, I’m guessing Tara Reid.”

All righty-then!

Source

WENN