Are you long time tonight? Do you miss me tonight? Are you? Sorry we drifted apart? Does your men? And we're back. Hi, guys. Welcome to significant lovers. We are your hosts. My name is Mel. I'm Kel. And we are two cousins. Two cousins. And this is our 54th episode of Significant Lovers. It's flying by. It's fall finally October. Halloween, she says. Fall is our season for significant lovers. It's the brand. It's our brand. It's our thing for us. It's fall all year long.
Yep, but now it's. Super Fall Melo actually went all out for fall. She has, so far, pumpkins she bought pumpkin bars, pumpkin bread, Maple fudge. Uh, huh. What else did you get? A Candles pumpkin we have. I think they're apple cinnamon. We have cider, donut and spider inspired cider right now. It's so comforting. It fall. I think it's a great time of year to fall in love too. Well, it's cuffing season. It is. I never heard of that until like two years ago.
Yeah, I mean, it totally makes sense. I mean, even just the other day I was walking at night and I was like, I really want to cuddle right now. I feel like, honestly, summer. Summer can make you like, I don't know if I should say this. It can make you feel like always say it. Start sea in a way, you know what I mean? I think people are very distracted in summer. Yes, I think that's a hard time.
We're. Busy hard time to start a longterm romance because people go off on vacation and then you never hear from them again. Yeah, exactly. But once it starts, the sun starts setting earlier and it's darker. You want to be cozied up inside with somebody and it's colder. You're less motivated to mingle sometimes, and it's easier. Like settle, Not settle. But yeah, And you want to do things like go to the movies. Exactly. It just feels more romantic too.
Exactly. And in the summer, you're like, sweaty. You feel kind of gross sometimes. After a date, you're like, don't touch me, because I definitely smell right now. No, that's true. Yeah, so Fall and When Harry Met Sally, you know, that sort of thing. That's our inspiration. You know what I just this is nothing to do with the episode. I just rewatched Sleepless in Seattle. Oh, I haven't rewatched it in
years. Yeah, I only saw that one time with you and we were both a little under impressed. We were. Compared to the other two in the Big Three You Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally. But I really did like it. Upon the rewatch, I should rewatch it. Still my least favorite, but of the three, yeah, I would say. Is there any fall in it? Just wondering. I would say it's more Christmas. OK, OK, great. Yeah. Yeah, we should watch. I mean, yeah. Rosie O'Donnell is in it. Really.
I really like her. Yeah, I like Rosie O'Donnell too. She's. So funny. So funny. So charming. Oh my gosh. I love her. In a league of their own. Yeah. Well, today segue into today's couple is a Halloween couple. That was my inspiration for picking this episode. Now we don't have to do themes with the couples, but kind of want to do. And I was thinking, who can I do for Halloween, you know?
And I had a couple ideas, but some of them I felt like I couldn't pull off and I asked my sisters for advice. I was really searching. And Shannon, I think suggested what about Neil Patrick Harris and his husband David Burka? Reason being, they are super into Halloween. I love that insanely into Halloween. Every year their whole family dresses up all in matching, you know, theme costumes. They're so into it and they didn't have a Halloween related scandal a couple years ago, so.
Okay, But there is way more to them than that isn't. They're not just about Halloween costumes, but it'll be fun. But I love that they share in that passion. I will say there's nothing I hate more than when you go to a Halloween party or a costume party and some people do not give it their all. Yeah. And I'm sorry if you're one of those people listening, Let's have fun. Yeah, you know, does somebody have to give it their all or you at least want to see? Dress up. Just dress up.
You don't dress up. That's my pet pee. I know. I hate that for a themed party. When people just go in their regular I knows don't come. I don't like that. Either. Yeah, because you know what? That puts the fear in other people. What if I'm the only one You know? What about people who do a really lazy one like, oh, I'm wearing yesterday's outfit or? Something like I don't really. I'm dressed as myself. No, doesn't count. You didn't wear a costume.
Put it in a little effort. Like people. People are so afraid. I know. Like outside the box. Or to not to be seen. I love that. I love that they are so into themes. Throwing parties, dressing up, coming up with games, getting everybody involved, like thinking of every possible little thing, I think. Those things really strengthen a relationship. Yeah. When people are able to be, like, weird together, Yeah, they definitely are weird together.
It's cute. I never had too much of an investment in Neil Patrick Harris. I hope that doesn't upset anybody. I've never seen How I Met your mother. I've seen a little bit of it in my friends. Some of them are into it. I've seen him in a couple random things too. Yeah, like Gone Girl. Is that what he's gone, girl? For though, How I Met Your Mother, Yeah, definitely How I Met Your Mother. He also was a teenage star on the show Doogie Howser, but that
was kind of before our time. And I didn't know anything about David Burka, but I was intrigued. The Halloween costumes I think got me interested and. They've been together a long time. It was a long time and we haven't yet covered a gay couple of two men, which I don't know how that happened. We have had, we have had a couple with women but. Yeah, yeah, there's the unfortunate reality. We've said this on the podcast before.
Is there are not as many high profile gay couples, which is so unfortunate, but I hope that that changes. I know it is shocking. I mean there are some obviously, but there's only a couple high profile ones. And I mean I want to do this show for a long time. So it's like, OK, we do Elton John, Freddie Mercury, It's like, OK, who's left? Yeah, exactly. And there are some others that I am interested in, but I think they're kind of obscure, like the guys from 13 Reasons Why.
Yeah, And then there's a couple. I don't know what you guys think. Like, my sister has recommended some ideas to us, but they're not officially out. They're kind of speculative. And yeah, I don't know. I know. That is good to cover. I know that will come up later in that episode actually, because Neil's asked about that. But yeah, so it's it's been missing from the couple's the Hall of Flames so far.
But I I also thought from the outside before I did any research, I thought that Neil and David seemed almost perfect. That's what I think. And I thought they seemed boring. Yeah, yeah. And maybe if you're listening to this, you might be thinking the same thing. But then I started thinking, because I just did my first started my research. I found out that Neil had dated women before and then it was making me think like, oh man, did he feel like he had to
pretend early in his career? Like, that's interesting. We haven't really talked a lot about. That especially because the characters that he's played, correct me if I'm wrong. Again, I'm not as familiar with How I Met Your Mother, but he's been like a notorious womanizer in his roles, and so I could see, especially in the 2000s, it being risky to be openly out. Because that may make his acting less believable to some people. It's true. A lot of people were concerned about that.
But yeah, Neil, Dr. Carris was one of the kind of one of the first openly gay actors. They've been a couple others, but they're one of the few longterm gay male couples too, you know? Yeah, because they've been together 19. Wow. I mean, just by Hollywood standpoints. Yeah. Standpoint stand. Is that a word? Yeah. Right. Just you say some standards. Standards. OK, yeah, standpoints standpoint is a word. Sometimes I say things I'm like, that sounds funky. Yeah, that is rare.
Yeah, that's really sweet. So what 3 words would you use to describe them? I came up with fun. Love it. Eclectic. Oh, and a capillary queen over here and passionate. Oh, OK, All positive. Yeah, they're all positive. Yeah, we usually end with negative. Like Passionate. Romantic. Toxic. Caring. Silly. Obsessive. Yeah. Jealous. We always end with the bad. I like that. It's all positive, Yeah, but it's not boring, I swear. OK, but who is Neil Patrick Harris?
Love A. Three name person I know NPH. We could also call him. We could also call him Neil. I'm gonna switch off. Wait, I never thought about the fact that his name is Neil. His name is Neil. Neil, wait, that is a weird like Sarah Jessica Parker? She's Sarah. I know. We know. To us, he's just Neil Patrick Harris. The reason he goes by Neil Patrick Harris is when this happens all the time.
When he was entering this green Actors Guild, there was already an actor named Neil Harris. So she's just middle name. Yeah. Yeah. So, Neil, he's known for Doogie Howser, How I Met Your Mother, Gone Girl. He's recently in Series of Unfortunate Events and many Broadway performances. But before that, he was born June 15th, 1973 in Albuquerque, NM, and he grew up in Ruidoso, NM with his parents Sheila and Ronald and his older brother. His parents were lawyers who
also ran a restaurant. I was puzzled how they had time for that. But then I thought maybe they were lawyers first, then restaurant. I don't know. Yeah, but lawyer is a notoriously busy job and so is owning a restaurant. So maybe they. Owned it, but like, they just had, like, yeah, maybe they're in it and they hired other people to do them daytoday stuff. Maybe they didn't really do anything. Yeah. I don't know. Or maybe they had a law degree but they didn't.
Like, you can be a lawyer, but not a practicing lawyer. You know, I didn't investigate it too much because it felt a little bit irrelevant, relevant, but let us know. So Neil acted as a child. He was really into plays from a really young age. And then he got a role in the movie Clara's Heart. And he actually earned a Golden Globe nomination at only age 13 for that role.
Yes. And then he was signed to the show Doogie Howser when he was only a teenager, when it was a national success, a really big show from 1989 to 1993. It's about a teenage Doctor Who's a genius and dad becomes a doctor. He's a teen, but it's also kind of like part Doctor show, part coming of age, which is weird. Like, it's kind of like young Sheldon, not as annoying, but doctor, you know, genius. Yeah, he was really cute, though. I watched a couple clips and I
watched the theme song. He was adorable. Yeah. He had a lot of success from an early age. After Dukey Houser ended, he would have been about 20 years old, and he wanted to avoid being typecast as like, you know, a precocious, nerdy type. So we sign out different roles. He was in my Antonia, He was in Joan of Arc. He played a book editor in the short lived TV show Star Craving Mad. And then he was also in three Harold and Kumar movies.
He was in a lot of Broadway shows, including Proof, All My Sons, Rent and Cabaret. He's a big theater guy. He's a theater. I can see that before David, he dated a couple of women. He dated the actress Christine Taylor, apparently Robin Lively, Blake Lively's older sister. Oh wow, I know she's. Married to Coach Bolton from High School Musical? No way. Zach's dad or Troy's dad? Oh my gosh. Coach Bolton. Interesting. And Christine Taylor, the other ex? She's now married to? Ben Stiller.
