# How I Met Your Mother: The Ducky Tie Spoiler! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 27, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743 "2011-09-27T04:26:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/61 "2011-09-29T20:31:58Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > _How I Met Your Mother_ is set in the _Friends_verse, in which Manhattan is peopled almost exclusively by European-Americans. Occasionally a non-white will show up for, ah, amorous interactions, but that’s about it. Is that the same Universe where people with little apparent income can afford large apartments in Manhattan? I thought that was derived from the Seinfeldverse, except on Seinfeld they would unless discuss rent control as an excuse. From what I’ve read about Manhattan rents, they should be living in refrigerator crates in bad neighborhoods. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/62 "2011-09-29T20:41:08Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > Is that the same Universe where people with little apparent income can afford large apartments in Manhattan? I thought that was derived from the Seinfeldverse, except on Seinfeld they would unless discuss rent control as an excuse. > > From what I’ve read about Manhattan rents, they should be living in refrigerator crates in bad neighborhoods. I don’t know anything about Manhattan rents but…Monica and Rachel didn’t pay much for their apartment since they got it from Monica’s Grandma. This was discussed a handful of times. Also, across the hall, I know Chandler did pretty well at his job. Also, lets not forget that, while they never said a number that I can remember, we’re led to believe the Jerry Seinfeld was pretty well off. I always liked to think he was bringing in somewhere in the area of $100K-$200K/year (and living frugally). ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/63 "2011-09-29T20:45:10Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > Is that the same Universe where people with little apparent income can afford large apartments in Manhattan? I thought that was derived from the Seinfeldverse, except on Seinfeld they would unless discuss rent control as an excuse. To be fair, on \*Friends \*they did mention a number of times that Monica’s apartment was rent-controlled, with her grandmother’s name still on the lease, so that it was both insanely cheap and not quite entirely legal. Though I have no idea how or if such an arrangement would work IRL. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/64 "2011-09-29T20:49:08Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > Is that the same Universe where people with little apparent income can afford large apartments in Manhattan? I thought that was derived from the Seinfeldverse, except on Seinfeld they would unless discuss rent control as an excuse. > > From what I’ve read about Manhattan rents, they should be living in refrigerator crates in bad neighborhoods. I dunno. It’s clear that Barney makes an obscene amount of money. I don’t know about Ted’s apartment. He’s been living there since he and Marshal graduated from college, and originally they were splitting the rent. When the series began he was a working architect in a nice-sized firm, and now he’s a college professor; given that he made no move to find a new roommate after Marshall & Lilly moved out, it’s clear that he’s living below his means at this point. Except that he also owns a house… ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/65 "2011-09-29T21:07:48Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > _How I Met Your Mother_ is set in the _Friends_verse, in which Manhattan is peopled almost exclusively by European-Americans. Occasionally a non-white will show up for, ah, amorous interactions, but that’s about it. The recurring cab/limo driver character, Ranjit, is non-white as well. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/66 "2011-09-29T21:09:16Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > The recurring cab/limo driver character, Ranjit, is non-white as well. And it’s strongly implied that Robin has indulged in jungle fever at least once. ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2011, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/67 "2011-09-29T22:52:28Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I dunno. It’s clear that Barney makes an obscene amount of money. I don’t know about Ted’s apartment. He’s been living there since he and Marshal graduated from college, and originally they were splitting the rent. When the series began he was a working architect in a nice-sized firm, and now he’s a college professor; given that he made no move to find a new roommate after Marshall & Lilly moved out, it’s clear that he’s living below his means at this point. > > Except that he also owns a house… Well, as far as any seller goes, he owns the land on which an old derelict house that needs to be torn down stands, so it’s more a question of the cost of that little patch of (I assume with all those woods and seemingly still a reasonable connection to the city) Connecticut. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/68 "2011-09-30T13:31:25Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I dunno. It’s clear that Barney makes an obscene amount of money. I don’t know about Ted’s apartment. He’s been living there since he and Marshal graduated from college, and originally they were splitting the rent. When the series began he was a working architect in a nice-sized firm, and now he’s a college professor; given that he made no move to find a new roommate after Marshall & Lilly moved out, it’s clear that he’s living below his means at this point. > > Except that he also owns a house… He also sold one skyscraper design to Mac from Night Court[sup]1[/sup], and one to GNB. That’s got to bring in some serious dough. 1 - Yes he was working for Hal from Malcolm in the Middle at that time, but I’m sure his firm had to have given him a pretty good bonus for that building design. