Like you -- and the 4.5 million other people -- who've watched Weezer's new "Pork and Beans" video (from the band's forthcoming Red album) since it was released into the wilds of the Internet last Sunday, we've spent the week mesmerized by all those memes: exploding Mentos and two-liters! That tender hug between Rivers Cuomo and Chris Crocker. Kevin Federline! And TAY ZONDAY! We figured that the video didn't come together naturally or by accident, and we figured right.

After watching the video for the billionth time, we couldn't stop wondering how the whole thing happened, so we asked the guy in charge. Director Mathew Cullen, co-founder of video production house Motion Theory, (both were behind Modest Mouse's "Dashboard" video and Pharrell's HP commercial) shot the video, and he also shot us an email containing basically everything you wanted to know about "Pork and Beans," working with Chris Crocker, and, of course, directing Weezer in this instant classic.

Buzzworthy: Where did the idea for the "Pork and Beans" video come from?

Mathew Cullen: Two years ago I directed a commercial with Pharrell, and he wanted the AfroNinja clip in it. Because of rights issues, we had to re-shoot it with the original ninja, Mark Hicks. It was strange for him to be replicating that infamous moment in his life, especially when I had him land on his head a dozen times to get the take right. The final clip we shot was nearly identical to the original, and I knew I could expand on that concept of replicating and re-inventing iconic pieces of Internet popular culture.

When I heard "Pork and Beans," I loved its non-conformist message and felt like it was a natural anthem for the self-expression that's been taking shape on YouTube and the Internet. At that point, I connected the dots and wanted to create Weezer's mash-up of their favorite popular culture of the Internet -- a viral music video made of virals, rather than just a traditional music video.

BW: How did you select the Internet celebrities, trends, and memes in the video?

MC: There are so many incredible people creating content on YouTube. Someone or something new emerges every single day that surprises, entertains, or makes us think. It's always evolving and these videos are windows into the faces of a community. Whether it's filmmaking, music, art, or blogs -- it was an extremely difficult task to select "the best" clips for the video because there are so many great ones out there. In the end, the band and I loved the combination of positive cult and more well-known virals that ran the gamut of what the YouTube community represents.

BW: Was there anyone you wanted to use for the video but couldn't?

MC: We tried to find TechnoViking, but it appears he was out dancing and impossible to hunt down. He's the type of guy that just shows up when he wants to, and when he does, you don't get in his way. We also reached out to Ghyslain Raza, the Star Wars Kid, but he has been a victim of cyber-bullying over the years and prefers not being in the public eye.

BW: What was it like working with Weezer?

MC: I have been a fan of their music and videos since the Blue Album. They really helped bring the concept to life with their ideas and collaboration -- especially when they were getting blasted in the face with a combination of Diet Coke and Mentos.

BW: What were some of the funniest moments from the set?

MC: The funniest thing was seeing everyone walking on the set and tripping out that their bedroom, recording studio, stage, etc. was mashed up in one space. It was a very strange thing looking around and feeling like you are actually in the Internet.

BW: Which was the most challenging scene to shoot?

MC: When we shot the Diet Coke/Mentos fountain, we had only one take to get it right. I was really into the idea of the fountain being like a giant equalizer and had to make sure that each moment connected with Weezer's performance.

BW: What were the various cewebrities (Chris Crocker, the "Numa Numa" kid, Tay Zonday) like in person?

MC: As you can imagine, they all have very distinct personalities. Tay is an intellectual. Chris is soft spoken. Gary is friendly and kind-hearted. Kelly is ... Kelly. Mark "Afro Ninja" Hicks's skills are intimidating. Daft Hands and Daft Bodies are anonymous. Dramatic Chipmunk is stuffed. Everyone was totally professional and a pleasure to work with. I think we are fascinated with these people because we relate to them on some level. You think -- I've been like Numa Numa before when I'm driving down the freeway listening to my favorite song. It's good to sing your heart out.

BW: Why did you opt for footage of Kevin Federline instead of shooting him live on set?

