How I Met Your Mother: Conan O’Brien’s Cameo Explained

Talk show host Conan O’Brien briefly appeared in an episode of How I Met Your Mother. Unlike previous guest stars, O’Brien didn’t actually speak and instead simply served as a background extra – and there’s an interesting story behind his walk-on role.

How I Met Your Mother had its fair share of guest stars over the CBS sitcom’s nine-season run. The series featured guest roles from actors like Bryan Cranston, Joe Manganiello, Kyle MacLachlan, and John Lithgow, and musical artists like Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Nicole Scherzinger, and Jennifer Lopez. Some roles were brief, while others lasted multiple episodes or arcs that occurred over a number of seasons. Either way, How I Met Your Mother had a history of attracting big names.

O’Brien’s cameo appearance came during the seventeenth episode of How I Met Your Mother season 7. The episode, titled “No Pressure,” focused on Ted confessing his feelings for Robin after she broke up with her boyfriends. Marshall and Lily had differing views regarding Ted’s attempt to win back Robin. Barney later learned that Marshall and Lily had a bet centering on whether or not Ted and Robin would end up together. While discussing the bet at MacLaren’s, a familiar face appeared in the background. In the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene, O’Brien was shown standing up in the bar wearing a leather jacket and holding a beer. His role could have been more prominent, but the comedian wanted to blend in as an extra.

How Conan O’Brien Got A Part On How I Met Your Mother

O’Brien got his cameo on How I Met Your Mother through an interesting situation. When Neil Patrick Harris served as a guest on O’Brien’s talk show the year before, it was revealed that O’Brien outbid himself for the walk-on role at a charity auction. When the show’s creators and writing team learned that O’Brien won, they wanted to write a bigger role for him. However, O’Brien felt that it would be funnier if he just randomly appeared in the background in a non-speaking cameo. The writing team then agreed, because it’s not uncommon for celebrities to appear unnoticed in New York City bars.

Amusingly enough, How I Met Your Mother wasn’t the first show that O’Brien cameoed as himself. In fact, the talk show host appeared in a brief non-speaking cameo during The Office season 2. While walking in New York City, Michael Scott thought he saw Tina Fey but it was just a random woman. During that same moment, O’Brien walked by Michael who completely missed the encounter until he was informed by the cameraman.

About The Author

Kara Hedash
(1745 Articles Published)

Kara Hedash is a features editor and writer for Screen Rant. From time to time, she dives into the world’s most popular franchises but Kara primarily focuses on evergreen topics. The fact that she gets to write about The Office regularly is like a dream come true. Before joining Screen Rant, Kara served as a contributor for Movie Pilot and had work published on The Mary Sue and Reel Honey. After graduating college, writing began as a part-time hobby for Kara but it quickly turned into a career. She loves binging a new series and watching movies ranging from Hollywood blockbusters to hidden indie gems. She also has a soft spot for horror ever since she started watching it at too young of an age. Her favorite Avenger is Thor and her favorite Disney princess is Leia Organa. When Kara’s not busy writing, you can find her doing yoga or hanging out with Gritty.

More From Kara Hedash