How I Met NPH!
I arrived in NYC with my older sister Saturday afternoon. We knew NPH was going to be promoting the Tony Awards on various talk shows so we planned on hanging out around where these shows are filmed in order to meet him.
On Monday, my sister and I went over to the studio where "Letterman" is filmed. We missed NPH's arrival by a few minutes. He had signed some things for fans outside, so I was disappointed but settled in to await his departure. Unfortunately, after nearly an hour of waiting, it began to rain and then pour. I caught a glimpse of Neil leaving the theater and ducking into his car. He was too quick for me to even get a photo. He was wearing a red plaid shirt and sunglasses.
So, of course I was bummed, but made plans with my sister to try and meet him outside "Live with Kelly and Michael" this morning. We showed up by the stage door around 8 AM. We waited there with a handful of other fans for well over an hour. As 10 AM approached, the crowd grew and a handful of professional autograph seekers showed up. A security guard came out to tell us that NPH wouldn't be coming out. A few fans left. A short time passed and Rose Byrne (the second guest) left the studio and most of the remaining fans, led by the professional autograph hounds, chased her car to the corner to get autographs and photos. My sister and I stayed put with another NPH lover and talked to the security guard. He told us that he had personally escorted Neil to Katie Couric's studio (located in the same building as Kelly and Michael's show).
So, my sister and I made the journey around the building to the stage door outside Katie Couric. There we waited with only a few fans that had overheard the news about Katie Couric. Unfortunately, the autograph hounds showed up too. We waited there until 11:30-ish when NPH appeared. He very graciously signed autographs and posed for photos (even indulging the very pushy autograph hounds who only want to sell his autograph and most of whom don't even know who he is). After signing for a few of the autograph hounds, I was the first real fan he came across.
I asked him if he could sign and personalize the HIMYM photo I'd printed on a black & white printer in the business center of the hotel where I'm staying. (I hadn't thought ahead and packed something for him to sign in the off chance I'd be successful...not that I had room in my luggage anyway.) He was happy to do so. I then told him he is my favorite actor and he's on my favorite show. He gave me a sincere "thank you."
He also personalized an autograph to my sister Stephanie. He asked her: "Stephanie with a 'ph'?" She replied, "Exactly," and then went on to tell him that meeting him has totally made our trip to NYC. He said, "Awwww." Then she asked if she could snap a photo of him and he agreed.
He was super nice and terrific to everyone.
(NPH posing with a fan who I met while waiting in line.)
(NPH posing with a random fan.)
(NPH posing with a fan who I met while waiting in line.)
After Neil left, the security guard told us that David Hyde Pierce would be exiting the building soon as well. I had to stick around for that! My sister and I are fans (love Niles Crane!) and we have tickets to see his play "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" on Thursday. He was just as wonderful as Neil and totally willing to personalize the autographs to us.
(If you can't make out his handwriting he wrote: "To Rachel / Best Wishes / David Hyde Pierce".)
I told him we were seeing his play on Thursday and he said, "Wonderful. You'll really enjoy it." Then I told him we really loved him as Niles. He thanked us for that and then went on to sign for the autograph hounds.
On another note, on the day of my arrival, I was surprised to see a huge HIMYM display taking up an entire storefront around the corner from my hotel (promoting that it airs on MyTV). My sister took these photos Monday night after our "Letterman" disappointment and a performance of "Chicago" starring one of my favorite Broadway stars (other than NPH) Adam Pascal. Please forgive the poorly-placed reflections; despite her best efforts, my sister couldn't find an angle that didn't produce the glare.
(I noticed Robin's dress is photoshopped blue and that they made her look almost taller than Barney. I don't get why they couldn't use a picture of B/R together taken from the same photoshoot (like they did for M/L), such as one of the pictures on the Season 6 DVD episode menus when they're literally walking arm-in-arm. That would have been cuter and looked less weird!)
(I haven't played this game yet.)
(Every time I've passed by this so far, I've seen many tourists stop and get their pictures taken with Barney.)
And, finally, don't forget to watch NPH host the Tony Awards on Sunday!
(A day shot of Radio City Music Hall announcing NPH as the host of the Tony Awards.)
(And, a night shot.)