For someone who says so much through sad songs, Aimee Mann's live shows are surprisingly comedic affairs. Patton Oswalt has pinch-bantered for Aimee in concert for over ten years now. The singer/songwriter's part of Jon Brion's Largo family, and it's always fun to watch that talented crew of comedians and musicians in new configurations, especially in PT Anderson movies. (You guys catch Paul F. Tompkins in There Will Be Blood?)

In this three-part mockumentary directed by Michael Blieden last fall, Aimee wears a terrific series of ladysuits and asks Mr. Tompkins for advice booking celebs for her Second Annual Christmas Show at the El Rey. John Krasinki gets his invite via song ("You and Drew Pinksy/ Are my favorite celebrities/ But he can't act or sing/ So John, let's do this thing/ Unless you hate Baby Jesus/ Then I'll know the answer is no"), Emily Proctor gets all Single White Female, and Patton Oswalt declines because comedy and music don't mix.

It gets more awkward from there. Ben Stiller shows up and he's a prick, and of course it's not a viral video until Will Ferrell cameos. - Source

Oh, how we CANNOT wait for this. There's an article in Billboard today about the current happenings of Ben Folds. Folds' new solo album was originally scheduled for release this summer, but has recently been pushed back to 2005. Why? Because Folds is busy co-writing, producing, and releasing the first new album in umpteen years from WILLIAM SHATNER. Yes, THAT William Shatner. And, in addition to guest appearances by Folds, Aimee Mann, and Henry Rollins, the album should be notable for two other reasons -- the first being that one of the tracks is a composition co-written by Folds and "High Fidelity" author Nick Hornby... which is only topped by the news that another of the tracks will be a duet between Shatner and Joe Jackson -- and it's a cover of Pulp's "Common People."