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"Charlotte," the infectious new single from indie rock band Air Traffic, is enough to make even Erica Jong get over her fear of flying. The song features intense lyrics ("Cause I'm wasted / I'm face down on the floor / Can't take anymore) paired with strangely soothing melodies, for a sound that's one part Placebo, two-parts Green Day on Prozac. Then again, we would expect nothing less from the do-or-die Brits who famously blew their student loans to support their nasty music habit. And while the group's been keeping busy touring around the U.K. ever since signing with EMI in 2006, we think these student-turned-rockers are about to hit it big here in the U.S. So buckle up, and get ready for takeoff. Oh, and don't forget to make sure your seatbacks and tray tables are in their upright and fully locked positions.

+ The always-opinionated musician/blogger John Mayer has nothing but love, support and unabashed admiration for pal (and pops-to-be) Pete Wentz. "You're one of the best eggs in the music industry, hands down," Mayer writes on his website, adding: "I think the world of you...Best to you and your lovely wife." (John Mayer's blog, via PerezHilton)

+ Meanwhile, Mayer's ex (and Wentz's new sister-in-law!) Jessica Simpson has reportedly warned his rumored new girlfriend Jennifer Aniston that Mayer can be a bit of a "ladies-man." (Entertainmentwise)

+ Could Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin, be any more humble? When asked about the group's success, he replied, "After the last record I felt like God, I can't believe we've got away with becoming this huge band ... We still haven't done anything I think is that good yet." We beg to differ! (The Press Association)

+ The Pussycat Dolls' catchy new single ("When I Grow Up") is about doing whatever it takes to become famous. Isn't honesty refreshing? (Imeem)

+ And Rihanna's latest track, "Disturbia," makes us wonder whether she's taking artistic license, or just overdosing on reruns of My So-Called Life. (That Grape Juice)

+ Turns out, everyone's a winner on American Idol. Even hometown hero -- and fourth place finisher -- Jason Castro. (Mollygood)

+ Forget about Dr. Phil! Now, Britney Spears is getting parenting advice from ... the Supernanny? (Hollywood Rag)

Can we talk about the word "change" for a minute? Good. With all the politicians throwing it around like a pigskin on Thanksgiving, it might be a good for all of us to see a visual representation of what, exactly, that word means. Por example: the latest video from Lil Mama, a.k.a. The Voice of the Young People.

When you think Lil Mama, what's the first thing that comes to mind? Crazy bright clothes, poppin' lipgloss, maybe a grown-up baby outfit, and dancing? So much dancing. Usually she's all about all things youthful and carefree. A human jelly bracelet, if you will.

But now (brought on by the untimely death of her mother and her tumultuous upbringing), all that's changed in her new video, "L.I.F.E." Now it's all strife, teen pregnancy, crackheads and Heroes-style black eyeballs. Not exactly the soundtrack to a Sketchers commercial, but she's on point with the serious Mary J. Blige-sounding message. To be sure: Lil Mama's an all-growed-up mature woman. But hopefully her next video won't bring the dourness to Evanescence/ Flyleaf levels of bleakness.

Switches -- the four-man Britpop group fronted by Matt Bishop -- pulled off two seemingly impossible tasks. First, they managed to win over not-so-easily-impressed Brit music mag NME. Then, they took an already great song and made it even more awesome with their new video, "Drama Queen," off Lay Down the Law.

In the clip, Bishop and his crew make excellent use of the newfangled visual technology, depicting an international beauty pageant gone wrong and elevating chick-fighting into a hair-pulling, grenade-throwing, bazooka-firing work of art. Not bad, especially considering the song itself was already catchy enough to become the theme of MTV's upcoming reality show, Legally Blonde The Musical: The Search for Elle Woods.

Watch the video below and see why these retro-punk Englishmen have already toured stateside with fellow Brit imports Hard-Fi and Louis XIV.

