If you were watching the Superbowl last night, you will have seen Barney Stinson inviting you to call him. If you called the number during the Superbowl, you’ll have heard Neil’s voice and this recorded message:

“That, Lebron, is how you shoot a free throw. Hey, Barney Stinson speaking. A recording? No, this is really me! Anyway, glad you called ’cause you sound really special. Let’s get to know each other. What are your hobbies? Oh my god, I like that too! Wow, I’m really feeling a connection here. You know, I never do this but what the heck. Let’s meet up at MacLaren’s Bar at oh, say, 3:45 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 12, 2016. I can’t wait to meet you. I love you.”

It has been pointed out by a few people that there are some inaccuracies in the message – Lebron James & free throw is a basketball term, and Monday October 12th 2016 is a Wednesday. Based on Barney’s previous history – his “dear resident” letter from Ted Mosby, Architect for one – I’d say both of these things are on purpose, and I’d guess it’s not the first time Barney has used this message! Expect a reference to this in tonight’s last new episode of HIMYM before the Winter Olympics. ETA: People have mentioned that everybody who called got a different random date. So it was probably incorrect on purpose because it was randomized.

You can listen to a recording of the message here.

Now for the news roundup I promised:

• Michael Ausiello from Entertainment Weekly reports that CBS has signed off on Neil’s guest appearance on FOX’s Glee. The only remaining hurdle is making sure that it can fit into Neil’s already hectic schedule!
• Popeater is reporting that Neil is being lined up to star in a new revival of “Barnum” on Broadway. Neil has talked many times about his interest in that role, though he has stated that he’s still too young for it. This new report reveals that Neil is the producer’s “only choice” – what isn’t clear, however, is the timescale in question. It’s likely this won’t be taking place imminently, but simply that whenever it does, Neil is a shoe-in for the part.
• The Superbowl is on CBS this year (this coming Sunday, Feb 7) and there’s some HIMYM related cross-promotion happening on Twitter. Craig and Carter go into a little more detail in this interview from the time of the 100th episode promotion.
• The Best and the Brightest, which Neil shot this summer, is now on Twitter and you can become a fan on Facebook. They’re calling it a “social media explosion” and they’ve been posting pictures and holding contests so far, so check them out!

Finally, there’s a lot of talk in the media that Neil should replace Simon Cowell as a full time judge on American Idol when he leaves at the end of this season. His guest stint was loved by the critics, but what do you think about him taking on the role full time? I think that without Simon, and knowing that Neil is good friends with both Ellen and Kara, there might not be enough differences of opinion to keep it interesting. And that’s before you even think about working it into his schedule, especially now with the news that HIMYM has been renewed for season 6.

I have a small news roundup to do, but I felt this deserved a post of its own. And while “exclusive” might be stretching the truth a little, as I shared the night with at least 300 other people, this report is definitely exclusive to us!

After finding out last week that Neil was going to be hosting this, some hastily booked holiday time from work gave me the chance to head down to London (from Bradford) for the taping. I arrived fairly early, a good couple of hours before my friends, and that gave me the chance to scope out the building. This is something that served me well later when I was let out from a completely different door than I expected!

Even when my friends arrived, we ended up first in the priority queue, and as such when we were let into the studio we were led to what I would consider to be the best seats – front row, beside the centre aisle that the contestants enter the playing area from. After a few minutes with the warm-up man, Terry, they introduced Neil, brought him out and stood him in the aisle beside us to take a few promotional photos. Then things got started!

There were four contestants taped last night, though because they were overrunning there was some uncertainly if they were going to film the fourth one or not. Eventually they decided they would, but I unfortunately had to leave before they brought her out to ensure I’d make my coach. I won’t give you any details about the contestants or how they did, because that’s for you to see when (if) you get to see the episode!

Neil revealed to us fairly early on that he’d been over here for almost a week and had spent three days watching the British version of the show, and as such apologised for talking like a Brit occasionally! He slipped into an accent a few times on purpose, and at one point called one of the contestants “mate” which I don’t think was deliberate! He also said that in rehearsals he had kept slipping and saying “for two thousand pounds…!” instead of dollars.

He had spent the afternoon in the Cube playing some of the games and said that it definitely makes it harder once you’re inside.

We’ve all seen Neil do the hosting thing before, but presenting a gameshow is obviously a totally different skillset. It has to be said, he nailed that just like he has done everything else. He was serious when it was called for, but made the contestants feel at ease in a jokey way that was a joy to watch. Another pleasure was the way he interacted with the audience between shots – the nature of the game means there’s a lot of time spent showing the contestant the game they’re about to play, setting it up, none of which happens on camera so that it comes together seamlessly in the edit. Multiple times Neil came over to the aisle beside our seats and talked with the people around us, saying he was nervous for the contestant currently in the cube, or giving his opinion about the way a previous game had gone. A while before I left he asked us what we thought the hardest game had been so far and a bunch of us mimed the same action and he laughed and knew exactly what we had meant. There was one game that a contestant had played at a relatively high level (for $75,000), and he told us that depending on the amount at stake when the Cube selected it, the game would get harder – more to complete before it was counted as successful. He also said he’d seen people complete it in rehearsals at the very highest level, so he knew it could be done even at its hardest.

