How We Made Your Mother

Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas revisit Season 4, Episode 6, “Happily Ever After,” as Ted and the gang hide under a restaurant table to avoid Stella—and confront some uncomfortable memories of their own. Josh recalls the challenges of filming beneath the table, while Craig shares hilarious international episode titles and behind-the-scenes stories from director Pamela Fryman. They discuss Lily’s embarrassing past, Robin’s complicated childhood, Barney’s prison romance, and Ted’s struggle to process heartbreak. Plus, Alek shares his own real-life hiding story, Josh remembers Jason Segel’s attempts to make him break character, and a bizarre listener letter connects How I Met Your Mother to Finnish presidential history.

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What We Spend is back for another season of diving into the financial questions you never get to ask. In Season 2 we’ll ask a brand new set of people from across the country and the financial spectrum to open their wallets — and their lives — and share what they make, what they want, and, for one week, what they spend. If you want to be on What We Spend, we’d love to hear from you. Write us at: [email protected]

Available now: link.pscrb.fm/f0281/WWS_HWMYM

Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas welcome actor and comedian Jason Jones, who played Tony, to revisit the Season 4 episode “Shelter Island,” in which Ted’s whirlwind wedding plans come crashing down. Jason shares memories of working with Josh and Sarah Chalke, his transition from Shakespeare to comedy, and some wild behind-the-scenes stories from The Daily Show, including a potentially dangerous adventure in Iran. He also reveals why How I Met Your Mother remains one of his most recognizable roles, with unforgettable fan encounters in Yosemite and Tuscany. Josh and Craig dig into the episode’s shocking ending, the clever misdirection surrounding Robin, and how scheduling challenges helped shape Ted and Stella’s rushed wedding. They also celebrate the episode’s callbacks, hidden clues, memorable jokes, and emotional final montage, while reflecting on Ted’s tendency to skip ahead in his love story, the importance of listening to friends, and why even devastating heartbreak can ultimately lead us exactly where we need to be.
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READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
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CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
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SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
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AND MORE:
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Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

Guys, guys, guys! Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas are revisiting “Intervention,” one of their all-time favorite episodes of How I Met Your Mother, and Alek surprises them with a guest: Michael Shea, the show's longtime first assistant director, who made his television directing debut with this very episode! Michael shares behind-the-scenes stories about the challenges of filming the show's elaborate flashbacks, Neil Patrick Harris's old-man makeup, and Josh's desperate race to catch a flight to Burning Man. Plus, the origin of Michael's legendary “Guys, guys, guys!” catchphrase, and a heartfelt tribute to director Pamela Fryman's leadership on set. Josh and Craig also dig into the episode's brilliantly interconnected storylines, from Barney's outrageous time-travel pickup scheme to the gang's increasingly ridiculous interventions, and explore the deeper themes of friendship, nostalgia, and the fear of change. But first, an emotional message from a listener reminds Craig just how powerful sharing our most vulnerable stories can be.

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CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
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SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
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AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

As a bonus episode for you this week, we are presenting an interview that Josh conducted with Ian Leslie, the author of a book that Josh and Craig have talked about on the podcast several times, John and Paul: A Love Story in Song. This was originally presented by Barnes and Noble as a virtual event.

Check out the book at BN.com.

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READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
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CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
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SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
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AND MORE:
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Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

New York City or New Jersey? Love or compromise? Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas revisit the Season 4 episode “I Heart NJ,” as Ted and Stella discover that falling in love and building a life together are two very different things. Josh and Craig explore the challenges of relationships, the sacrifices that come with commitment, and why becoming a parent has completely changed their perspective on Ted’s dilemma. Along the way, they celebrate Marshall’s hilarious meltdown, Barney’s unwavering commitment to a fist bump, Robin’s increasingly ridiculous Metro News assignments, and the early seeds of two future HIMYM classics: The Playbook and The Blitz. Plus, Craig reveals how the show landed Bruce Springsteen’s “Jersey Girl,” Josh reflects on the difference between fear and intuition, and a heartfelt letter from a listener reveals just how deeply How I Met Your Mother continues to shape lives.

