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Despite reports that How I Met Your Mother has already ridden the Britney ratings train to fourth season security, the show can't ... stop ... stunting! In a season that's already given us the varied guesting talents of Enrique Iglesias, Mandy Moore, Heidi Klum, Vanessa Minnillo, Sarah Chalke and, of course, Miss Spears herself, E! is reporting that James Van Der Beek is now paddling himself out of the increasingly swampy confines of Obscurity Creek and into the Land Of Laugh Tracks.

The Beek, who has capitalized on his teen stardom with a string of forgettable movies (Varsity Blues excluded, of course) and guest appearances designed to play against the "Dawson" type — a serial killer on Criminal Minds, a douchebag ad buyer on Ugly Betty — will play a love interest for Cobie Smulders' character's Canadian pop star alter-ego, Robin Sparkles. No details yet, but if Sparkles last appearance is any indication, he'll win her over with his skateboarding tricks, take her to the foodcourt with a robot chaperone and rock her body until Canada Day.