How I Met Your Mother: Every Slap, Ranked By Funniness

How I Met Your Mother is full of running gags and jokes that play a big part in the show, but one of the best is the reoccurring ‘Slap Bet’ that Marshall and Barney have. This creates some hilarious physical comedy as the two men slap each other countless times over the course of the series, with this being the punishment for bets they agree to.

Extra rules are added when they end up breaking the rules of the slap, but the one thing they always provide is great comedy. Because you never know when they’re coming or in what manner, the slaps are often unexpected and the big reactions that they create only make them funnier.

9 The Original Slap

The very first slap takes place in the episode, “Slap Bet” and it doesn’t take long for Marshall to dish out his attack after the bet is done. The slap takes place inside the pub with Barney seemingly forgetting about the bet, which allows Marshall to strike.

It’s a funny moment purely because it’s the first time that it ever happens. However, it doesn’t quite hold up to what the show would go on to do with the slaps as the show often built the tension for them and the reactions tended to be much bigger. However, the joke about the size of Marshall’s hand was certainly a fun part of this one.

8 “That’s One”

Following a decision by Lily to give Marshall five slaps that can be used at any point, Marshall drops his friend with a vicious backhanded slap that really stuns Barney. After watching the hilarious footage of Robin rapping, Marshall rocks Barney with one of the best-looking slaps of the entire bet.

The fact that he teases it first is what makes this one so good. Marshall teases but then backs off, seemingly not wanting to commit to the slap just yet, so when he does it comes as a fun surprise.

7 Ducky Tie Slaps

The big bulk of the slap bet comes from the five major slaps that Marshall gets given. However, this fifth slap comes with a price and for Barney, it leads to an extra three slaps. Barney wants to no longer wear the ducky tie, but in order to do that, he has to give Marshall another three.

He agrees to that idea, and he quickly takes off the tie. However, this sets up the fifth slap from Marshall, who delivers it straight away at the bar. It’s a good slap and then Marshall follows it up with another slap immediately, making this a two for one.

6 Triple Slap

There is a lot of confusion following the first slap and the rules that are surrounding it. Because of that, Lily as the slap bet commissioner provides Barney with three slaps when they believe that Marshall has broken the rules of the bet.

Rather than waiting or spreading them out, Barney opts to go for a triple shot immediately, leaving Marshall stunned. It’s a hilarious moment as Marshall gets a tear in his eye as he struggles to deal with the shock of three rapid slaps.

5 The Wedding Slap

The final slap of the show is saved for a major occasion, with this taking place at Barney and Robin’s wedding. While the slap is obviously funny, because its very nature is for that, it is actually a nice moment as well, as Marshall helps Barney snap out of his nerves.

He is worried and stressed about the wedding as he stands waiting for Robin to appear. Sensing the worry, Marshall decides the best course of action is to slap him, bringing an end to his panic as the slap bet is officially over, with that distraction allowing him to regain his focus.

4 Slapsgiving 2: Revenge Of The Slap

For the second Thanksgiving in a row, Marshall decides to bring his slap out, but this time with a twist. He offers the slap to someone else, and this sets a chain in motion of the group all giving the slap to each other as they’re not able to go through with it.

Eventually, Marshall reveals that was his plan all along, as he wanted them to get along, and while it’s not as funny it does provide a sweeter moment. That is, until Marshall slaps Barney anyway, creating a fun surprise.

3 Boyz II Men

In season nine, Marshall pulled out all the stops for his next slap, which was a fantastic one to see. He teased this slap heavily, claiming it would be the “slap of a million exploding suns.” It was certainly a big slap, and one that hurt Barney, but it was the aftermath that made this so funny.

Marshall brought out the band, Boyz II Men, as they sang “You Just Got Slapped,” which created one of the most memorable and funny moments in the history of the show. It was over the top and utterly ridiculous, but that is exactly what the slap bet was supposed to be.

2 A Show-Stopping Slap

The entire scene of Barney’s one-man show is absolutely hilarious. Wanting to make Lily suffer after being bored during her show, Barney puts on his own and he makes it as boring as possible, with the full intention being to annoy all of his friends. 

When he dresses up as a robot, busting out his moves Marshall sees red. Getting up to slap Barney as hard as possible, he goes flying across the stage as Marshall simply says, “that’s two,” gaining a round of applause from his friends in what is a hilarious moment.

1 Slapsgiving

The original Slapsgiving is the third official slap that Marshall gets, and it is an absolutely hilarious one. This slap is great because it is set up and heavily hyped with Marshall’s countdown website, which adds to Barney’s stress. Even though Lily originally stops the slap from happening, as Barney gets cocky in the final five seconds, she lets it happen which makes it a surprise again.

Barney sells the slap in an amazing way too, falling backwards, smashing a table upon his fall. But the funniest element of this slap is the fact that Marshall actually performs a song on the piano, with Barney’s screams in pain only adding to the hilarity of the situation.

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