'American Idiot' Cast Responds to Ted Leo's Video Spoof

Pretty much any time an established punk band does something slightly different than its past work, they're going to get branded as sellouts who lost their "true punk" spirit. Thus, it's no surprise that Green Day and the cast of the 'American Idiot' musical have had their critics, the latest of which was indie-rock stalwart Ted Leo.

Before his video for 'Bottled in Cork,' which lightheartedly mocks the production, Leo made an announcement that led some fans to believe that he was actually going to stage a musical based on his songs. One Leo devotee who fell for it was 'American Idiot' actor Michael Esper, who told Spinner during the cast's AOL Sessions performance that he was "excited" to see a Leo musical make it to Broadway. Unfortunately, his co-star and fellow Leo fan John Gallagher, Jr. broke the news that it was all a satire during the interview portion of the taping.

"Oh no, really? What a bastard!" Esper said, clearly crestfallen. Gallagher responded, "I was like, 'Wow, everyone's really going for it.' It was a total joke."

The video, which had just debuted when the cast visited our New York studio, features Leo and the Pharmacists staging a musical with the help of comedian Paul F. Tompkins. Titus Andronicus frontman Patrick Stickles makes a cameo as a particularly emotional fan, and comedian John Hodgman plays a theater critic who ultimately declares Leo's show the "worst thing ever staged in history."

"It's pretty funny. You should watch it," Gallagher told Esper. "My friend e-mailed it to me and I was like, in earnest, 'Ted Leo's doing this thing! He said he was really inspired by the 'American Idiot' musical.' It came out online and it was a total joke. It's not really mean-spirited."

"Well, Ted Leo can suck it," Esper said, before adding, "There are other artists that I would be excited about."

After the interview wrapped, Gallagher and Esper showed they had no hard feelings when they stopped to watch Leo's Interface performance, with both repeating how much they admired him and his music. Check out the video for 'Bottled in Cork' and decide for yourself whether or not they should be hurt.