Neil Patrick Harris on his Gay Man of the Decade honor: “I have risen atop John Barrowman!”

After a spirited challenge from John Barrowman, Neil Patrick Harris has emerged as the winner of AfterElton.com’s Gay Man of the Decade. NPH received 61 percent of the vote while Barrowman was second with 32 percent. Trailing way back in third was Ian McKellen with 3 percent.

“Huzzah! At last, I have risen atop John Barrowman!” he said on AfterElton. “While excited, I must admit that I was worried he wouldn’t like it. And yes, it may have been uncomfortable at first, but I soon saw that he was enjoying himself and, therefore, so did I. Good times. A fine way to start Aught Ten.

Joshing aside, I was pretty amazed at how this took on a life of it’s own. Big thanks to everyone who threw a vote my way, but even bigger thanks to those who rallied their legions of fans on my behalf. That was very cool. (Jimmy Fallon? Totally unsolicited? How nice was that?!?) Thanks also to Michael and the gang at AfterElton.com, who seem to be the real winners. And to Twitter. My Twitter followers rock.

Neil also talked about the contest last night on Jimmy Kimmel Live on which he appeared to promote the 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother which airs on Monday: “That’s why I’m here, to promote that – not my gan manness.”

But he did discuss the win and guesses it might not be going over so well in Barrowman’s UK where he stars in Torchwood.

“I’m gonna go to Britain and get cold-cocked in the back of the head by a guy in a pub,” he joked before laughing and wagging his finger at the audience and adding: “You can’t say cold-cocked when you’re talking about gay man of the decade – it’s a while different thing.”