Celebrities cameo in music videos all the time. Whether it’s a way for them to launch an image makeover (Megan Fox hoping to be a serious actress in “Love the Way You Lie”) or just an excuse to make out with their significant other (all eyes on Ben Affleck slapping J.Lo’s ass), big stars seem to love lending their famous faces to help videos get more play. Once in a great while, the celebrity cameo goes beyond the usual eye-rolling “look at me” antics and is genuinely hilarious. So, take a load-off and watch some amazing music videos.
10. Michael Cera
The video for Islands‘ track “No You Don’t” is a based on a simple concept, but the concept of “Hey! Look! George Michael from Arrested Development took glowing drugs and is now running around and freaking out to an Islands song” can absolutely sustain itself for three minutes. If we’re being 100% honest with ourselves, though, the real celebrity in this video is the magical robed guy that hugs Cera at the end. I wish when I tripped there was a magical, robed guy that gave me warm, comforting hugs — normally, though, there are only spiders. Terrifying, awful spiders.
9. Dave Foley
The video for Hollerado’s “Americanarama” seems passe now that we’ve all jumped on the “make fun of American Apparel” train. In all fairness, though, it was released at a time when making fun of American Apparel was the coolest thing you could possibly do. Dave Foley is so hilariously on point with his impression of ex-CEO and walking sexual assault lawsuit Dov Charney, that all these years later, it sill works. I’ve applied to work at an American Apparel, and I’ll tell you what, “nice ass” is way higher on the list than “punctuality.” More importantly, I could watch Dave Foley dance like an idiot all day.
8. Kristen Bell
OK, fine, this isn’t really funny. You caught me — I just really love Yeasayer’s spectacular track, “Madder Red”, and I wanted to put it on the list. I mean, I guess the tumor monster that Kristen Bell loves so dearly is kinda funny in a sad, patchy kind of way. The final shot of it in the clouds, that’s pretty funny. Whatever, watch the video. It’s great.
7. Paul F Tompkins
Ted Leo (who shows up on this list multiple times) knows funny, and his video for “Bottled in Cork” helps cement that. Paul F Tomkins, of such great works as Mr. Show, Best Week Ever and There Will Be Blood (seriously, he’s in that), stars as Reginald Van Voorst, a man in a tuxedo with Broadway dreams. He promises to make the band as rich as Crebus if they cheapen everything they do by half-assing a musical based on their album (you know like Green Day did). What follows is a hilarious chronicle of the making of a musical that teaches a few lessons along the way — lessons like “he died because he didn’t believe in the power of punk.” Bonus points for cameos from the dancing Julie Klausner, weeping Patrick Stickles of Titus Andronicus and serious looking John Hodgeman. That’s some bang for your buck right there.
6. Natalie Portman
Casting your super famous, very pretty girlfriend in your music video could come off as eye-roll inducing and self-serving. Lucky for Denvendra Banhart, “Caremensita” is so charming that he sidesteps that downside entirely. What we get instead is a thoroughly entertaining, Bollywood-style video complete with Portman saying, “Where are you my ratty assed compadre?”
5. Shia LaBeouf
Sure, the video for the insanely gorgeous Sigur Ros track “Fjögur Píanó” is dark, intense and features a clip of a famous penis. But, nothing gets me quite like watching Shia LaBeouf try so hard to be taken seriously.
4. Zach Galifinakis and Will Oldham
Very little captures Kanye West’s ode to his personal demons, “Can’t Tell Me Nothing”, quite like two bearded white guys playing around a North Carolina farm. Oh yes, and clogging.
3. Jake Gyllenhal and Others
Vampire Weekend serves up a treasure trove of great celeb cameos in “Giving Up The Gun”. So, instead of choosing one, let’s play the “what’s funnier” game. Is it: Joe Jonas’ face when he loses? Or maybe it’s RZA leaving with a boom box when the video ends? Perhaps it’s when Lil’ Jon acts as a spiritual guide to a girl playing tennis? Nope, it’s when Jake Gyllenhal rips off his pants to reveal his tennis booty shorts and then starts drinking — that’s totally the funniest part.
2. Paul Rudd, Bill Hader and all the Comedians
Basically, The New Pornographers got every NYC based comedian to show up in the video for “Moves”. Watch the video, then tell me what could be better than when Kevin Corrigan strums a guitar with a gun and then puts it in Michael Lisk’s mouth. What was that, Wyatt Cynac’s cocaine pizza is better? You’re totally right, the cocaine pizza is better, but only because the same shot features Ted Leo in drag.
1. Christopher Walken
Fatboy Slim’s iconic “Weapon of Choice” is really the video that started it all. Don’t you owe it to yourself to watch Christopher Walken dancing and flying again?