Oh wow. And they, they think have an interesting relationship were. They like going to get divorced, but they decided against it. Interesting. Maybe we should look into that. I know he also dated the pianist Carla Bianco and I read OK. I almost didn't find this guys. But then in my research I came across something about that He had actually dated a man for a little while named Max von Essen, A fellow Broadway star, and it seems like it might be true. I came across it in a couple
places. I think it was like, really under the radar, but I don't. Know, I'm sure he probably did have like very formative relationships with men. I mean, maybe he didn't, but probably secretly. I'm sure there's a lot of people we've covered who's. Prior relationships we know. Oh, absolutely nothing about, yeah, 100%. I mean, some people, we don't really know anything. So yeah, I'm sure there's tons of people that we don't know about.
Neil is also besides acting very into magic, he's an amateur magician. Why that's so cute. Yeah, he's really into it. And he likes to collect art. And he writes too. He has written young adult books called The Magic Misfits about magic, of course. Oh my God, he must be such a fun dad. I think he is. He seems somewhat Type A to me. He's very, very ambitious and hardworking.
Seems like he likes to be busy. And then our story starts kind somewhere in the early 2000s when Neil was on Broadway in Cabaret and at the same time David Burka was on Broadway in Gypsy. OK, David Burka. Who? Who is that? Who is this guy? OK, when I was first starting my research, I kept in my head mistaking him for Justin Bartha. The guy from National Treasure plays Riley Pool does. I don't know, guys, come on, right? You know him? Justin Bartha.
Wait, is he the guy from? No, never mind. He's in the hangover. He's the guy that. I mean, he's hardly in it, but he's the friend that goes missing. Oh, yes, yes, yes. Yeah, they do look a little like they they really, it's just the last name. Bertka and Bartha. I don't know, I I literally was calling him Justin by accident at first. That's so funny. But it's not Justin Bartha. But do you ever sometimes call people the wrong name? Simply because they seem like
they would be a different name. Yeah, like there's there's no reason why I'm calling you this name, but you have the essence of this name. David Bertka was born May 29th, 1975 in Dearborn, MI, near Detroit, but he grew up in Canton, MI. He's the son of Deborah and Daniel, and he's a Polish descent.
He studied acting formally. He went to University of Michigan, and then he attended the William Espers Studios Acting School in New York. In 2002, he had a brief role on the show The West Wing, and then he made his Broadway debut in Gypsy in 2003. And I read the before Neil, he dated a guy named Lane Janger, an independent film actor, for 10 years. Oh wow. And if this is true, that's kind of crazy because he got with Neil very shortly after this relationship.
So he is in it for the long haul and he's in. Yeah, he's a longterm dater. That's crazy. I feel like. I mean, good for him. It would be, honestly, traumatic. To date someone for 10 years. I mean, people do it, people do it all the time, but that's a lot. That's a decade. That's a long time. He's very like Vanessa Hudgens in that way. Yes, goes for if this is true, but goes from decade long relationship into almost two decades.
Yeah, let me double that. Wait, she really does like, say double it, Like she was with Zach for five years. So she's like, you know, I'm going to be with Austin Butler for Ton. Yeah, hopefully she's with her next guy, 2020 or more than 20. David. Oh yeah. David seems really sweet, really friendly, talkative, outgoing. He loves to host people and bring people together. He loves hosting dinner parties.
He's really about the parties and he gets really over the top with games and themes and name tags and stuff and. Yeah, he seems he likes to be raunchy too. I think him and Neil both like to be raunchy sometimes and they have both said that what drew them to each other was that they made each other laugh, so. Important Humor is so important. They have fun. They have fun together. So I feel like in any long term relationship you're going to go
through so many serious things. It's so important to be with someone who can still make you laugh. Yeah, it is really important. Sometimes after a fight, all he needs to do is just make a joke. Yeah, exactly. I mean, sometimes that might be a little annoying at first, but then then it's a good time. So Neil talked about first meeting David in Out magazine and this would have been around 2004. He wrote about it. He said, well, they both wrote about it actually, this is
Neil's part, he said. I ran into my friend Kate one day and she was with this brooding James Dean type guy in a leather jacket who gave me the head nod and then turned away. I assumed he was Kate's boyfriend and said nicely done. And then she said, David, he's not playing on my team, but he has a boyfriend. He's told the story many times and like sometimes he tells it differently. Like sometimes. Sometimes she goes, David, oh, he's totally gay, so depends who he's talking to, I guess.
But I don't know what she really said, but it was something like that. So then I just kept seeing him on the periphery and in turn catching up on him. But I didn't want to be that guy who was creating some sort of romantic interference. So I was always around when he was around, hoping the stars would align. When we all hung out for the first time, I was invited by Kate to an American Idol viewing party. I just dammered around him. I couldn't take my eyes off him.
And then David said. I've always known I was going to have a monogamous relationship, raise children and be happy in love. It was the one thing in life that I never doubted for a second. I was in another relationship when I met Neil and I was doing the long distance New York to LA thing. It was sort of on the rocks. Long distance is so hard. I was performing in the Sam Mendes version of Gypsy on Broadway when I ran into Neil on the street.
He was doing the Mendes version of Cabaret at the time and I was with a friend who knew him pretty well. It wasn't a big Doogie Howser fan. I'd probably seen it once or twice when I was growing up, so I gave him a Hey, what's up? Nice to meet you. And that was really it. I thought it would be nice to know him, but I didn't think in a million years I started dating him. This is a lot of raining, OK
then, David continues. We've been hanging out with other people and we had a lunch or so, but nothing romantic. I thought he was adorable, though, these amazing blue eyes that are just so hypnotizing to me. I ended up breaking up with my boyfriend and a week later Neil and I had a date. We went to see a movie. I think it was taking lives with Angelina Jolie, last week's episode. I know. We started hanging out every single night, and after three
months it was just nonstop. We talk on the phone at least eight times a day and text at least 25 times a day. We are, in a way, very codependent. He's my lifeline in an amazing way. Without him, I can't breathe. The biggest thing is that he makes me laugh. He's also smart. He can do everything. I'm not kidding. He think he's half robot. He makes me a little more grounded and I bring out the wild side in him.
Don't get me wrong, we fight our fights last five minutes and then we're over it and we're both Gemini. We have a good twin and a bad twin, and the four of us get along really well. Oh, I know, that's cute. And then sorry, I have a lot more. This isn't even the whole interview. I just, I thought it was all really interesting how much they were sharing. Then Neil, NPH said. There's something kinetic about him and his being. He's classically sexy, yet he's very much a boy and his energy.
It's a great dynamic. When I see people who are equally attractive, they tend to seem a little more quiet and kind of Marlo, Marlboro, Manny and Dave is into thesis of that. He's more like Tigger. I'm in turn very introspective, the thinker rather than the doer. I tend to weigh the options before making decisions and David is a polar opposite of that. We're hyper similar and also incredibly opposite. We share a wardrobe. We have the same shoe size, body
size, height and weight. We're both Gemini. We both like the idea of family, not a nuclear family, but a social family. Yet we're incredibly opposite in the way we process information. Wait, like Tigger, I think. Wait, what? I think he just means that he's energetic. Oh, yeah. Yeah. OK. OK, fun and jumps around. OK, that's cute. What did you think it meant? I don't know, because I thought for some reason I was getting caught up on like the sexy part.
I think that was actually before sexy, like Tigger. I don't remember Tigger being sexy. I mean, who would you say the sexiest one on that Winnie the Pooh? No, Probably the Tigger. Winnie the Pooh. Yeah. Who is it? It's not your Maybe rabbit. Is that his name? I remember what Rabbit looks like. Winnie is really sweet, but yeah, not no. I would not have sex with Lennie. Yeah. I mean, I think Tigger might be as sexy. Tigger probably is. He's probably, like, really?
Yeah, energetic. And that that might not be as fun, but. Or it might that might be like too much. But it depends if you're on his wavelength or not. Not Piglet. Piglet, I feel like is not legal. Know not even your piglet. You were would be the worst. Yeah. Yeah. Are you forgetting? Well, there's the kangaroo, Kanga Kinga. I don't remember what Kinga's like. She's a mom. I mean, not that there's anything wrong with moms. Obviously she's done it. She's just so sweet.
Yeah, she's so pure. Yeah, Tigger probably is the sexiest one, but I'm not sexually attracted to any of them. No. Yeah, we can move on. We all went on to say that he kind of thought that he was going to be alone the rest of his life, that he never really had a true love by the time he was in his mid 20s. And interestingly, David apparently never felt that way. He was pretty confident he was going to interesting find someone and have kids.
Yeah, I've heard this story about how they met a couple of times, and Neil always kind of says that he was slightly stalking David. Like, you know, not in a creepy Joe Goldberg way, but. The way everybody does, Yeah. That he was, like purposely trying to be in the same places as David. And you know, if he heard that he was going to be at this party, then he would definitely go and he was really into him. But yeah, eventually David and his boyfriend of 10 years broke up.
Neil was around and they started dating. As they said David still had stuff back in LA. So I guess they went over there, got his stuff and then drove across the country back to New York and they got an apartment together in Harlem. Wow, very fast. I feel like this was only maybe a couple months in and Neil said about this, I initially fell for David harder than he fell for me. I was in love with him before he was comfortable saying it, and I think that speaks to our past
experiences. I remember saying I think I love you and he was like, that's really nice, which is not necessarily what you want to hear. But I appreciated his honesty and not jumping the gun and saying something because he felt obligated to. And it's cool because, I mean, yeah, maybe David didn't feel ready in the moment to say it, but clearly he separates his feelings if he says Neil is his lifeline. And yeah. Can't live without him.
So, you know, it's like, yeah, you might think that's a red flag, but they kept dating. And also good for Neil for not panicking. Yeah. Oh, my God. He didn't say it back. Yeah, I have to end this. Yeah. You know, that's really secure of him. Like, I appreciate that he didn't jump the gun. I feel like most people would not keep dating.
Yeah, I could see a lot of people, but I don't know what I would do. That is such a thing though, that where people I have one friend and obviously not going to name names, but she was nervous for a while that her boyfriend would say I love you and she's like, I don't know if I'm ready yet. I hope that's not obvious. Her boyfriend would not be listening. Might like now they say it, but she was. I mean, it's such a big moment in a relationship.
And if you're not ready to say it, you don't want to feel pressured to say it back. You want it to be the right time for sure. So that was that was all around 2004. And then in 2005, Neil got the role of Barney Stinson on CBS show How I Met Your Mother and they moved to Los Angeles. But I was thinking, Oh my God, they just moved to New York. Crazy. Yeah. Sometimes life is like that though. Big. I mean, that's a big break. Yeah, big.
