How We March Madness’d | S3E14 "The Bracket"

Josh and Craig welcome writer Joe Kelly for a lively look back at “The Bracket,” Joe’s very first How I Met Your Mother episode. They reminisce about Joe joining the staff just before the Writers Guild strike, the frantic race to restart production afterward, and how the episode evolved into one of the show’s most memorable Barney stories. Joe reflects on learning to balance broad comedy with emotional storytelling—a lesson that later shaped Ted Lasso and Detroiters—while Craig and Josh discuss building the writers’ room, crafting Barney’s outrageous persona without losing audience sympathy, and turning a March Madness promotion into a mystery episode. They also dive into behind-the-scenes stories about the show’s collaborative writing process, memorable jokes, the creation of TedMosbyIsAJerk.com, and how the pressure of the post-strike schedule forced everyone to trust their instincts, resulting in one of Season 3’s funniest and most ambitious episodes.
CONNECT WITH THE SHOW:
Official Website (howwemadeyourmother.com) (Send us your audio and written messages)
Instagram (instagram.com/howwemadeyourmother)
Tiktok (tiktok.com/@howwemadeyourmother)
READ JOSH’S MUSELETTERS ON SUBSTACK:
Subscribe HERE (joshradnor.substack.com)
CRAIG’S BOOK IS AVAILABLE!
Head over to CRAIG’S WEBSITE (craigthomaswriter.com/novel) to order your copy of THAT’S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.

SUPPORT PEDIATRIC CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE RESEARCH:
Click HERE (howwemadeyourmother.com/makeadifference) to learn more and donate today.

FOLLOW THE OFFICE LADIES:
Check out "Office Ladies" at officeladies.com or wherever you get your podcasts!
Follow on Instagram: OfficeLadiesPod (instagram.com/officeladiespod)Follow on TikTok (tiktok.com/@officeladiespod?_t=ZT-8y1gqTrJyOs&…)
AND MORE:
Josh’s Official Website (joshradnor.com)Josh on Spotify (open.spotify.com/artist/43jyNhxEcJZ2YbwioBjCbY)Craig’s Official Website (craigthomaswriter.com) (with links to his published writing)
Alek’s “Dead Fathers Society” on Substack (aleklev.substack.com)