Why Neil Patrick Harris Won’t Appear on How I Met Your Father

He’s not denying it would be legen—wait for it—dary.

But Neil Patrick Harris also isn’t ashamed to admit that How I Met Your Mother‘s Barney Stinson made some very questionable choices that probably shouldn’t be revisited.

The actor frankly thinks that his character would be canceled if the show hadn’t ended in 2014. So, it makes sense that he doesn’t expect an invitation to appear in the Hulu spinoff series How I Met Your Father.

In his Wondercade newsletter, the star told HIMYF‘s Hilary Duff, “As for coming on your show (insert joke here), I worry Barney’s antics, his overt delusions of grandeur, would likely get everyone in trouble. So, unless he’s changed his ways or joined a nunnery (insert joke here), not sure if it’s in anyone’s best interest.”

And Hilary, who serves as producer and the show’s star on the hunt for her kids’ titular father, agrees. “I’m not sure how you feel about this, but I’m pretty sure Barney would … be in jail in 2022.”

Still, every friend group has a Barney, that one person who tells inappropriate jokes or is a bit off-kilter. And for HIMYF, Valentina (Francia Raisa) fills out that role quite nicely.