It was very big, NPH said. I assumed the show would be a short chapter. The plan was always to come back to New York when the show ended and raise our family. But the sitcom ran for nine seasons and nearly ten years, so they were out there for 10 years. Very successful show. Yeah, it was. It was huge. David actually appeared in seven episodes of How I Met My Mother as a scooter. And at this time, David and Neil's careers were in very different places. When they first met, they were
kind of the same. I mean, Neil had been a child star, but now he was mostly just working on Broadway. David was on Broadway. You know, they were basically in the same exact place. But now Neil is thriving on this show. He's one of the main. He's like an A list celebrity. Yeah. And then David was actually struggling in LA because I think he's more of a theater actor and he wasn't really getting roles. Yeah, that's hard, I know. And he's spoken.
I mean, it's going to come up more later, but he's spoken pretty openly about this, how he would get jealous of Neil. Yeah, and it would be hard. For him. And it would be resentful, probably a little bit at times because it's like, well, I'm living in LA, which is holding me back. But yeah, because of you and your job. Yeah. And then Neil will sometimes come to him all excited about some news and opportunity he got. And then David's happy for him, but then it makes him feel bad.
So that kind of started. Wait, so were they? Was Neil Patrick Harris at this point at the beginning of the show, openly out or no? OK, no. So there's still a secret right now. But do people like, I'm guessing like the cast mates and stuff? No, Right. Yeah, I'm pretty sure they did, yeah. Especially by the time David was on the show, it was only 7 episodes, but that's an OK amount for. A guest? Yeah, I wonder if celebrities were better at keeping secrets
like that back then. Without maybe social media, Probably. But it was after David Bricker was on How I Met Your Mother, six months after apparently allegations started rising that he had only gotten the part because of a romantic relationship with Neil, and speculation around the story eventually led to Neil acknowledging that he was gay in a cover story A. Guest star Like who cares why he got the part in the 1st place? So a lot of the speculation was actually led by Perez Hilton.
I knew you were going to say that. I knew you were going to. How did you know? Because he outed like everybody. By now he was such a tyrant. I know who himself is gay. Yes. And Perez was posting a lot about Neil at the time. And Neil actually said about this. Yeah. There was an interview in 2006 that claimed that I was asked if I was gay and that my publicist had said that I was not of that persuasion. That was the weird catalyst tipping point, because that
expression set Perez Hilton off. He was offended by that and started posting about me and asking people to come forward with truths or stories. Then it became apparent that I needed to make some sort of decisive, respectable move. So then he's kind of forced to. I mean, he didn't have to, but. Yeah, Perez was basically asking like, if anyone has any information about Neil Patrick Harris, give it to me, I wonder. Why Prez Hilton was doing all that as a gay person himself.
Like, maybe it's comes from a place of like wanting to see your sexuality, like, more mainstream and represented in Hollywood, but it's like he was acting like he was getting people in trouble. So weird. Well, that's what Neil said. Like he he thinks that Perez does. He didn't like the phrase. Neil's not of that persuasion. Yes. And he probably felt like this. Neil Patrick Harris, guys living a lie, you know, Like, I know, you know, maybe it insults him
in a way. Yeah, I don't think it's right. But he thought it was insulting that these famous people were pretending to be straight. Yeah, yeah. And he just wanted it out there, but obviously not his place. But in the early 2000s, people, I don't think people would have even questioned president this, you know? Maybe some people, maybe some people, but it's like it was common to just 2000 people, really homophobic it was. But yeah, he he came out in People magazine and it was a
huge cover story, he said. I'm happy to dispel any rumors or misconceptions, and I'm quite proud to say that I'm very content gay man, living my life to the fullest and feeling most fortunate to be working with wonderful people in the business I love. Wow, honestly, people who came out in the 2000s or the 90s, it's really paved the way for so
many people now. I think they do not get enough credit because like I said, it was still very homophobic back then, the culture and it was such a different environment. Now I feel like people can come out like left and right and it's still like. It's still hard, hard, but it's it was such a bigger deal back then. Like, it would be talked about on, you know, late night TV, your talk shows and stuff, and it would be the fact that it would be on the cover of a magazine.
And it was so brave and it normalized it for so many people like, oh, I watch that guy on TV all the time, Like like Ellen. That's why I'm never going to really hate Ellen, because I think it really normalized it for so many people. I mean, we only have one history. Like, we don't know what would have happened without them. Exactly. You know, they paved the way, they really did. And there was a lot of fear that
this would ruin his career. I mean, people were writing about this a lot like, oh, is this going to ruin you? Patrick Harris's career? But actually kind of the opposite happened. I think people were surprised or they were impressed to realize, like you said earlier, that he was so good at playing a ladies man.
Yeah, even though that it was like shocking that this guy, and I know that seems homophobic and it is, but that was actually a really important thing that happened, that people could put that together in their head. Like, wait, someone actually can be a great actor and play whoever they need to play. They can play a straight person and be gay and like it doesn't matter. Yeah, exactly, You know.
Yeah, there's a big deal. Yeah, it's like like being gay wouldn't typecast you to just be like a gay character. And I feel like back then, gay characters, unfortunately, were like, usually really offensive or stereotypical. Yeah, yeah. Never the main character, unfortunately. Yeah, so he he would continue to get starring roles even though all the articles were guessing that he wouldn't. Sometimes the media is weird that way. I know, yeah.
Expect. The worst, Yeah, I feel like they really did that with Miley. They always expected her to like have a full on downward spiral and it never totally happened. I know. So in 2007, David proposed and Neil wrote about this, he said. David first proposed to me five years ago, so this is in the future when he wrote it, obviously, but on an actual street corner where we met I. Know that's so cute. They're so cute that way.
We were on our way to an event at an Indian casino 45 minutes out of town in a limousine, and David wanted to stop for some reason. I didn't quite get it. I thought he wanted to get booze or something, and then he was out on one knee and proposed. And I was so freaked out by that. I said yes, but I didn't know what it meant. Then I got the ring and loved it. And a year later, on Valentine's Day, I proposed to him in Santa Monica.
That was four years ago. The callus on my right hand is long formed and not from masturbation. I'm dying to move over, dying to move over to the other hand. I'd also like to call him my husband. I'm not the biggest fan of the word partner. It either means that we ran a business together or we're Cowboys. Boyfriend seems bleeding like
maybe we met two weeks ago. I've been saying better half for as long as I've been able to. I think that's a little self deprecating and clearly defines that we're in a relationship, but it would be nice to say my husband. I totally get what he means by that. Yeah. See, I I know, like, I feel like it's more common to use partner now because it's it's a gender neutral. Yes. But like, I feel like back in the day, the word partner had.
The implication that like people said partner because they didn't want people to know that it was a same sex relationship, it was kind of hiding who you're. Yeah, exactly. Because it could mean business partner. Yeah, I mean creative partner. Yeah, for creative partners, I know that. I understand it's it's good to have a gender neutral term and we do need one, but. I wish there was another one. Yeah, because I'm a significant other. I guess no. But it's so long. I know it is long.
They should abbreviate it. The English language really needs to come up with a new one because because like I work for a company and I still hear the word partner all the time in the business sense and it does get kind of confusing and it just doesn't sound romantic to. It's not that romantic. It is kind of a sounds really formal, I don't. Know. Yeah, it sounds like like very sanitized in a way. Yeah, I don't know. I wish we just had another cute word.
I think significant other is really cute, but it is just. Long and somewhere like Soulmate Dramatic. Yeah, you can't say S so, but it's not that mainstream. Yeah, and it's just abbreviated. Yeah, lover is like, you're not going to say like to people at work. Like, yeah, me and my lover went to the movies over the weekend. Too much. Yeah, because that makes you think of. There does need to be an alternative gender neutral term for a significant other. That's cute. Yeah, yeah.
I was actually Googling this because because they say this all the time. This has come up in so many articles. They always say they I think also because, all right, this was 2007, like it wasn't even legal for them to get married and so it meant so much to them to be able to say husband that was really important to them. So they still say this all the time though. It's like my husband I want to say husband.
I don't like seeing partners. So but I was Googling it what's another term and actually came across some people asking the same question on Internet cuz like they wanted to use a gender neutral term but they didn't want to use partner and I don't know some people say like just my person. Oh yeah, person is cute. But I guess, like, it's also a little Your person isn't necessarily romantic. That's true. It could be your partner. Yeah. I mean, your person could be
your mom, I guess. Spouse. What do you think? It's those? But you have to be married. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. I mean I sometimes use the words that was button. Yeah, there's no word for a non married, gender neutral significant other. That is cute and easy to say. Yeah, that's a shame. But I think as a culture we could come up with one. I feel like we're inventing words all the time. Let's try to come up with one Not too corny or anything.
Like a slaying, Like I feel like we could, yeah, it could be something that has evolved from another word. Like, I feel like we could take something with significant other, like a Siggy Siggy. I don't know. I think that's cigarette actually. Yeah, maybe chat. GB T could come up with some options. Yeah, that's sweet. I was also thinking of in terms of engagements. I like that with queer couples. There's not as much expectations on one. Person to propose.
I mean, a woman could propose to a man in a straight relationship, but it doesn't often happen. And I think there are, It is still very much stigmatized. Yeah, because there's a stereotype that, like, men are afraid of commitment. So. I know it's cute that they both proposed too. Yeah. So also one said No, the second one, we're already engaged, aren't we? Yeah, OK, this second proposal has a lot less pressure.
Yeah, Neil, what the heck. September 2007, they made their very first appearance as a couple on the red carpet at the Emmys, where Neil was nominated. Big deal. Big deal back then. Yeah, 2008, Really. Sadly, David's mother, Deborah, passed away. And this really, this really sent David into a depression. He, as I said, didn't feel fulfilled by his acting career and he felt lost in LA and he was just so devastated about his
mom. But from this time he actually, I don't think it started quite yet, but he decided to become a chef. Wow. I don't. I actually didn't know that. I didn't know it either. I knew they had a cook, like he had cookbooks, but I didn't know he was a cook. Yeah. In 2008, he enrolled in the Cordon Bleu in Los Angeles Culinary School. So he was taking a new path. I think that's really great. You know, he was like, you know what? Acting is not making me happy right now.
