Actor Neil Patrick Harris turned down a chance to replace David Letterman as host of "The Late Show" on CBS because he would get bored with the repetitive format.
The star of "How I Met Your Mother" told radio personality Howard Stern this week that CBS officials did approach him to discuss the possibility of him taking over the late night talk show.
"I think I would get bored of the repetition fast and that the structure of it is so set," Harris said on the radio show. "I don’t have any interest in doing monologue, commercial, sketch, guest, guest, musical act, goodnight."
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Stephen Colbert was ultimately chosen to replace Letterman when the legendary host steps down next year.
CBS chairman Les Moonves and network entertainment chairman Nina Tassler also reportedly tossed around Harris' name as a possible replacement for Craig Ferguson, host of "The Late Late Show."
"It's still nightly. You're still coming up with the same content and now you're just getting bitter that no one's watching it," Harris told Stern.
Instead, Harris said he pitched a weekly variety show that CBS executives may be interested in.
"I'm very keen on it being an
Ed Sullivan kind of show," the actor told Rolling Stone. "Something that would be more events-driven, with a lot more acts, a totally different structure. But nightly, ooh, there's too much competition. It is just so much work. And I really would worry that the repetition would gnaw at me — I get bored easily. If anyone deserves a chance to shine and really be himself, it's Stephen Colbert: he's the loveliest guy, and really does terrific interviews."
Twitter users posted mixed reactions to Harris' confession.
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