Did HIMYM Poke Fun At Julie Chen Tonight?

CBS watchers who keep up with the reality series Big Brother know that host Julie Chen is known for two words above all others: “But first.” Was tonight’s episode of How I Met Your Mother a subtle jab at Chen’s repetitive phrase? Perhaps. Whether or not the writers decided to poke a little fun at Chen, who in addition to hosting Big Brother and The Early Show, is also the wife of CBS CEO Les Moonves, I felt inspired to revisit the classic TVgasm Youtube video that showcases Chen’s favorite phrase beautifully.

Brief explanation in case you missed tonight's episode. Robin thought she was famous among college students when one of Ted's students recognized her and expressed his appreciation for her work. As it turned out, all of the college kids love Robin because they've turned her late night news show into a drinking game. Every time she says "But um," they drink. Apparently she says the two words together enough times to get everyone sufficiently hammered. Big Brother fans have noted for years that host Julie Chen says "but first" constantly during the live episodes. Below's a montage of many of her but-first moments.



Ok, in Chen’s defense, her “but firsts” all appear to be scripted whereas Robin couldn’t seem to help herself from saying “but um” mid-comment. All the same, if this was some kind of internetwork joke on the HIMYM writers part, it was a good one. And if not? Well, it was still great seeing Robin get her revenge by "but-umming" those kids (and Ted) into a painful hangover.