I'm in a really hard place. I'm going to try something new and try something that I like and so. I love that at any age you can just totally reinvent themselves. Yeah, you can. Don't forget people. Also in 2008, of course. Twilight came out, yes, but he was on Howard Stern. When do we not have someone open up on Howard Stern? Well, sometimes we don't, but a lot of times that's where we get
the good stuff from. Howard Stern and I couldn't access the actual whole interview, but I read some summaries and he talked about how he dated Christine Taylor from 1997 to 1998. She is known for playing Marsha Brady in the Brady Bunch movie and the Nickelodeon show. Hey dude, and she he said about her. She's the coolest, nicest chick ever. She's an absolute catch. And I thought, if I'm not going to feel the Super sparks with her, it probably means I'm gay.
Did he feel feelings for men otherwise? I don't know if he said. That's interesting. I know he talks a little more about this. Later on 2009, Neil hosted both the Tonys and the Emmys. He's a host. Yeah, that guy hosts. It's a lot of pressure. We talked about this. People are so hard in the hosts. I know there's so hard, it's ridiculous. They can never be happy. Yeah, I feel like usually I'm like, that was fine. Yeah, I've never maybe once have watched a show on like that.
The hosting job was terrible. Who I don't remember. Maybe once, but I actually OK people might like throw to me. Was at me for saying this, but, and I don't know how I'd feel now, but when I was younger, I loved this ethnic farmland one. I couldn't believe people were so pissed about it. I had a great time. I loved it. I really did too this. Crazy people were so pressed about it and I didn't even mind the James Franco and Hathaway one. I don't know.
I thought it was interesting. Yeah, people like once a year. Especially when it comes to the Oscars. For some reason, they act like it's the most important job in the whole world, like president or. Something they act like, OK, they have to lead our nation for four hours. They're all they do is like, they make a little jokes and they help us transition from presenter to presenter. It's not a huge deal and people act like it makes or break the whole show. I know. It's so stupid, yeah.
That will happen, but he's a 2A Willet. I don't think it overall affected him too much. Yeah, career wise, but yeah. So also around then, David graduated from Le Cordon Bleu and began running a catering company in LA And actually, and he still has been doing act, some acting things, but I feel like that's perfect for him because he loves hosting parties. Yeah, that's so fun. I was thinking, oh, it's interesting, he didn't open a restaurant.
Then I thought, wait, he loves hosting parties, like probably catering. It's a different occasion every time. Yeah, you can really customize it. Maybe he gets involved in the decoration, I don't know. But you know, I think he loves hosting parties and. That's so fun. Sounds perfect for him. In 2010, October 2010, David and Neil welcomed 2 fraternal twins born by a surrogate. The twins are Gideon and Harper. A boy and girl were born into 2010. So I feel like it kind of seemed
like came out of nowhere. But sometimes that happens with surrogate Yeah. So it's two embryos. And interestingly, it's one of them is David's and one of them is Neil's. I didn't know that. Yeah. Wait, that is so cool. I know. And they have the same surrogate. Yeah. Was the surrogate who delivered them the biological model? I don't think she was. I think it's just I don't. I think that makes it easier. Probably, Yeah.
Wow. And yeah, Gideon was named after Gideon Rubin, an artist they both really liked. And Harper is named after Harper Lee, author of To Kill A Mockingbird. And it's interesting because they decided they didn't want to know which one was each of their. But you can. Figure it out. I think now you can really tell too. You can tell which one is Neil's and which ones, David, just by the eyes. But that must have been interesting.
Like piercing it together. Yeah. Like, I wonder how soon they were like, Oh yeah, that's. I know. Yeah, they're so cute. They're adorable. Oh my God, that is so cool. Now obviously at this point they can't talk yet, but when they can, they call Neil Papa and David Dad. Just cute, Papa. That's so cute. Yeah, I saw some cooking video with David and the kids and they were like, you mentioned, like Papa this, blah, blah. And then he was like, who's Papa?
He said Neil Patrick, that's so cute. But they're still engaged here. They're still planning it to get married, but they're not yet. I think they wanted it to be, you know, recognized by the state. And then June 2011, New York Senate passed the marriage equality bill and Neil and David publicly announced their engagement for the first time. So I guess we wouldn't have known they were engaged until now, but five years after the
fact. Wow. And, Neil tweeted. David and I did propose to each other, but over five years ago, we've been wearing engagement rings for ages, waiting for an available date. Oh my gosh. It is so crazy how long it took. His crazy was only 2011. I know. Yeah, I remember. I was in college when it happened nationally. It's crazy. It was just codified, like only last year or something. Yeah, Crazy October 2011. Okay. This is that fateful Halloween party that has gotten Neil and
David in a lot of trouble. You know what? I've never heard about it. OK, cool. So. Not that much trouble, I was saying to mom. Like, I'm worried people are going to be mad at us for even covering them because of this. Because people were really mad about this. This is my first time hearing about it. Maybe you'll I feel like you're really on top of this stuff. I'm surprised. Maybe as I keep talking, you'll remember. I don't know.
OK. But I will say though, I went because the way we researched these a lot of the times is I go through the news through every single month. Me too through all the years. So you see all the news articles or at least the top ones, but you can go through the pages if you need to, you know, So I see everything. And when this happened, there was no news about it. Absolutely nobody wrote about it. People got mad. After the fact in 2022. Oh my. You know what?
That's on you guys. We're not getting mad back then. I hate that. And I know. I mean, it is bad, but, well, I don't know what I know. I have to tell you. I have to tell you. Before you go off, there's a lot to discuss. There's a lot to. Discuss. I'm like, getting mad. I have no idea. You don't even know what you're defending yet. Yeah. But yeah, I just want to say that back then that you do just have to keep in mind where they
were thinking at the time. Well, I hate when people get mad 10 years later because it's like if you weren't mad back then, then that means whatever they did that was socially acceptable, so they didn't know better. I really think that anyone at that party, if they did have a problem with it, no one said, I don't know, Yeah.
But anyway, the thing that happened was that Neil and David had a Halloween party with a buffet, and at the party they served a meat platter in the shape of Amy Winehouse's body just three months after she had died. Did you hear about that? No. That you're getting, you're recognizing it. A lot of people thought it was a cake, but it was actually a meat. Platter it was there. Pictures of this there are, and it's actually very disturbing.
It's made out of beef ribs, pulled pork and chicken sausage, which is disgusting. And the way that it resurfaced was because Jesse Tyler Ferguson, You know him? Yes. Modern Family. He was on Modern Family, the show. And him and his now husband. I know. Is it really? OK, that is really bad. No, wait, but is that definitely Amy Winehouse? Wait, wait, wait. Oh, hang on, hang on. I'm not there yet. The reason this resurfaced is because Jesse Tyler Ferguson and his now husband Justin Mikita.
Another Justin. See, I was getting confused. They were guests at the party and Justin posted a picture of it to his Twitter and Justin tweeted look who showed up last night looking good. So obviously Justin thought it was funny or no big. 10 years later. He posted it. He posted it back then, back then. So that's how in 2022 it came out again, because somebody, some person went way back. And Justin Nikita. I don't know how to say his last
name. I went back in Jesse Taylor Ferguson's husband's Twitter and found it. Wait, it is actually really bad. It says there's A tag next to it that says the corpse of Amy Winehouse, and it looks like it's like almost like a decomposing body. Yeah, And the fact that it's meat. Like, do people actually eat that meat? I guess so. That is really disturbing. I actually cannot defend that, I know, but OK, I do have. I think it's wicked bad, but I do you think it doesn't look
anything like her? No, it looks like the Bride of Frankenstein. So I was wondering if maybe it doesn't make it right, but I feel like somebody, whether it was Neil David, I don't know. After the fact was like what if we made it Amy Winehouse and they put a cigarette in her mouth and then wrote that next to her? Because the face looks absolutely nothing like her. Like it doesn't really looks like they drew on it. The. Hair is like, really like.
You know how Amy Winehouse had that big hairstyle? But it's short. It's like it's like Marge Simpson hair. And the face is, I don't know it just it's very disturbing. But also I don't know why it. Does look like a decomposing body? Yeah, it's disgusting, gross. It is really bad. It's some people try to be edgy with stuff like that. I know. I can't really defend that. That's really insensitive. It is. I know. I was wondering what were they thinking? Like, really?
What were they thinking? Yeah, I don't know. I didn't realize she died that long ago. That's crazy. I know. I was trying to. Imagine how this happened, and imagine being one of. I mean, people love Amy Winehouse. They can imagine being one of her loved ones. I know. That's awful. I know they didn't. People did not respect her back then, though. They didn't. That's the thing. They really did. I mean, I remember even after Whitney Houston died, like, my history teacher made a ton of
jokes about it, like that month. It's really bad. So yeah, this resurfaced in 2022 and Neil addressed it and he said, I think the Entertainment Weekly. He said a photo recently resurfaced from a Halloween theme party that my husband and I hosted 11 years ago. Who's regrettable then and it remains regrettable now. Amy Winehouse was a once in a generation talent and I'm sorry for any hurt this image caused. OK, I bet he is embarrassed. I know. I bet they do feel bad.
Yeah, it is really bad, very much important taste. But I was reading a lot about this and what people thought and reading comments and stuff, and I thought some people were getting a little carried away. Like I saw some people even saying like there is something sinister about gay men or. Whatever. And I know I hate when people like, fuck up and then other people use it as an excuse to indulge in their bigotry that they already have.
I know this is on like so long, so I feel like these people thought they were like progressive or something. But yeah, yeah, like that happened recent. Oh, like with Lizzo. Like people, you know, like she's getting cancelled. And then the vitriol that is being thrown her way is because people wanted a reason to hate her in the 1st place. Because she's a bigger woman. Yeah, and so they're like gleeful that they can like shit
on her. And I I feel like that's probably the same way with something like this. I think the the everyone calls it a cake, but it wasn't a cake. But I call it a cake I. Would be better if it was a cake. It would be a lot better. I don't know. It's more creepy. That's meat. Yeah, I think it's terrible. But I do think some people seemed really gleeful about it too. Like, yeah, way too excited about. Trashing him. I do hate when people are excited.
Yeah, to be like, we got you. We found the thing that's wrong with you. And this is what it is like, Yeah. And I mean, it's really, really bad. I know. There's really no way for me to defend that. But society was also really awful back then. It was. And people should have gotten mad about it back then, but I guess. The guy who posted it wasn't that famous, so maybe it just slipped under the radar. I know, I know. He obviously was OK with it that like that.