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CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
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READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
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CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
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SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
Click HERE to learn more and donate today.
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FOLLOW THE OFFICE LADIES:
Check out "Office Ladies" at https://officeladies.com/ or wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod
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AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

Josh and Craig revisit Season 4, Episode 2, “The Best Burger in New York,” a beloved episode that turns Marshall’s search for an elusive burger into something much bigger: a story about nostalgia, aging, compromise, and trying to recapture the wonder of your younger self. They celebrate Regis Philbin’s legendary guest appearance, Jason Segel’s Amadeus-inspired burger monologue, the real New York locations that inspired the episode, and the little details that make the gang feel like a family. Josh shares his own version of Marshall’s quest involving a mysterious “lost Moby song,” while Craig remembers watching the landmarks of his twenties disappear as New York changed around him. They also discuss Marshall’s struggle between his youthful idealism and taking a job at Goliath National Bank, Neil Patrick Harris treating even the smallest Barney storyline like an A-story, and the hilarity of discovering that a contemporary critic gave this now-classic episode a D. Plus, Jordana returns with an analysis of Marshall’s burger obsession as a way of processing the grief of growing up and letting go of the person you once imagined you would become — and how friendship and love help carry us through that loss.

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Read Why on Earth Have I Seen the Same Broadway Show 13 Times? An Investigation by Taffy Brodesser-Akner
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CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
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SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
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AND MORE:
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Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

Josh Radnor and Craig Thomas kick off Season 4 with “Do I Know You?,” revisiting Ted and Stella’s engagement and the question at the heart of the episode: how well do you really need to know someone before deciding to marry them? They dig into the now-iconic “Star Wars test,” Ted’s anxiety over whether Stella will love the things he loves, and the larger challenge of accepting that your partner won’t always share your tastes. They also explore Barney’s newly revealed feelings for Robin, Lily’s role as his emotional coach, and Neil Patrick Harris’s remarkable physical comedy, while celebrating Sarah Chalke’s chemistry with Josh and her very specific technique for a perfect pratfall. Along the way, Josh and Craig talk about the hidden craft behind seemingly effortless acting, why everyone feels so comfortably inside their characters by Season 4, and the season that earned How I Met Your Mother its only Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy nomination. Plus, Josh remembers realizing at the Emmys that every camera was already pointed at Tina Fey, Craig connects the episode’s Star Wars test to Josh watching HIMYM with Jordana for the first time, and a listener shares how the series helped her through heartbreak and an ADHD diagnosis. 

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CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
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READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
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CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
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SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
Click HERE to learn more and donate today.
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FOLLOW THE OFFICE LADIES:
Check out "Office Ladies" at https://officeladies.com/ or wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod
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AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

Josh and Craig close out Season 3 with director Pamela Fryman to revisit “Miracles,” an episode about fate, near-death experiences, and the universe’s uncanny way of pushing people back toward one another. Pam remembers the extraordinary teamwork required to produce nine episodes in eleven weeks after the writers’ strike, while Josh and Craig unpack Ted’s car accident, Barney’s collision with a bus, Ted and Barney’s reconciliation, and Ted’s impulsive proposal to Stella. Chris Harris reveals the painfully true story behind the pencil-up-Barney’s-nose gag, and the trio discuss Neil Patrick Harris’s commitment, Sarah Chalke’s arrival, the episode’s memorable Radiohead and Replacements needle drops, and Pam’s daughters’ hidden cameo. Plus, Josh’s wife Jordana shares what it was like watching him rediscover the series, Pam reflects on the crew’s lasting family bond, and a listener explains how How I Met Your Mother became the soundtrack to his family’s life.

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CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
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READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
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CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
-
SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
Click HERE to learn more and donate today.
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FOLLOW THE OFFICE LADIES:
Check out "Office Ladies" at https://officeladies.com/ or wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod
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AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website
Josh on Spotify
Craig’s Official Website (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack

Peter Hamby, Puck’s award-winning political correspondent, takes you deep inside the machinery of modern campaigns with the actual strategists, operatives, pollsters, lobbyists, politicians, and shadow power players working to elect the next president. Focused on the road to 2028 but ranging far beyond it, the show explores the media, money, technology, and generational forces transforming how politics is practiced—and how power is won.

Listen Here: link.pscrb.fm/f0281/TMP