The warm up guy came out between shots and tried to keep the audience interested when other things were going on on the stage, and a few times Neil turned around to watch what he was doing with an amused or puzzled look on his face. When one man was asked to blow up a balloon as part of a challenge and failed miserably (he claimed to have been sucking instead of blowing!) Neil came around to watch him with a fantastic look of disbelief on his face that this was actually happening.

He dealt well with shouts from the audience – some (slightly annoying but I think well intended) heckling when he was posing for pictures at the start came in the form of a guy shouting “SUIT UP!” and Neil, who must be used to that by now, replied with “I DID!” There was one point when he laughed and somebody yelled out something about Dr Horrible, and Neil, facing the Cube with his back to the audience, did the proper Dr Horrible evil laugh.

He did a very good job of guiding the players without influencing their decisions too much. His personality meant that they were quite happy to tell him what they were thinking or feeling without too much stressing, and weren’t afraid to be a little sarcastic or jibe back at him on occasion.

All in all, I really hope that CBS decide to pick this up as a series, because Neil was clearly enjoying the experience and I would love to see more of it. And if they don’t, I hope that they at least air this one as a one off for everybody to see.

If anybody who managed to stay until the end has anything to add, please do get in touch!

EDIT: One of my friends who managed to stay after I left had this to add about something that was said after I’d gone: “Neil came over and talked in our general direction and told us he got to pick his suit out because if the show gets picked up, he will have to wear the same suit all the time and they will probably use the pilot contestants in various shows so as not to waste them.”

The pilot for the US version of The Cube, which Neil is set to host, is filming in London this coming Thursday, February 4th, at Fountain TV Studios, Wembley Park. You can apply for free audience tickets from Lost in TV. Doors open at 6pm and close at 6.15, and the taping will last approximately 4 hours. The minimum age is 12 and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

Snacks and soft drinks will be provided during the break.

The hit UK TV gameshow THE CUBE is coming to U.S. Television. This is a gameshow with a twist – no general knowledge or physical fitness is required – just nerves of steel and determination. Contestants go head to head with the Cube as they complete simple tasks, under pressure, to win life changing amounts of money.

The Cube is a format originally produced by ITV and hosted by Philip Schofield. The set is already built; presumably should CBS pick up the series, a replica of the set would be built in the US for regular filming.

According to The Wrap’s TV MoJoe, Neil is on course to shoot a pilot for an American version of British game show, The Cube. Hosted by Brit favourite Philip Schofield, The Cube traps contestants inside a perspex cube, forcing them to complete relatively simple tasks in a stressful situation. Like Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, the contestant is able to improve their chances against the game; instead of Phone A Friend or 50:50, The Cube offers the chance to “Simplify” each game.

Perhaps trying to prove there’s absolutely nothing he can’t do, the “How I Met Your Mother” star will fly to London later this year to tape a pilot for an American adaptation of “The Cube.” CBS will then decide whether to move forward with a series order.

In addition to hosting, Harris will also serve as executive producer of the Objective TV-produced series. Also exec producing: Adam Adler, Andrew Newman and Andrew O’Connor.

“The Cube” is a deceptively simple format in which folks try to win big bucks by completing simple tasks inside a chamber designed to induce stress. It’s done good numbers in the UK (thanks to great scheduling) and NBC has a similar-sounding show called “In It to Win It” bowing March 14.

You’ll recall that “The Cube” first caught the eye of Fox executives last fall. They were developing a take on the concept for a few months but then confirmed in December they had opted to move on.

But Objective TV, part of All 3, didn’t give up. It found interest in the concept at CBS; the network’s interest in the project no doubt shot up more when Harris began entertaining the possibility of hosting.

Assuming CBS decides to move forward with “The Cube,” it’ll be the latest hosting gig for the mega-versatile NPH. He’s already done stints fronting the Emmys, the Tonys and the TV Land Awards. And just this week, he won mostly raves for sitting in as a judge on “American Idol.”

The Hollywood Reporter confirms that CBS has officially picked up How I Met Your Mother for a sixth season, hot on the heels of Craig & Carter signing a 3 year development deal with 20th Century Fox.

Neil presented Joss Whedon with the Vanguard Award for technology and new media at last night’s 21st Annual Producers Guild of America Awards.

Neil Patrick Harris presented the Vanguard Award for technology and new media to writer-director-producer Joss Whedon, calling him “perhaps the only pioneer in the field of sing-along blogs,” a reference to “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along blog,” on which they collaborated.

“Joss Whedon doesn’t just build stories, he builds entire universes,” Harris said, admitting that he had just begun to work on Internet projects. Whedon likened the award to Barack Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize — “it’s (for) what you’re going to do.”

The Hollywood Reporter has an article on the night, and we’ve updated the gallery with some pictures.

In a new Los Angeles Times article, Neil discusses HIMYM, suits and his own personal style.

“I’m a jeans and T-shirt kind of guy,” he said in a recent interview. “I was intimidated by high-end fashion growing up, and I never really bought into all the expensive things they were hawking in the fashion magazines.