Does make me like my stomach true? I know. I also wonder whose idea it was. But do you think with Halloween some people do get carried away, people get very carried? Away and they try to push the envelope and they try to be edgy. Yeah, I think with Halloween, some people do try to be like, as scary and creepy as possible. And they miss the mark with that. I know, Yeah, totally. But I was wondering, OK, who's I? Was it Neil's idea? What if it was David's?
Idea. I feel like that could really be a huge fight between a couple. Like, why did you do that? But I feel like Neil has to go down either way. Oh yeah, Because even if it was David's idea, like, the only reason they are getting in trouble is because of how famous Neil is. Yeah. So it's kind of his responsibility to go. Down for this? Yep, I agree. I mean, I doubt it was just one person's idea, but honestly, I didn't hear about it. Maybe I just.
I think they got away with it because this is the first time I'm hearing about it. Yeah, I don't know. I'm not sure how many people have heard about it, but it's kind of like, so recently Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher have been in a lot of hot water. Yes, and we don't have to get into that. But it just reminded me of how you were saying to me the other day off the mic. You were saying if you're going to get cancelled, it's kind of best case scenario to get cancelled with your spouse.
Exactly like. Yeah, we're not getting into like what they did pretty bad, but at least they're going down together they can. I bet that's bonding. And I feel like if one of them was cancelled, the other one might feel pressure to leave, to leave them or denounce them, or they might be mad at them. Yes, I bet it makes them closer. Unless one of them is like you told me to write the letter, that's true. That's possible.
That's what I was wondering. But they do seem United don't matter was your idea, Yeah. I feel like getting cancelled would be a huge stress on a relationship. Definitely it is. Nice that they both are in it together and it would be hard to find somebody else right now. So yeah, I know it was really bad guys. I don't know what to say. Yeah, but we've covered People did much worse on this show. Yeah, we actually have.
So I I kind of tend to agree with you though, that it really doesn't look like Amy Winehouse, that I almost feel like someone at the party or something could have even been like, oh, what if we made this, like, really distasteful joke? Yeah, or maybe like the Day of. The party, like maybe before it started. And like because it doesn't look they didn't do a good. Job making it like anyone doesn't look like anything like her.
It's just I feel like maybe they're trying to be edgy, but it really is distasteful and insensitive. I'm just shaking my head, but that doesn't translate to. Yeah, audio. I'm just ashamed. Disappointed. Yeah, disappointed. But the show must go on that same year. Back to happy? No. But this is when they started their tradition of dressing up the whole family and they do this every single year ever
since then. And the this is when the kids are only one and they always do a theme and the whole family does it. So this year the theme was Peter Pan. Oh. Cute David Burka was Peter Neil Patrick Harris Captain Hook. How do you know? I'm just guessing. I bet one was Tinkerbell. Yes, Harper was Tinkerbell and Gideon was John. I think that's the worst one. Probably to be, yeah. Like if I saw someone dressed up as John by themselves. Yeah, yeah, I mean, yeah,
together it makes sense. But alone he would just have glasses and a nightgown. Yeah. And random. November 2011 thought this is kind of timely but unrelated to that Halloween incident. Neil talked to enews at a gala for the LA Gay and Lesbian Center and he said that him and David are not gay role models. And he said I go out of my way to not be soapbox Johnny. We're super happy to lead by example, but even to define ourselves in any kind of leadership, leadership position
I think is awkward. I cringe when I hear people say they consider themselves role models. David agreed and said we don't really do anything. We take care of our kids, we're in a relationship, we love each other, but we don't go out of the way to stand on a soapbox like Neil said. Yeah, I mean, given the whole Amy Winehouse thing at this point that. Was not a news story. Yet that's true. I thought it was timely because it was. I mean, there's a year later. Yeah, Well, they know they're
not perfect, clearly. Yeah, but. Yeah, but I mean, that's also a lot of pressure. I feel like, because there's not, that's the thing. Because there's not that many openly gay, high, high, high profile couples. It does put a lot of pressure on the most famous ones. I know that other couples don't have it. Does I have another bad thing that? Should I share it? Yeah. OK, Neil. OK, I'm live with Kelly. Uh oh, and guys, excuse my language. I'm quoting here.
Uh oh. Nearly used the word tranny because he inhaled some sulfur hexafluoride, which is helium's evil twin, during a science experiment that made his voice sound lower. What? And then I guess when it came back when the gas expired, he said I've never sounded more like a tranny in my life. He said. He said that on live TV.
Yeah, but then Neil Neil apologized for saying it and the glad Gay and Lesbian Elite Alliance Against Defamation no accepted the apology and said it's heartening to see a celebrity of Harris's statue recognized and apologized for using the slur in such a timely manner and for a greater media attention being paid to its use. Many people do not realize that the word excuse me guys, but tranny is one of the most hurtful and dehumanizing slurs that transgender people here.
Most transgender people associate that word with personal experiences of violence, hatred and division. And it's crazy because at that time might not see it not long ago. But seems like people didn't even know that that word was like offensive because at the end of the article it said glad verse Glee. Is tranny a bad word? Or did they use that word on Glee? I guess so. Oh, I know. Yeah, I felt. Glee was weirdly homophobic. I know it was also very pro gay.
Yeah, At the same time, yeah. So that yeah, that was a very weird time in culture. And it was crazy. At the end of the article they were like, is it a bad word? Yeah. Wait, sorry. I should say Glee was transphobic. Yeah, yeah. I feel like I always knew it was a bad word, but maybe that's revisionist history on my part. I don't know. Gosh. Yeah. Neil. Neil. Neil. Neil. Well, you know, I think. That's good that his apology was appreciated. I think that's doesn't happen enough.
So yeah, I think he learned. Wow. But that's crazy that he just said. It's like daytime TV ooh. He's raunchy, but do you think, like, whenever I'm what I'm gonna say, always cut it out? Like, as a member of the LGBTQ community, he might have felt more comfortable to say it because he feels like we're all like in a similar community, you know? I feel like you do see that sometimes. I don't know. I don't know, 2012 dinner and
2012 this. That out magazine article that I keep referring to is a very long article. Neil wrote more about their relationship and I thought it was pretty open and interesting. He said if we have a fault, it's probably over communication. When I'm cranky, I'm admittedly cranky. When I'm in a hurry and distracted, I can't act like it's any other way. And he's good with that too. So we talk things out. I don't want to paint a relationship like we met.
It's been happy family fantasticness ever since. What defines a relationship is the work that's involved to maintain it, and it's constantly changing. Sometimes I'm deeply in love with David and head over heels, and sometimes I question whether it's going to work out and is meant to be. It's like a business relationship as well as personal one. We have a business together and that's maintaining our love for one another. Oh, that's sweet.
It kind of runs me of the Obama. Yeah, I mean, too made me think of that too. I think that's really, really open to say that. And I also appreciate hearing that. Yeah, the honesty because. It's hard work, yeah. But also I feel like sometimes people act like if you ever have doubt or like if you ever think, I don't know, then that means like you should leave. But I'm sure if you have relationships that are really long, that's going to happen 100%.
You know, as they say, like thoughts can come and go. Like you don't have to be attached to all your thoughts and as long as you aren't happy that then you make the decision to stay together like it seems like he is. Yeah, but also you're not going to be happy in every time in your life. And there might be times where something else is going on in your life and then that makes you doubt like. Oh, is it the relationship?
I mean, if you're together with someone that long, oh, sorry, you're not going to be madly in love the whole time. So I appreciate him saying that they apparently David and Neil created a short lived TV series called Neil's Puppet Dreams which was a puppet show I've. Never heard of it, I know. And then that Halloween in 2012, the theme was Wizard of Oz. OK, let me guess who everyone was. Neil, I'm going to say was the. Ten man. Yes. Really. And David was the scare girl. Yeah.
How did you get? I don't know. And then I bet the baby boy was the lion. Yeah. And I bet the girl was Dorothy. You're right. Wow, Mel, Mel is really good at guessing these. Oh my God, that's so you know, they do the family thing, but then they also come, they do the adult thing. And they went to Katy Perry's Halloween birthday party. And we have mentioned this party before because Kristen Stewart was there. Yes, I think we mentioned it in the Katy Perry episode.
Wait, was that the one when John Mayer was there? Yeah, yeah, Neil and David were there too. Oh my God. This party. February 2013. The National Enquirer. Who cares what they think? But the National Enquirer ran a story that claimed that David and Neil, it called off their wedding date. I feel like nobody trusts the National Enquirer anyway, so I'm not sure why he felt compelled to do this. But Neil tweeted, the National Enquirer is Cray Cray. We've never had a wedding date,
just engaged Prop 8 and all. We're on a cruise as I write. He's rad. All good. He's rad. All good. Yeah, I feel like that. Almost like. Exposes like some sense of insecurity. You know, the fame, and maybe people being able to write whatever they want about you. Are they still not married? Not yet. Wow. Still not married. And then June 2013, to celebrate turning 40, Neil, David and the kids went to Disneyland together, and it seems like they really like Disney.
And they go a lot. I can see that. You know what? It is funny. I feel like there is a strong correlation between people who really like Halloween. And people who really like Disney. Actually, I agree with you, isn't it? I didn't think of some people like that. Huge overlap, yeah. And they love spooky stuff. Yeah, and Disney. Huge overlap. Why is that? I know, I wondered. So now do a thesis on that. Yeah, the dressing up. The magic. Yeah, being. Somebody else getting, yeah, the
make believe. I think, yeah, it's definitely a personality type. They love the make believe Neil hosts the Tony's for the 4th time. Wow 2013 He's hosting Pro Halloween 2013. It's Halloween again. I We do like every Halloween, by the way. OK good. I like the guessing. Keep giving me the theme for the Twins Preschool Carnival. They dressed the kids as Alice in Wonderland. Oh, I already gave it away. Is Alice in Wonderland and the White Rabbit.
I can't remember which ones which, and the dads were Tweedledee and tweedledum. Oh cute. Yeah, cute. Sorry, I kind of gave it away. No, that's yeah, we'll do the next one. Next one. 2013, Neil was on HuffPost Live, interviewed by an Australian journalist about his sexuality. Of course, I feel like we always get Australian journalists asking the uncomfortable questions. Yeah, and I'm going to play a clip. I have to ask you about being one of the first openly gay.