You can't throw a stone around here and not hit some form of 2008 MTV Movie Awards hype. Or piss someone off by hitting them with a stone. Anyway, know this: the show is this Sunday, June 1 at 8p.m. EST, hosted by Mike Myers. It's live, which means if someone falls, you get to see it! Also: live performances by Coldplay and the Pussycat Dolls. Probably not together, but stranger things have happened.

Until then, check out the nominees, get behind-the-scenes action on the MTV Movies Blog (they dug up ancient footage of Adam Sandler's MTV audition from way back in 1987!) practice your favorite Juno zinger, write something politically astute on your hand in marker, and watch Coldplay's new "Violet Hill" video, off their upcoming album, Viva La Vida, which really needs to hurry up and come out already.

(Credit: Will Ragozzino/Getty Images)

File under: HEADLINES WE NEVER THOUGHT WE'D WRITE.

Pete and Ashlee we can handle. But Clay Aiken -- the seemingly asexual American Idol runner-up who covers Madonna in his live shows and about whom articles like this have been written (because you needed a Clay Aiken refresher) -- got this lady pregnant. PREGNANT. Baby on board! That pregnant. And she's 50. And she's pretty much a cougar. Not quite Demi Moore-levels of cougarness, but Clay... dude, um... nice job!

More when we recover. If we recover. And note, David Archuleta, if you're reading this, don't get any ideas! You stay in your room, young man!

If Cake, Oasis and the Bloodhound Gang were to (somehow) procreate and have an inexplicably Spanish lovechild, the result of that illegitimate union would probably be something along the lines of The Pinker Tones. The Barcelona-born indie-pop outfit, whose style can best be described as punk meets-break-beat-meets-psychedelia, first came on the music scene back in 2003, but didn't truly break until the release of their second album, 2006's The Million Color Revolution and their 2007 follow-up, More Colors. We like these guys because they sing in four different trance-like languages (Spanish, French, German and English), because they favor surrealist landscape backgrounds, and because they're bringing monochromatic back.

Watch their new video, "Happy Everywhere," and preview their new album, Wild Animals, on "The Leak."

Besides blink-182's seminal Take Off Your Pants and Jacket, Aussie folk-pop singer Sia (she's responsible for Zero 7's haunting female vocals) has one of our favorite album titles ever: Some People Have Real Problems. And in her new video, "The Girl You Lost," Sia herself suffers from a few conundrums, not the least of which is what to wear. Which is why she goes through more costume changes than Victoria Beckham on a publicity trip family outing to a soccer match.

Our favorite costume -- from what we gather, it's a Captain Jack Sparrow/Flavor Flav mash-up, but we're not 100% sure. Second fave: Howard Stern/ Strawberry Shortcake. Most psychologically frightful: scantily clad bride who slightly resembles both Jonathan Davis of Korn and Chyna Doll. Also, the whole thing makes way more sense when you realize that the uncensored version of the single is called "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine." (Maybe she and N.E.R.D. should get together and swap war stories.)

+ Bonus: Stereogum has Sia's version of Britney's "Gimme More."

+ Double Bonus: Sia's up for a 2008 New Now Next "Kylie" Award for Next International Crossover, against Robyn, Leona Lewis, and Duffy. Choosing just one of those artists is unfair and IMPOSSIBLE and there oughta be a U.N. regulation against it or something.

We will now freely admit to having a slight residual crush on Gavin Rossdale (a.k.a. Mr. Gwen Stefani) dating back to the early '90s, when Rossdale and his then-band Bush came out with their breathy single, "Glycerine."

But that doesn't mean we're biased when it comes to reviewing "Love Remains the Same," the first video release off his new LP, Wanderlust, which drops next month. And what this song lacks in pure, unadulterated Seattle-inspired grunge, it more than makes up for with gritty, black-and-white broody mood lighting and gratuitous shots of Rossdale in the shower. (Hollerz!)

Turns out the Kilburn, London native is still the soulful, raspy-voiced rocker we've crushed on for years. In fact, he seems to have gotten hotter with age. And no doubt, his wife would agree.