With the Oscars happening on Sunday, Neil Patrick Harris is starting to get nervous about measuring up to last year's host. He sat down with previous host Ellen DeGeneres on Wednesday, and explained that her work is going to be hard to outdo. Specifically, Neil Patrick Harris is worried about topping the Oscars selfie. The legendary picture was taken at last year's Oscars and features 11 A-List stars, from Meryl Streep to Brad Pitt. The photo has been retweeted over three million times, and, as Neil Patrick Harris said, it "broke the Internet." DeGeneres left some large shoes to fill, and Harris admitted he is feeling the pressure.
Here's my biggest concern: Your selfie shot was the most spectacular, successful thing ... It's this horrible dark cloud above my head now. How do you beat the selfie that broke the internet? ... I see that [photo] in my nightmares.
But DeGeneres wants it to be clear that it was just lucky things turned out so well. "You can't plan that. I hoped that it would happen. I hoped people would jump in," DeGeneres told him. "So all you have to do is have a nugget of a good idea, and if everybody's on board and they're playing, whatever your idea is, they're with you. That just was such a perfect fluke that happened and I was so lucky."
So how will Neil Patrick Harris top the selfie? DeGeneres had an idea, and I have a few too. Feel free to use any of them, NPH. I won't mind.
Paint the Audience
This was DeGeneres' playful suggestion, which Neil Patrick Harris thought hilarious. "I'll slowly paint them the whole show," he said, laughing. And, while it was a joke, you never know. It could work. I'd retweet a Neil Patrick Harris painting of the Oscars audience.
Get Benedict Cumberbatch to Do Anything
Harris should take advantage of the Internet's love for anything Cumberbatch. Seriously, he could make the actor do anything and it would be an instant viral hit. Harris should try to get him to exclusively reveal the baby name, because that would be a huge success.
Fly Tom Hiddleston Out for the Show
As far as I can tell, Hiddleston probably won't be attending the Oscars. But that shouldn't discourage Harris from attempting to secretly fly him in for the ceremony. Especially if he can get Hiddleston and Cumberbatch together. Now that would truly break the Internet.
Involve the President
Michelle Obama and even Bill Clinton have made award show appearances before. But now is the time to pull out the big guns. Get Barack Obama involved somehow. His "Between Two Ferns" video was a huge hit, and everyone loves those lip-synching videos (like when he sang "Uptown Funk"), so Harris could play with that a little. There's nothing quite as fun as watching our leader get a little silly every once in awhile. Besides, they're already friends, so Harris could totally make this work.
Be Adorable With David Burtka
Harris doesn't need the audience's participation to be beloved. He's adorable with David Burtka, so, if he just involved his husband, that would get everyone talking about the cute couple and the show in general.
Re-Do the How I Met Your Mother Ending
Sure, the Oscars are about movies, but I'm sure no one would mind if Harris did a live-action remake of that tragic finale. We deserve that much at least.
Have Kids or Animals Re-Enact the Oscar Selfie
The only thing better than celebrities are kids and, like, kittens and puppies. My advice to Neil Patrick Harris is to re-do the Oscars selfie with cute little kids, or baby animals. That would be purr-fection.
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