Stars. What was that experience like? How do you mean? What? What led you to do that? Was it just a logical, obvious thing for you to do? And why do you think fewer, more people didn't do it? Oh well, the second question is a big giant answer. I mean, like, there's a tricky 1 to answer for me. I you know, I fell in love with a dude and started spending all my time with him, and therefore you don't want to be like, suppressive of that.
And so as I started working more with like more frequently, with more eyes on us, I figured that that was inevitability. And the opposite would be, again, suppressive and like we found ourselves going to movie premieres. And then wondering like, well, what is that? So you're gonna go, you'll go around the other side of the I'll go down the red carpet by myself.
But if we go down the red carpet together, then are we making some sort of statement by doing so and so And then I didn't want to disrespect David on either direction. I didn't want to make David feel like he didn't exist in my life. And at the same time I didn't want David's identity to be the guy that's dating me. So. It's a very individual thing, you know. I think we live now in a time where people seem less concerned about who you're effing and more importantly, who you fall in
love with. It's not quite such a freak show kind of aberration. Certainly 13, yeah. Yeah. So I think to the the second part of your question, like why don't more people do it? I mean that's an easy thing to say, but if you're struggling with any of that yourself, you can't just go like, oh, OK and then do it like it's little baby steps of acceptance in your own personal sphere. And then in in, you know you have to choose the times that feel right to you to make moves
and. And those moves could be for various reasons. So I think it's a super individual thing. What do you make of of people outing other people? I mean, Lance Bass recently made made a little bit of news by saying that he knows obviously other celebrities who are closeted and he has to sort of lie in order to to keep them in the closet, to keep their cover. I presume that you know other people who we don't know about.
Well, I'm a magician, so I'm really good at lying without letting you know I'm doing so. But what do you make of people who out other people? Well, it just depends on the context, I guess, right. You're never going to want to, you're never going to want to say anything to, like freak people out. You don't want to say anything to prove a point. Like, I don't think. I don't think like doing it in sort of an exploitive way makes any sense. Again, I just feel like that
whole world is very personal. And so to nudge. I think it's not a good idea. I mean, there are certain people who, you know, For example, last week Gawker supposedly outed Shepard Smith this this Fox News post. Now, I didn't know that there was any closet around him. I just always assumed that everybody knew that he was gay. A bit like Anderson Cooper or something. And. Again, like with those people, you're choosing to watch them feed you information.
Their job is is for you to is to gain information from them. So from their point of view, I can totally understand why you wouldn't want people who may have a biased against you if they know more about your personal life to be watching the news that you're giving and already thinking that you're slanting it in a specific way. That's the other person's bias, not theirs. But I can understand why they wouldn't want to put their own personal world into that.
So I I I can understand why they would not want to. Be doing that in that specific instance. Yeah, I mean the. Anderson or something, Anderson tells the News. Yeah, he has conversations with people about newsworthy subjects, and so he understandably probably didn't want people to know a lot about him because that's not his job, you know? I don't want to know about Walter Cronkite's exploits. I want to watch Walter Cronkite read the news to me. You don't know what that means either.
Flesh your heart. He was a. Newscaster. I know who was it was? Oh my God, the wind know Patrick Harris. In the beginning, he was like. He, I know he puts his head back. He's like, what do you mean? Yeah, you know, that would scare me. But this journalist didn't even seem fazed by it.
Yeah, it's so funny. But I mean, I do think it is a interesting question like it. I mean it is a unique perspective that Neil Patrick Harris has that he was one of the first open link gay high profile celebrities of the 2000s and. It is a fair question, I think, but it's weird that the journalists seem to be saying, well, if we all know anyway, then yeah, what's so wrong about it? And he's like, well, you don't really know. Yeah, exactly.
I mean, it makes sense too. It's Oh my God, you know, Patrick Harris, the way he speaks, like people laughing. I wonder if that's why his character on How I Met Your Mother is like, that's what I thought he kind of is a little bit, way more over the top. I watched some of some clips to prepare and he's he's a lot more of a player, almost like a comedic Chuck Bass. And yeah, Chuck bass is like darker. But he's always saying things like, oh, I'm going to go talk to that girl or.
But he doesn't have a little time of intimidating. Yeah, he is something about he's. Not going to smile to make you feel comfortable. He seems friendly, but there is something intimidating about Yeah, I don't. And he's actually said that. Oh, interesting, he said. People say I'm intimidating and I don't know why. He does seem mad, yeah. I'd be nervous meeting him. I know David seems really nice, though. I don't.
You'll see him in a second. But in 2013, they went out to dinner with Elton John for Elton's birthday. I love Elton. Just cool with their friends. But weirdly, a few months later there was a picture of Neil Elton. OK, I feel like really gossipy for sharing this. I feel like I'm like People magazine or something. Picture of Neil Elton, Elton's husband. David Furnish. Yeah, and David Burka taking group picture. And in the back, you can see David Furnish is touching Neil's
butt. That's cute. David Furnish. Oh, David Furnish, Elton John's husband. Oh, is. Touching Neil's butt. What are you gonna show me The picture? And then from the front, Neil looks very serious. He's not smiling. How can you? See the back of the picture I have to find. I have a folder of. With their multiple angles, yes. OK, ooh, that is disrespectful. It's crazy. That is bad. I don't know what the deal is. Because confused about whose butt it was. OK, this is from the front.
That's David Furnish, Ellen's husband. And here's Neil Elton, obviously. Then there's David breakup. Ellen doesn't look that happy either. I know. And then on the back, Oh my. God, wait, He's touching Neil's butt. He's touching Neil's butt and that's. A grab? Yeah, he is. He's cupping it. Yeah. Ooh, what's the deal? And then this is the deal. It's the piss. Neil does not look cabbie. It's really like.
I'm I'm standing next to Elton John, a legend I cannot use his husband of. Just like grabbing my ass right now. I know it's just a picture, but David Furnish looks so creepy. Like his smile, just knowing that he's smiling. So big. And then doing that. That is creepy. But here's the weird thing. They hang out with Elton and David Furnish many times after this, so I don't know what the deal is. Yeah, maybe it's just like a joking thing. Maybe.
Very weird. Interesting. David Birkin know about this? Well, we know about it, so he probably does. Yeah. I I was shocked. That's also near the end of my research. You know, you almost sometimes miss things. Yeah. And you're like, wait a second. Yeah. Oh, my God. So not sure what's going on there in 2014. OK, remember I kept mixing up David Burtka with Justin Bartha? Is there a reason?
Well, one time they were both at the all three of them were at the Stand Up to Cancer event and they posted pictures together. I don't have, I don't have it with me, but I was like, wow. OK, here is Justin Bartha with David Burtka. This is what I've been waiting for. I need to look up Justin Bartha. It's just because of their names. They don't look like, no, I don't think they look like. I mean, they're both have brown
hair. Yeah, well, you know, I'm not with pieces, but it's purely the last name. Anyway, March 2014, the family finally moves back to New York. They bought a townhouse in Harlem. Neil returned to Broadway in Hedwig and The Angry Itch, and about their Harlem townhouse they did a video for Architectural Digest take. I think this was a little later, but taking them through the house, it's a very charming brownstone and they have a lot of art.
I know. And David said, OK, this is where I got the eclectic thing from, because their house is very quirky, Lots of interesting objects and art and collectibles and weird things. And David said he'd been doing taxidermy lessons. Weird. Maybe the cake was yeah, that's a little telling because they had some taxidermy. They had a lot of quirky things, like look at this type of things, like little people in the wall with a 3D diorama inside.
It's actually really cute. They had a flip book on the wall that's of the family. They had an old phonograph. Seemed like they probably really enjoy going to antique stores together. It's a bit crowded, it's a bit cluttered in there. But I relate. I mean, I I kind of live like that too. A lot of custom art of their kids, tons. Their staircases covered in pictures, completely covered. Yeah, it's cute. And all their Halloween pictures are on the wall. It's really cute.
This place is full of all their art. Like, no, some celebrities, their houses are really they're like them, white. Yeah, no, this place is like, there's there's a sculpture here. Quirky little thing here. There's this thing, this thing, this thing. Like, there's so much stuff. I do have appreciation for maximalism. Me too. I I thought I was really refreshing. And it's really cute how much they have of their kids on the walls. Like, you can tell they love them.
They talk about them all the time. It seems like they're really good dads. Yeah, and I thought it was funny. One of Neil's most Priors possessions is one of the stretching portraits from the Disney's Haunted Mansion. I guess he got it at a auction. Oh wow. And he's he's very particular riding. He's like it's my prize revision. No one's allowed to touch it that he has like a little barrier thing. All that's that you.
Yeah. So that's why I was like, OK, he's very type A like he, he likes his things, you know? Yeah, I really May 2014, Neil was on the cover of Rolling Stone, naked with just a top hat covering his junk. He's pretty scandalous. I think it's because he was in Hedwig and the Angry Itch, It's, you know, it's kind of a raunchy play from 2014. They were both on Oprah and they talked about previously dating women. I thought I would share this. Clip Yeah, I'd love to hear
their voices together. What word do you all use? Fiance usually or because you can't use the word. I just think partners the strangest word, yes, because I meet now, I meet grown businessmen and he's like, this is my partner Jim, and I don't know if they're in business. Together. Or if they're a gay couple. Or they're Cowboys. Stole my punchline? Not dare. You did you ever at any point? Because I've read that you both have dated women, right? Yeah. Good times. Good times. Yeah.
Were you? Were you? That's explain that to me because you know, I I have a gay friend who said that the only way you could have sex with a woman if a man's picture was on the headboard. So. So that's classy. So did you go out? Did you date? Did you? I dated a fair amount. I didn't really feel like I'm a liar and I'm gay and I'm doing this and I wish I wasn't. But I did feel like it wasn't clicking like it was supposed to, and I kept wondering it was. Me. Was it by dating?
I mean, you actually, like, had sex with girls. Yeah. Yeah. You too. Oh, yeah. Oh yeah. Yeah, he's crazy. Oh, yeah. So did you think you were bisexual or is there such a thing? You know, with the Kinsey scale. I don't know if you're familiar with that. Of course I am. I've done the Oprah show. Hello the what? I wait a second. Here. No, but I think there is a a raging scale of sexuality and I think you can go to one side or another.
So tell me, would you have come out when you came out and had it not been for Perez Hilton, did he? Well, probably not that at that time day. But I certainly felt it was an inevitability at that time we would go to. How I Met your other events together and everyone knew David and that we were a couple, so I wasn't hiding anything, but it was just never a big announcement that I was needing to make.
