Neil Patrick Harris & David Burtka Out February 2012 The "Love Issue"

Neil Patrick Harris Writes His Hollywood Survival Guide For EW

Is there anything Neil Patrick Harris can’t do? He acts! He rocks jokes! He sings! He dances! He acts! He hosts! He performs magic! And now let’s add yet another talent to that list: He writes a damn good cover story! EW learned this firsthand — and you will too — when you open this week’s issue. We placed a pencil in the 38-year-old actor’s mouth hand and asked him to pen his version of a Hollywood Survival Guide, which details everything from the highs and lows of teen stardom, thanks to his role as a precocious doctor on Doogie Howser, M.D., to the joy of finding unexpected success as legendary bachelor Barney Stinson on CBS’ How I Met Your Mother. NPH also offers some sage advice on navigating interviews (reveal your personal life, not your private life) and how to act on a set (“Never be a d-bag to the crew”). Herewith, a few excerpts from his story:
LEARN THE OBOE, GO TO DRAMA CAMP, AND PRAY LIKE HELL FOR A LUCKY BREAK
I was very musical at a young age. So much so that Churchill Cooke, our elementary school band and choir director, let me teach parts in the choir when I was in the fourth grade. First I played the xylophone, then marimba, cymbals, French horn, bassoon — I became a sort of jack-of-all-trades. It’s a mindset that I think never really left me. Mr. Cooke would say, “We need an oboe part for this piece, Neil. Learn oboe.” And I would say, “Sure, Mr. Cooke. Who needs friends?”
BRACE FOR THE WAVE(S)
Mr. Steven Bochco is a very wise man. After a many-monthed nationwide search to find a precocious teenage doctor, he hired me. But I suppose he’s wise for other reasons, too: Right when Doogie Howser, M.D. was beginning, he took my parents and me to a restaurant, sat us down, and said, “A career is like surfing. You paddle out and paddle out and get wet and hit by these waves. When you finally get out where you’re supposed to go, you have to sit on a surfboard for a long time, just waiting. If you’re really lucky, you’ll catch a wave, and it’ll be the most amazing feeling. But the key is that that wave will inevitably crash to the sand. Then what you have to do is paddle back out and get hit by a bunch of waves again. But trust that in the long term there will always be waves to catch.” To a young family from New Mexico, you can imagine our reaction: “What the hell is surfing?” But thinking back, it was a very impressive thing to hear as a kid and, as it turns out, absolutely accurate.
BE A SLUT (PROFESSIONALLY SPEAKING)
It’s good to have a lot of once-in-a-lifetimes in your lifetime. If you get the chance to skydive, go skydiving. If you’re offered a part in a weird Shakespeare play in San Diego, slap on some tights and rock out some iambic pentameter. If you’re offered the opportunity to have a swastika painted on your ass, glitter on your nipples, and to simulate sex with a man and a woman behind a curtain, go for it… provided it’s Cabaret on Broadway and not in some dude’s basement.

The Emmy Awards: The Red Carpet

THE GLEE LADIES

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NEVER LOOKED BETTER


NEVER LOOKED BETTER


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MEN

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COUPLES



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Emmy Awards Predictions

My Emmy Awards predictions in 10 main categories, and the reasons why I pick each!

*Outstanding Comedy Series


-Curb Your Enthusiasm
-Glee
-Modern Family
-Nurse Jackie
-The Office
-30 Rock

Will Win: Modern Family
May Win: Glee
Should Win: Glee

Modern Family is the new kid on the block, a favorite with both critics and audiences, is really good and more typical than Glee to be named best comedy series.
Glee is also a new kid, and is a show about a group of outcasts, Americans looooove that, c'mon is the little engine that could, Helloooo!!!
They both have the most nominations but the edge goes to MF.

*Outstanding Drama Series


-Breaking Bad
-Dexter
-The Good Wife
-Lost
-Mad Men
-True Blood

Will Win: Lost
May Win: Mad Men
Should Win: True Blood

This was the final season of Lost, the show won once before, enough said.
Mad Men is an Academy's darling, has won 2 years in a row, could win once again.
True Blood's second season was even better than the first one, and is just getting better and better, why not award such an outstanding work.

*Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series


-Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
-Larry David, Curb Your Enthusiasm
-Matthew Morrison, Glee
-Tony Shalhoub, Monk
-Steve Carell, The Office
-Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock

Will Win: Steve Carell
May Win: Alec Baldwin
Should Win: Matthew Morrison

Steve Carell just announced he'll be leaving The Office after next season, rumor has it Alec Baldwin will leave 30 Rock too, but something tells me this is Steve Carell's year to finally win, although Alec Baldwin has won like 3 years in a row, 50% each.
Matthew Morrison is the heart of Glee, I love him & the show, period.

*Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series


-Lea Michele, Glee
-Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures Of Old Christine
-Edie Falco, Nurse Jackie
-Amy Poehler, Parks And Recreation
-Tina Fey, 30 Rock
-Toni Collette, United States Of Tara

Will Win: Edie Falco
May Win: Amy Poehler
Should Win: Lea Michele

Edie Falco's tenure as Carmela Soprano will prevail over the other nominees.
Amy Poehler's Parks And Recreation improved after a not so good first season, plus she was an MVP on SNL for years, is like 40/60 between this 2, but the edge goes to Edie Falco.
As I said before, I love Glee, and Lea Michele's "future star" Rachel Berry is front and center as the face of the show, but this is a case of "it's an honor to be nominated."

*Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series


-Bryan Cranston, Breaking Bad
-Michael C. Hall, Dexter
-Kyle Chandler, Friday Night Lights
-Hugh Laurie, House
-Matthew Fox, Lost
-Jon Hamm, Mad Men

Will Win: Bryan Cranston
May Win: Matthew Fox
Should Win: Michael C. Hall

Bryan Cranston has won 2 out of 2, Matthew Fox carried Lost for six years, this is another 50/50 battle, but the edge goes to Bryan Cranston.
How is it possible that such an accomplished actor as Michael C. Hall is still Emmyless????

*Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series


-Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
-Glenn Close, Damages
-Connie Britton, Friday Night Lights
-Julianna Margulies, The Good Wife
-Mariska Hargitay, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
-January Jones, Mad Men

Will Win: Julianna Margulies
May Win: Glenn Close
Should Win: Julianna Margulies

Julianna Margulies is a previous winner for ER, already won The Golden Globe and The SAG for The Good Wife, is a done deal.
Glenn Close might, but won't win.

*Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series


-Chris Colfer, Glee
-Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
-Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Modern Family
-Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family
-Ty Burrell, Modern Family
-Jon Cryer, Two And A Half Men

Will Win: Neil Patrick Harris
May Win: Chris Colfer
Should Win: Neil Patrick Harris

NPH has been a favorite in this category for 3 years in a row, he even hosted the show last year, only to lose 2 times to Jeremy Piven and Jon Cryer last year (WTF!!!!), but he already won the 2 other Emmys he was nominated for last week at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, so I think this will be the year of the Barneycle!
The 3 guys from MF will cancelled each other out, there's no way in hell Jon Cryer wins again, so if I have to pick someone else, why not Glee's Chris Colfer, the best depiction of a gay teen to come to TV in years, perfect balance of sass and gravitas in a role that could turn into a token character, and a heck of a singer.

*Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Comedy Series


-Jane Lynch, Glee
-Julie Bowen, Modern Family
-Sofia Vergara, Modern Family
-Kristen Wiig, Saturday Night Live
-Jane Krakowski, 30 Rock
-Holland Taylor, Two And A Half Men

Will Win: Jane Lynch
May Win: Sofia Vergara
Should Win: Jane Lynch

Stealing every single one of the scenes she's in: Jane Lynch,
Jane Lynch, Jane Lynch, Jane Lynch, Jane Lynch!!!
If Glee has a clear, 100% shot at striking Emmy gold is in this category, the statue already has the plaque with her name on it.
Sofia Vergara will win in a few years if MF keeps doing the superb work
they did in their first season. So I predict Sofia Vergara the winner in this category in like 2015.

*Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series


-Aaron Paul, Breaking Bad
-Martin Short, Damages
-Terry O’Quinn, Lost
-Michael Emerson, Lost
-John Slattery, Mad Men
-Andre Braugher, Men Of A Certain Age

Will Win: Michael Emerson
May Win: Terry O’Quinn
Should Win: John Slattery

Michael Emerson/Terry O'Quinn. Terry O'Quinn/Michael Emerson, I'd normally think this 2 could cancel each other out, but in this case I think there's a 50/50 chance for both.
But the edge goes to Michael Emerson because he was the bad guy.
Mad Men's John Slattery is possibly the best actor in this category, that's why I'm picking him as my favorite.

*Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series


-Sharon Gless, Burn Notice
-Rose Byrne, Damages
-Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
-Christine Baranski, The Good Wife
-Christina Hendricks, Mad Men
-Elisabeth Moss, Mad Men

Will Win: Christine Baranski
May Win: Elisabeth Moss
Should Win: Sharon Gless

Christine Baranski is as good in a drama as she is in a comedy, she does TV, movies, theater and is also a past Emmy winner (for her role in Cybill), so I'm choosing her based on her credentials.
Elisabeth Moss from Mad Men is good, and a scene stealer but she is not going to win, I'm just picking a name here, hahaha.
Burn Notice is pure escapism fun, Sharon Gless won the Emmy a few times in the 80s for Cagney & Lacey, but her nomination came kinda out of nowhere. I pick her as my favorite because she is as good in BN as she was for 5 seasons in Queer As Folk. Is a matter of pure loyalty!!!

NPH 2 Time Emmy Winner

This past saturday in Los Angeles Neil Patrick Harris won the 2 awards he was nominated for at the Creative Arts Emmys in the categories for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series and for emceeing the 2009 Tony Awards, for which he was recently added as a nominee thanks to The Times writer Chris "Boomer" Beachum less than 2 weeks ago, when Beachum notify the Academy of Harris' omition, a fact that was aknowledged by Harris on his acceptance speech, when he said:

"I want to thank Boomer from the Envelope who told me I was even eligible for this award!"

Neil still has one more nomination and is once again the favorite in the category for Supporting Actor In A Comedy Series at The Primetime Emmy Awards for his portrayal of the delusional and womanizing Barney Stinson in the CBS comedy show How I Met Your Mother, the ceremony will be brodcast live on sunday August 29.

Below there's a video of what Neil had to say backstage about the awards and the next season of HIMYM



PS: Congrats also to Betty White who was named Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for hosting Saturday Night Live, which she unfortunately was not on hand to accept in person!