2013 Tony Awards: Neil Patrick Harris Bumps Up Ratings

Four-time host was able to bring numbers up 20 percent from last year

By Jenna Mullins Jun 10, 2013 4:00 PMTags
Cindy LauperAndrew H. Walker/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions

And for his final act as the host of the 2013 Tony Awards, Neil Patrick Harris brought the largest viewership since 2009.

The ratings are in from last night's CBS broadcast of the Broadway celebration, and 7.24 million people tuned in to watch Kinky Boots dominate the evening. The 2013 Tony Awards saw a 20 percent bump from last year's show, which hit an all-time low with barely 6 million people showing up.

This was Harris' fourth time hosting the Tony Awards, and he pulled out all the stops. Including a musical number about canceled NBC shows that featured the stars of Smash (duh), The New Normal (hello, Andrew Rannells) and Go On (a somewhat sorrowful Laura Benanti)

Watch the canceled NBC tribute below, and then tell us what you thought about NPH's hosting game this year.