However, I felt like at a certain point red carpet things became complicated because I'd go down the red carpet if I went down the red carpet and he didn't go with me, it looked like a slight to him. And if we went down the red carpet together then it looked like we were making some sort of announcements and so it just always felt a little. Uncomfortable. Yeah, you know, and isn't it interesting once you actually came out, that was like a like a
nonstarter. Like you're one of the few actors who's been able to come out and absolutely nothing happened to your career. Everybody's so afraid of making that announcement or letting people know. I think only positively, honestly. It allowed me to to live more full body and not feel like I was going to be exposed. I was kind of exposed and you asked about the Perez Hilton question earlier.
And I think the the reason that I made the statement when I did was because was he was the catalyst. Because what he had done was posted a request for anyone that had ever any scandalous stories or had slept with me or whatever to come forward and talk about it so that it would out me. And I didn't want to have to make that statement about my sexuality in response to a scandal. And I think by doing so, I end up having being able to stand a
little bit taller. And that that transparency and authenticity was kind of appreciated. Interesting. They were all barefoot in this clip for some reason. Maybe that just made them feel more comfortable. Yeah, I don't know. Funny. And Neil was sitting with his legs crushed. That was funny when Ober was like, of course I've heard about it. Some people believe that Oprah and GAIL I know. Yeah, there's been a lot of rumors. No, she denied it. Yeah, I I think that they're
just best friends. But Oprah really went there, too. She really did. I mean, that was a great question. Would you have come out at that time if it weren't for pres? He'll say, yeah. And the red carpet thing is really, I like that he talked about that because it it seems like something that's kind of silly, like walking down the red carpet, but it's like. That's something that other couples don't need to worry about.
And it does seem like maybe it's a slight to someone that's like, OK, we're deliberately arriving here separately. We're hiding something. I feel like that would make a relationship feel less real anyway. Yeah, that would be sad that he's hiding David from the world. Yeah, exactly. I feel like, you know, it's kind of surprising Oprah asked those questions, but I feel like they just rolled with it. Yeah, they he definitely was a lot more open than with that.
Australia, what do you mean? What do you mean? Yeah, and she hasn't. They've had sex with the. Women. Yeah, that's crazy. Yeah. She was like, were you bisexual? But it's like, again, like, Oprah has the respect from celebrities that, like, they're not going to push back on it. Yeah. Yeah, it is interesting that they dated women's and it seems like they enjoyed it, but just like it never really clicked in that way.
You know, sometimes I've wondered because like I got got a lot of days with a lot of different men and often it doesn't click for me as easily as it does for it seems, other people and like I've been very picky. And then that has made me wonder, like, what if I'm not straight because I'm not as into. Well, I there have been some boys, I've been crazy and you have, but but I never feel feelings for women.
But I do wonder in like their explanation of this, like, did they still feel attraction for men? Because I always hear those stories from people where they're like, I realized I was gay because I it just didn't click with. Yeah, the opposite. I feel like they're just not saying. Yeah, for some reason. I don't know. Yeah, that's probably way too there's no open for me. No, But I feel like there's no way that that's it. Yeah, but they just felt like what they must.
But sometimes I do hear explanations from people that sound like that. And I'm like, wait, but did you did you feel attraction otherwise? Well, I don't know about David Burka, but I didn't include it in this. But Neil did say that he knew he was gay from a younger. Oh, OK, yeah. Or at least at least that he was attracted to men. I don't. I don't know if that means he wasn't attracted to women. But yeah, no. Yeah, that makes sense. I do think that Kinsey skill
thing is interesting. I don't know enough about that. I don't remember the direction, but it's kind of like. You explained this to me one time though. That like fluidity. That. No, that, like fluidity and sexuality is a lot like taste buds where it's like. You when you're young or something, you might be like, I don't like spicy foods, but like that. It's not like that. It's a stagnant thing that someone might. I said that, yeah, you explained to me I was like that.
Wow. Because I was explaining that to my parents. Because when back I feel like 10 years ago, sexuality, the narrative was like, oh, you're Born This Way, which I think is 1 or the other. Yeah, like it's something that you're born with. And then I was like explaining to my dad recently, Oh, now it's more about fluidity. So like. You might feel one way and then ten years later it might evolve
in some way. Or well, that's like some people who maybe dated people of 1 gender for a long time and then they seemingly like switch and people wonder, were you lying? Yeah. And people will often insist like no, they weren't and that they still are attracted to men or women or ever. But. People did that with Kristen Stewart all the time. Yeah, they like. OK, my neighbor, my neighbor, Every time he walks up those stairs, it's like he has to stomp. It's so weird.
But yeah, but also not anybody's place will be. Like you were lying. I know, OK, obviously this is just a measurement, a tool that people have created. All these things are not like in, you know, it's it's just a tool someone created. But the Kinzi scale is it's zero to 6. Zero is strictly heterosexual, 100% heterosexual, and then six is exclusively homosexual.
And so then one would be like, this is what it says on the website, so it's predominantly heterosexual, only incidentally homosexual, and then it moves up to more than incidentally 3, equally for mostly queer, but more than incidentally heterosexual. So, so people say it's like a scale like some people are. Yeah. It's very simplified. Yeah. Version. Yeah.
So there's somewhere, they're saying that there's somewhere on the scale that they're not like on one side of the spectrum, Yeah, yeah, that's what they're saying. Also in this Oprah interview, they talked about the comparison of their careers and David said that sometimes Neil's recognition and success does put him through a shame spiral and but then that is what inspired him to become a chef. And Neil, no, David said I do a lot of things, a lot of things.
Not great, but parenting is what he's best at. And he said that they share everything, even clothes, but not underwear. OK. Yeah, they laughed about that. David said that he's more maternal than Neil, and Neil agreed and. Yeah, I don't get maternal from Neil. Neil said that he struggled at first parenting a few months, but he says he feels like and now the kids are older.
But he said he feels like he his strength will be more like talking with the kids and stuff that he doesn't have That, like, yeah, maternal instinct where if the baby's crying that he knows what to do. Or, you know, David's better at that. Apparently Oprah asked if they want more kids. Such a aunt type of thing to say. And Neil says, oh, don't start with this question, David. And then David says I want a ton
of kids. Oh. David's Yeah, I know. And he says I was told you aren't really a family until your kids outnumber you. Why? No, it's been a while though. I wonder if they don't have kids. I think the surrogacy process is probably very hard, though if I had to guess, I don't think they will. Yeah, I mean, it's really nice. They had twins. Oprah even had their parents on. Oh wow. The show and asked them about it was very much about, you know, their sons being gay and how did they feel?
And David's dad, it was actually so sad because, you know, David's mom has passed away. David's dad start crying. He said that. He said the one thing I regret most of my life is that his mother didn't see where David is in his life and didn't meet his kids. He said that apparently. David said, you're never going to see my kids, Mom, we're going to have kids. You're never going to see my kids. My God, that breaks my heart. Well, I believe. I believe in hope that she still gets to see them.
I know it was really sad and all the parents, I mean, people get cancelled. We're saying this now, but all the parents were like, at first I really struggled and I didn't get it and the lifestyle and whatever, but then they came around. I think it's important for them to openly admit that. Yeah. Because give you hope. Yeah, exactly. You know, even people that are really uncomfortable with it, we're able to do a 180. Yeah. You know, again, 2014, there were rumors that David and Neil
had split. I don't even know where the rumors came from. I couldn't find the source, but Neil disputed them. Again, I don't know, but they've been engaged for eight years at this point. Wow. But finally, September 2014, they were finally married in a small ceremony in Italy. Oh, when I asked you earlier, I thought you meant not yet.
Now oh. OK, they did get married in 2014, and apparently they were officiated by the How I Met Your Mother. Director Pamela Fryman and Elton John performed live at the reception. They had been waiting a long time for this. I think it definitely meant a lot to them. It was a big deal and I was laughing about this the other day. Their wedding invitations were so over the time I couldn't even believe it. So basically there were like clues.
There was going to be, there was going to be during the wedding weekend. Everybody had some kind of tasks and there were clues leading to what they had to do. And I don't know all the details because they didn't share all the details. So I don't really know what it all means, but basically everybody was sent a wine crate with herbs and Rosemary and a candle and bottle of wine, bread and a message in a bottle with a disk drive. Oh my God, that you could play. And it was like lost.
Like the TV show Lost with a cryptic message of clues and people had to figure out where the wedding was from. I'm just picturing them like in there. Very cluttered hall sitting there like laughing to each other, like, OK, how can we make this even better? That's so. Funny, I couldn't mess it in a bottle with a disk drive in the bottle. I don't even know how that works. I didn't get that out. You just smash it.
I was cracking and I guess like at the weekend, the wedding weekend in Italy, there were all these clues within pictures and objects. For people to solve, it was very interesting. That's so funny. Yeah, you have to rely on your guest being enthusiastic to participate. So I hate when people show up and they're like, wow, what is this? It was a pretty small wedding, so I think I hopefully knew that people were gonna be into it. But yeah, that made me laugh.
October, Halloween again. The family dressed as iconic actors. Oh, the. I'm not gonna guess this. Yes, Neil was Charlie Chaplin. David was Groucho Marx. Harper was Marilyn Monroe. I know. She was actually so cute. It was so cute to see this, like little Marilyn and Gideon. Gideon. Gideon was James Dean. Also so cute. And the kids are just adorable. I don't know how they sound now, but Harper had this little accent, like she didn't pronounce her R's.
I thought it was so cute. They're probably teenagers now, right? Yeah, they are. 2015 Neil hosted the Oscars. Wow. He's such a host. People said this show was largely forgettable. Who cares? I know. Besides the moment when he presented Injustice Tidy, Whitey's was supposed to be a Birdman reference. Time stamp? Yep, OK 2015 Halloween. The whole family dressed as Star Wars characters. OK, I'm going to get Neil Patrick Harris. Was Luke Skywalker. No, no, no. I'm going to backtrack.
I'm going to guess that the baby boy was Luke Skywalker and the girl was Leia, and that David was Chewbacca and that Neil was Han Solo. Oh, Darth Vader, Actually, OK David was Han Solo, and I think Neil was Obi Wan Kenobi. Oh, no one's Chewbacca. No, no one was Chewbacca. OK, yeah. Good guesses though. Halloween comes again 2016. The whole family dressed as Batman characters. OK, I'm gonna guess. I'm gonna guess the baby boy was Batman.