“I didn’t know what to make of it. . . . I’d go into Fred Segal and panic at all the $6,000 shirts. I’d just as soon go to H&M and buy a similar shirt for $70.”

Even so, as a result of playing the show’s well-clad cad, Harris has had the luxury of engaging in some sartorial soul-searching. “Because the wardrobe department adds four or five new suits to Barney’s wardrobe each season, I’ve had the chance to try on just about every brand of suit on the market,” he said.

“That’s how I found that certain brands just fit my body type well. Dolce & Gabbana uses thinner fabrics and that makes them more comfortable for me — that’s another thing I’ve learned from” the show.

Harris, who doesn’t rely on a personal stylist to dress him for talk show appearances and red carpets, has even borrowed from the show’s wardrobe on occasion. “That’s one of the great things about being a guy,” he said. “You can just throw on a suit.”

And when pressed, he’ll admit he can see the wisdom of spending good money on denim (he favors Levi’s and Hudson) and underwear — “the stuff you wear all the time,” he said. He shops for clothes at Barneys CO-OP (“the one at the Grove is pretty good, but I’m usually in New York”). He’s partial to shades of blue and gray, shuns bold patterns and confesses a peculiar addiction to V-neck T-shirts.

“Slate gray is my favorite color,” he said. “I probably have 15 gray short-sleeve V-neck T-shirts in my house. Every time I go to buy clothes, I seem to end up with two more. I’ve got dark gray, darker gray, light gray, lighter gray, [and] darker blue-gray.”

You can read the rest of the interview at the LA Times website, and we’ve added the photoshoot pictures to the gallery, along with some pictures of Neil on the phones at the Hope for Haiti Now telethon on Friday night. The two-hour telethon raised $57m. You can continue to donate by phone, text, or via the Hope for Haiti website for the next six months.

Neil also attended the new Pee Wee Herman show at LA’s Club Nokia last week, and talked to TheStar.com about the show, and the chances of Dr Horrible 2.

The night I attended, I happened to spot How I Met Your Mother’s Neil Patrick Harris in the audience, and was able to ask him what he thought of the show during an HIMYM set visit the next day.

He essentially agreed with me, having been both mildly entertained and somewhat disappointed with how much of it was recycled. It needs, we concur, more new gags and characters, along the lines of the featured floating puppet “Sham-Wow,” later accidentally deep-fried and resurrected as a ghost.

Harris, a song-and-dance stage star himself, hinted at an upcoming guest appearance on Glee, likely to be directed by Joss Whedon, for whom he also starred in the musical web hit Dr. Horrible’s Sing-a-long Blog.

Harris is as much in the dark as anyone about the likelihood of a Horrible sequel. “I keep sort of asking (Whedon) if it’s gonna happen, if there’s gonna be any kind of Dr. Horrible-ness,” he says. “They’re anxious to do it, but scheduling becomes the tricky issue.”

The SF Sketchfest website has been updated with the following:

Due to a previously unforseen engagement out of the country that cannot be rescheduled, Neil Patrick Harris has regretfully canceled his appearance at SF Sketchfest, and has been replaced by Jason Segel.

Neil followed this up with a statement of his own last night:

“I’m so terribly disappointed to be missing SK Sketchfest this year, and I did everything in my power to avoid having to withdraw. I’m a huge fan of the festival, and I love the Bay Area, so needless to say, I can’t wait to come back… assuming San Francisco will still have me! Meanwhile, I managed to wrangle Super A-List Movie Star and Sometimes Nudist Jason Segel to join the show in my stead. He’s great. And single. So if you play your card right, you may just get invited to the “after party”, if you know what I mean…”

Apparently refunds are available, so if you purchased a ticket and no longer wish to attend, get in touch with Sketchfest or the Cobb Comedy Club directly and they should be able to help you out.

Neil has recorded a part in Nickelodeon’s hit series, The Penguins of Madagascar. He will voice the character of Dr Blowhole, a “malevolent dolphin who also happens to be the penguins’ longtime nemesis”.

The Penguins of Madagascar is a spin off of the hit film, Madagascar. Neil’s episode will air on Nickelodeon, Feb 15th at 8pm, and is the show’s first Nickelodeon special.

“The Penguins of Madagascar has been a huge success in transferring from film to television,” said Brown Johnson, President, Animation, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids and Family Group.  ”We’re thrilled to give fans this fantastic TV special featuring the multi-talented Neil Patrick Harris as a hilariously disgruntled dolphin.”

In “Dr. Blowhole’s Revenge,” Dr. Blowhole, tired of the penguins foiling his plans to rule land and sea, has returned to annihilate the band of brothers so he may take over the world once and for all.  The first step in his plan is to kidnap King Julien, who Dr. Blowhole mistakenly thinks is Skipper’s best friend.  The penguins set off to rescue their annoying lemur neighbor, only to find they have waddled right into a shocking double-cross.  Skipper, Kowalski, Rico and Private must escape the trap and save the planet before Dr. Blowhole succeeds in flooding the Earth’s surface in an effort to wipe out the existence of all land mammals.

PR Newswire has the full press release.