From its inception in 2005 until its controversial ending in 2014, How I Met Your Mother was a smash hit, raking in ratings, awards, and money for its cast and crew as well as being hugely popular, accumulating a huge base of adoring fans over the years.
The show was so popular and well done that it led to a series of celebrity cameos. While there were stars such as Joe Manganiello, Bob Odenkirk, and Bryan Cranston with recurring roles in the show, there were many stars who only appeared briefly, or for one episode that you would be forgiven for forgetting. Here are some of the many celebrity cameos in How I Met Your Mother you forgot about.
Ralph Macchio (As Himself) - Season 8 Episode 22
How I Met Your Mother fans know all about Barney’s adoration for the bad guys of pop culture with a hatred for the good guys. Barney’s love for the stereotypical bad guy is epitomized in his love for Karate Kid star William Zabka, and hatred of Ralph Macchio.
In the episode The Bro Mitzvah, the gang all plans Barney’s bachelor party, deliberately making it an awful affair. Before the reveal of the recurring character in the show William Zabka was attending the party, Ted and Marshall introduced Ralph Macchio in a great cameo which is overshadowed by the aforementioned Zabka.
Keegan Michael Key & Casey Wilson (As Calvin & Krirsten) - Season 8 Episode 24
In the episode Something New, as Barney and Robin’s wedding approaches, the two go out for dinner on a date night in which sees them meet their self-proclaimed arch enemies in the form of an obnoxious couple by the names of Calvin and Krirsten, with two r’s.
Calvin is played by the hilarious Keegan Michael Key from various comedic films and shows including Key & Peele, while Krirsten is played by Casey Wilson a comedian and actress known for her SNL stint and Happy Endings. The two appear in the singular episode in which Barney and Robin set out to destroy them which results in the pair getting engaged.
Regis Philbin (As Himself) - Season 4 Episode 2
In the episode, The Best Burger In New York, fans of the show are treated to another game show host appearance - to go alongside Bob Barker and Alex Trebek’s appearances - in the form of Regis Philbin, known for various talk and game shows.
Marshall is on a quest to find the burger he had years ago which he claimed was the best in New York. On the gang’s journey, they go to Regis Philbin for help, but he also wants to find the burger and demands they call him if they find it. In the end, they find the burger and phone Philbin, causing him to leave his fictional gameshow Million Dollar Heads or Tails.
Kim Kardashian West (As Herself) - Season 4 Episode 12
In the episode Benefits, fans are treated to a couple of celebrity cameos including Kendra Wilkinson, Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt, and of course, Kim Kardashian West, all of which appear as themselves, all as talking magazine covers.
One of the episode’s stories follows Marshall as he admits his embarrassment in using the office bathroom. Throughout the episode as he overcomes his fears, he is spoken too by celebrities on the various magazines he holds, one is the famous Kim Kardashian who Marshall admits he has no idea why she is famous.
Jorge Garcia (As Steve ‘The Blitz’ Henry) - Season 6 Episode 10
In the episode, Blitzgiving fans are treated to the infamous curse of the blitz in a Thanksgiving episode of the show. This curse brings into the show the character of Steve Henry a.k.a ’the Blitz’ as played by Lost actor Jorge Garcias.
The blitz is a curse handed down in the Wesleyan university alumni which resulted in the recipient leaving a group or situation directly before something awesome happens. Throughout the episode, the blitz is passed from Henry to Ted to Barney back to Henry in what is a positively received episode that is full of references and a good appearance from Garcia.
Heidi Klum (As Herself) - Season 3 Episode 10
In the episode The Yips there is a brief cameo from the German-American, entertainment personality, and multifaceted model Heidi Klum as Barney, Marshall, and Ted meet her at a Victorias Secret fashion show.
The episode follows Barney as he loses his mojo with women and when he meets Heidi Klum - intending to sleep with her - he is unable to speak to her, unable to hit on women at all until he sleeps with the woman who took his virginity.
Katie Holmes (As Naomi ‘The Slutty Pumpkin’) - Season 7 Episode 9
The ‘slutty pumpkin’ was a long time mystery of How I Met Your Mother as we are introduced to the idea in season 1 when Ted talks about how he met her one Halloween and has looked for her every year since.
Fans are finally treated to her appearance in The Slutty Pumpkin Returns and it is revealed as being Katie Holmes a talented actress known for her roles in Dawson’s Creek and Batman Begins. The episode follows the pair meeting and realizing they are not meant to be together.
Boyz Ii Men (As Themselves) - Season 9 Episode 14
There was a slew of popstar cameos in How I Met Your Mother. From Jennifer Lopez as Anita to Katy Perry as Honey to Enrique Iglesias as Gael to Britney Spears as Amy. None though were as strange or as random as that of Boyz II Men.
In the episode Slapsgiving 3: Slappointment In Slapmarra Marshall tells the tale of how he has traveled and trained for a year to master the art of the slap for his next slap on Barney. After his plan is complete and he slaps Barney for the second last time, at the end of the episode, Marshall looks to the camera and introduces Boyz II Men who proceed to sing about the Slap.
‘Weird Al’ Yankovic (As Himself) - Season 7 Episode 7
In the episode, Noretta Kevin gets uncomfortable with Ted and Robin’s relationship after he invites her to go to a ‘Weird Al’ show with him, which later Kevin agrees to do. This comes after Ted’s desperate attempt to convince the gang he gave ‘Weird Al’ the idea for “Like A Surgeon”.
Nobody believes Ted, but in the very last shot of the episode, fans are treated to a small cameo of ‘Weird Al’ going through his fan mail in 1985 as he comes across a letter from young Ted Mosby giving him the idea for the song.
The Spouses Of The Gang (As ‘Scooter’, Sandy Rivers, And Blauman) - In Various
Throughout the show, there are various guest appearances from the real-life spouses of the 3 out of the 5 gang members who are married in real life. Cobie Smulders husband Taran Killam, Neil Patrick Harris’ husband David Burtka, and Alyson Hannigan’s husband Alex Denisof.
This group is all more prominent than the guest stars above, but not many fans will know they are all spouses of the cast. On top of that, it is very easy to forget that those who play them are celebrities in their own right. David Burtka who plays Scooter is a successful chef, Taran Killam who plays Blauman is an SNL alumn, and Alex Denisof starred alongside his wife Hannigan in Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
