<P> Played by Wayne Brady , James is Barney 's gay African - American half - brother ; they are very alike and act as each other 's `` wingmen '' . This changes when James meets Tom , his future husband . Barney tries to stop his brother from marrying but changes his mind when he learns that they are adopting a baby . James marries Tom and they have a son named Eli . In the season 6 episode `` Cleaning House , '' James finds out his father is Sam Gibbs after he and Barney discover an unsent letter that their mother Loretta addressed to him . At the end of `` The Rebound Girl '' , it is revealed that James and Tom have adopted an infant daughter named Sadie . In `` Coming Back '' , James announces that he is getting a divorce after Tom discovered him cheating . Robin wins James ' wedding ring in `` The Poker Game '' and refuses to give it back because James has been saying that she and Barney should not get married . Barney initially stands by his brother , but then realizes that James ' selfishness is what caused his own marriage to fail . James reveals that Gary Blauman was one of the guys that he cheated on Tom with in `` Gary Blauman '' . Future Ted explains to his children that James and Tom did eventually get back together , and raised Eli and Sadie as a happy family . </P>
<P> Played by Wayne Brady , James is Barney 's gay African - American half - brother ; they are very alike and act as each other 's `` wingmen '' . This changes when James meets Tom , his future husband . Barney tries to stop his brother from marrying but changes his mind when he learns that they are adopting a baby . James marries Tom and they have a son named Eli . In the season 6 episode `` Cleaning House , '' James finds out his father is Sam Gibbs after he and Barney discover an unsent letter that their mother Loretta addressed to him . At the end of `` The Rebound Girl '' , it is revealed that James and Tom have adopted an infant daughter named Sadie . In `` Coming Back '' , James announces that he is getting a divorce after Tom discovered him cheating . Robin wins James ' wedding ring in `` The Poker Game '' and refuses to give it back because James has been saying that she and Barney should not get married . Barney initially stands by his brother , but then realizes that James ' selfishness is what caused his own marriage to fail . James reveals that Gary Blauman was one of the guys that he cheated on Tom with in `` Gary Blauman '' . Future Ted explains to his children that James and Tom did eventually get back together , and raised Eli and Sadie as a happy family . </P>
who plays james on how i met your mother
who plays james on how i met your mother
Wayne Brady
Wayne Brady