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2011, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/69 "2011-09-30T18:19:38Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > He also sold one skyscraper design to Mac from Night Court[sup]1[/sup], and one to GNB. That’s got to bring in some serious dough. > > 1 - Yes he was working for Hal from Malcolm in the Middle at that time, but I’m sure his firm had to have given him a pretty good bonus for that building design. That was also the one that got him promoted, so he probably got a hefty raise too. ---
**Author:** ![atlantic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/46a35a/32.png) [@atlantic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/atlantic)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/70 "2011-10-03T00:08:32Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Oh no. Here’s a chilling thoguht: are we absolutely certain that Ted is talking to his own children? Just caught a rerun of “Home Wreckers” - the episode where Ted buys the house after leaving his Mom’s & Clint’s reception. While talking to the kids, he says “and yet, as you kids know, being with your Grandpa Clint was the best decision your Grandma made.” ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/71 "2011-10-03T04:40:52Z")
> [@atlantic](#): > > Just caught a rerun of “Home Wreckers” - the episode where Ted buys the house after leaving his Mom’s & Clint’s reception. While talking to the kids, he says “and yet, as you kids know, being with your Grandpa Clint was the best decision your Grandma made.” Phew! Thanks for that! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/72 "2011-10-03T22:04:08Z")
> [@tr0psn4j](#): > > Really? She’s just as hot as ever! You think so? YMMV, of course, but Cobie Smulders doesn’t really do it for me. I mean, she’s cute, but Hannigan is _hot_. She’s got that whole sweet/slutty vibe - you _know_ she does the weird stuff (_pace_ “Dr. Horrible”). I halfway expected to see Barney actually doing the Benihana-style tricks. NPH, guy can do anything - sing, dance, act - why not hibachi? ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/73 "2011-10-03T22:10:18Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > You think so? YMMV, of course, but Cobie Smulders doesn’t really do it for me. I mean, she’s cute, but Hannigan is _hot_. She’s got that whole sweet/slutty vibe - you _know_ she does the weird stuff (_pace_ “Dr. Horrible”). > > I halfway expected to see Barney actually doing the Benihana-style tricks. NPH, guy can do anything - sing, dance, act - why not hibachi? I wouldn’t doubt that he could accomplish it, but somehow I doubt the show’s insurers would be happy with him juggling knives. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/74 "2011-10-03T22:57:06Z")
Here’s another question - is HIMYM the first NYC-based sitcom in history with no Jewish characters? ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2011, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/75 "2011-10-03T23:33:07Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I wouldn’t doubt that he could accomplish it, but somehow I doubt the show’s insurers would be happy with him juggling knives. I hear they make knives that aren’t sharp. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/76 "2011-10-04T00:21:55Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > I hear they make knives that aren’t sharp. > > -Joe Facts are for the weak. > [@Alessan](#): > > Here’s another question - is HIMYM the first NYC-based sitcom in history with no Jewish characters? You know, that’s a good question. Though as often as not the characters’ Jewishness is strictly background. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/77 "2011-10-04T00:36:08Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Here’s another question - is HIMYM the first NYC-based sitcom in history with no Jewish characters? How about The Jeffersons? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/78 "2011-10-04T01:17:06Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Here’s another question - is HIMYM the first NYC-based sitcom in history with no Jewish characters? I Love Lucy and the Danny Thomas Show. Not only New York-based, but New York-based stories that focused on _entertainers_. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/79 "2011-10-04T08:36:48Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Also, lets not forget that, while they never said a number that I can remember, we’re led to believe the Jerry Seinfeld was pretty well off. I always liked to think he was bringing in somewhere in the area of $100K-$200K/year (and living frugally). It was said multiple times that Jerry was rich as hell. They never put a number on it, but he threw money around pretty much right from the beginning. And I think Elaine was even quoted once as saying “I knew you did alright, but I never imagined you had this kind of money.” Plus, he had like eight checks from Nana. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743/80 "2011-10-04T12:31:27Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > It was said multiple times that Jerry was rich as hell. They never put a number on it, but he threw money around pretty much right from the beginning. And I think Elaine was even quoted once as saying “I knew you did alright, but I never imagined you had this kind of money.” > > Plus, he had like eight checks from Nana. Remember too that he bought his parents a new Cadillac as a ‘just because’ gift. Jerry wasn’t hurting, no doubt. One of the folks in New York Sitcoms that was probably living below his means. His apartment was (for TV) pretty modest as well. What, a one bedroom with a tiny kitchen nook, a bathroom, and a living room? -Joe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-i-met-your-mother-the-ducky-tie-spoiler/597743.md?page=5)