And that the girl was I got it. And that the girl was Batgirl. And the the you don't can't tell what she is. She ever read the little Cape? Maybe that's. Back. Maybe that is Batgirl. Wait. And then David is Robin and Neil is the Joker. David is the Joker. Neil is. I don't know who. Yeah, I'm not as familiar with the Batman. Quizzler. OKI got the Riddler. The Riddler? Yeah, the quizzler. Keep it in. Keep it in. Wait, do you mind if I could take a bathroom?
Ohh. Yeah, let's take a break. All right, we're back. Right back 18, Halloween, the family all dressed up as ghosts. So kill you. Just not guessing, really, that one.
In 2019, online, in publications, there was like this big debate about whether straight people should play queer people on film and TV. And you'll surprise a lot of people in the times, the UK Times, saying I think there's something sexy about casting a straight actor to play a gay role if they're willing to invest a lot into it. And he also said in our world that we live in, you can't really, as a director demand that an actor be gay or straight. Who's to determine how gay
someone is? I played a character for nine years who was nothing like me. I would definitely want to hire the best actor. Yeah, I mean, I I really do know where people are coming from with that argument, but it would be weird for people to have to disclose their sexuality before. Taking a job? Yeah, I think legal. Yeah, I think it probably is. And like, that would force people to come out. They weren't already.
It would be so weird if, like, you weren't publicly defining your sexuality for the whole world and the people got mad at you because you had a role. And what if you were like, well, actually I am by or something. Like it would just. Be I don't know. Not. Yeah. I feel like there isn't really a way to verify it. Yeah, but yeah, people were surprised. He said that. Also in Try 19, David published his first cookbook, Life is a Party. They left a party Halloween.
The family dressed as famous artists. Picasso, Van Gogh. That's all I got. No, no, Neil was Van Gogh. Oh. Well, I said that Vanel Picasso. Oh, what you said. What did you say? Picasso. Van Gogh. Oh, I didn't know you said Van Gogh, but no Picasso. David was Salvador Dali, OK? Harper was Frida Kahlo. I was gonna say that. And Gideon was Andy Warhol. Oh, that's a good one. Halloween 2020 Family dressed as characters from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. Okay.
One is Willy Wonka. I'm going to say that's David. One is the grandpa. I'm going to say that's Neil. One is Violet would be the daughter, and the son is Charlie. You got almost everything right. Besides the grandpa, Yes. So Gideon was Charlie, Harper was Violet, David was Willy Wonka, and then Neil was. I can't remember what this character's name is. He seemed a little creepy. I think he turned out to be a
good guy. He wore a little like bowler hat and her glasses whispered in the kids ears. Oh yeah, What was his deal? He seems like a bad guy, but he's like, not. He was kind of. I forgot he was like a spy. Yeah, but that's who, Neal. Oh. That guy that is a really like niche character to do that doesn't stand alone. I know, I guess, that they're all standing together. Like if you saw the Willy Wong, he'd be like, that's Willy Wong.
Yeah, Charlie wouldn't really stand alone either, but I know he's holding the was a golden ticket. I don't. Know. I'm guessing they base it off of the classic yes. The classic, yes. And 2021. David and Neil were on the podcast Double Date with Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue. I thought they were super open on this podcast they were talking about.
They're talking about open marriages and how a lot of guys they know do have open relationships, but that they felt like they couldn't do it. And it was funny. David was saying I would, I would have a tracker on his phone. I would just, I would be losing it. And it thought it was cute and they were just saying it wasn't for them and that, but they were
super open. They were saying that in the first three years of their relationship, their sex life was amazing, but then they have to, you know, try to keep the spark and stuff, but. Inventive. And I also was like, wow, amazed at how open they were being, especially talking about monogamy and just just the fact that they brought that up, that some people do that. And yeah, yeah, but it's cute. And I relate to the jealousy. Oh yeah. So I appreciated.
That I would definitely track her on someone's Halloween 2021. We're back to Halloween. This time they dressed as classic horror movie characters. Should I guess if you if you can. Yeah, I'm going to say like it. No. OK, this is too hard. I don't watch work. I know, I know. Neil was Patrick Bateman. David was Jack from The Shining. OK, Harper was the girl from The Exorcist. Gideon was Chucky. Oh, cute. I know. Very creepy though.
Yeah, very creepy. April 2022. It was their 18 year anniversary of their first date in on Instagram. David made a post about it and explained why they honor it every year. He said we always celebrate the first date because for seven years of our relationship it was against the law to get married. Neil Patrick Harris, I love you over and over again, year after year. Thanks for working so hard and for putting up with me. Here's to another 18.
And then Neil shared a picture of them hugging and gazing into each other's eyes. And he wrote. Our first date was 18 years ago today. And David Burka, I am not about to let you go. Thank you for showing me the capacity of my heart. Yeah, that's sweet. Very sweet. Yeah. The first the anniversary, it's weird because like for some couples, I feel like it's when they were exclusive. And then for some it's the first date. For some, might be even the first time they met. Oh yeah, that's.
No, that's too early. Well, what if they went on a date? Like the next day maybe? Yeah, yeah, it sparks. Immediately flew. Yeah. Like if they met at a bar and gave each other. Yeah. A number, Yeah. Yeah. And that would be people totally disregard that. Just do wedding marriage. Yeah. Do you think it's OK or two over the top to celebrate multiple days? Depends on how long you dated
for before you got married. Like, my parents only dated for six months, so I they don't celebrate their dating anniversary. But I would want to. I don't like how it it's almost wiped clean because like, what's our 2nd anniversary? What? Oh my God, did you see our cousin Julie? Sorry, this. You guys don't care. She's been married for nine years. Really. Today. Oh wow. That. Feels like it was just yesterday. Next dude, 10 years. That's crazy. Wow. I was.
I was first like, oh, that must be their dating anniversary. Yeah, it's their wedding anniversary. Congratulations. Julie, Julie and George. Yeah. This one's for you. Random Halloween 2022. The family dressed as fast food characters. Oh, that is so cool. I know. I loved it. OK, Speaking of, do you still have your French fries shirt? Yes. OK, good. Yeah, I love that shirt. And I have a burger shirt too. Oh, nice and hot. I saw a picture of it the other
day. I was looking at pictures and I was like, I haven't seen that shirt in a while. I think take it. Wait. I think I do. It's probably in at home in. Yeah, it's a summer, whatever. They dressed as fast food characters. Do you want to guess? OK, I'm going to guess David was Ronald McDonald and Neil was Burger King. And I feel like I don't know any other fast food characters. So there are there like multiple? Is it 1 like the Hamburglar that
is A? Oh, and Wendy, the daughter is Wendy. You were right for those three. You were totally right. Neil's Burger King. David was Ron McDonald Harper with Wendy, and then Gideon was Colonel Sanders from KFC. Oh, that's cute. It was really cute. I like that idea. Yeah, wait, that's a really. I know, sounds so. Now we're almost at Halloween 2023. What will they be? Oh my gosh, you don't know yet. I'm excited to see. I'm anxiously awaiting.
This is going to be like my new Met Gala every year. What are they going to be? And whenever they call themselves as a family, do you know, I think Bertka Harris. Bertka Harris Yeah, make sure I was. Throwing. I was thinking Patrick would be in there, but that's his middle. Yeah. Yeah. It's Burka Harris. Burka Harris, the burkas Burka Harris. Family. Yeah, the kids will be thirteen soon, so sometimes. Kids at that age don't want to.
That's what I was wondering, Like, are they still going to want to dress up with their dads? Oh my. Hope they don't break my heart. They don't. Oh my God, I'm sure this is a discussion they've been having. Kids get embarrassed that age. Oh, come on kids, you're gonna so cute. You're gonna want, like when you look back to have done that. I know. Throughout your whole childhood. That's so special. I hope even if they do stop someday, maybe they'll start again.
Yeah, that's really cute. Yeah. Special kids at that eat delay. I just want you my own thing with my friends. But why am I saying like, their parents are celebrities? Maybe they would still do the picture and then do their own thing. Yeah, probably. Ohh, imagine being a teenager and your dad's like, get in the outfit. Yeah, no. Yeah. We're doing this. I bet the kids are now involved in like, what the what? The concept is too. Yeah, probably. Oh, that must be so.
Fun. I bet they think about it all year. I know they're so into it. Are they into other holidays too? Like, do they go big on? They certainly do go big on Christmas. Yeah, seems like they decorate a lot. And so, yeah, sweet. Yeah. Professionally, Neil was recently in the Netflix show Uncoupled. I haven't watched it, but it sounds interesting. And then David just joined an Off Broadway revival of the play God of Carnage in NYC. So he's acting in New York
somewhere, right? Maybe we'll run into them. Maybe. I know they live here. It's. I mean, I think they have a house in California too, as people do. But yeah, and that's that's them. Can't wait to see what they are for Halloween. I love. That that was such a cute couple. They are really cute. Controversial controversy, like some controversies, but that's always tough because I found myself really wanting to like them. But I also did think that that meat platter was. So disturbing.
It is really disturbing. And I mean it really goes to show like when you want to like someone. Otherwise you are more like, how can I defend this, you know? I know. But I I did like them more than I expected. And there have been some people I researched for this show that I thought I was really going to like him, and I didn't. So that guy's got Fitzgerald. Oh, yeah. Like he he disappointed me. Yeah. Yeah, but I still really enjoyed doing those episodes. Those were like some of my
favorites. But it's just complicated when you cover humans. Exactly. It's complicated. Now who is our next couple? Give us a hint. This will be our Patreon episode. Next Patreon episode is quite spooky. They are kind of gothic. They both are known for a dark vibe and they're a modern couple. Think I know another modern couple you think you know. All right.
Well, I'm excited. And if you don't already, give us a follow on. Instagram and every single week we do guesses before the episode we team. These days, we'll do prizes. Yeah. And we'll go back and find the. We've had some people that always guess it, yeah, we're going to give you a prize, but we're trying to make this show, you know, bigger until. Then, yeah, yeah. But we super appreciate everybody on page one, everybody listening. Thank you so much. And we'll get back together next
week. We'll get back together next week. Is your heart peeled with pain? Shall I come back again? Tell me, dear, how are you? Long turn. Turn on.