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Making the #@!*ing Video

Behind-the-scenes of ''I'm F---ing Ben Affleck'' -- Jimmy Kimmel and Ben Affleck give us the dirt on how their viral video came together

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By Dan Snierson

It boasted more celeb wattage than this year's Oscars: The music video ''I'm F -- -ing Ben Affleck'' — which debuted on Jimmy Kimmel Live!'s post-Oscar show and has since crippled workplace productivity — is Kimmel's response to another YouTube staple, ''I'm F -- -ing Matt Damon,'' sung by the ABC host's girlfriend, Sarah Silverman, and his pseudo-nemesis Matt Damon. Herewith, the dirt on Bimmy's blunt declaration.

JIMMY KIMMEL I did not instantly think of how I was going to retaliate, because it almost seemed impossible. But then the idea of doing something with Ben Affleck floated around.

BEN AFFLECK I remember seeing Matt's [video] and thinking, ''Oh, it would be funny to do one with me and Jimmy.''

JILL LEIDERMAN, 'Kimmel' exec producer If Matt took a swing at somebody that Jimmy loves, the best way for Jimmy to retaliate would be for him to take a swing at somebody that Matt loves.

AFFLECK They paid me in humiliation. That was my only fee, and I drank it up.... You couldn't do it half-speed. You had to be painting toes and blow-drying hair. At one point we were going to take a bath together, but the bubbles couldn't get high enough, so that ended up getting scrapped.

LEIDERMAN It grew exponentially from the first phone call we made. Once a few celebrities signed on, the yeses came fast and furious.

KIMMEL Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine we'd have Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford. Brad Pitt dressed in a FedEx costume was kind of crazy to start with, but Han Solo hanging around the studio all day was just unbelievable.

AFFLECK The first name that came to me — because I'm such a huge fan — was Harrison Ford. And I heard he liked the Matt one. Jill called me back 10 minutes later: ''We got Harrison Ford!'' He was awesome. He saw his wardrobe looked kind of normal and was like, ''Don't we have anything here that's mesh?''

LEIDERMAN Thank goodness Josh Groban — with that rich, velvety voice — was gracious enough to lend his talents to this higher cause. When he signed on, we knew that we had gravitas.

AFFLECK Every time we got one of those people, I felt like, ''This is either really great or it's really terrible for me, because I'm gonna have to be living with this 'I'm F---ing Ben Affleck' anthem for the rest of my life!''

KIMMEL I was hoping to have actual intercourse, but standards and practices at ABC once again ruined it for everyone.

AFFLECK The short shorts were not a challenge — the singing was. When we're going nose to nose, you'll see — or you'll hear — that I'm not singing in the range I'm supposed to. And I'm not keeping time. I don't think this is going to prove a successful reel for any musicals.

KIMMEL I don't know how you retaliate after this, but that Damon's very crafty and I wouldn't be surprised if my staff is right now plotting with him against me.... I don't know if Sarah has seen it, to be honest. I haven't seen her since Ben and I moved in together.

Read more of Ben Affleck's random thoughts about ''I'm F---ing Ben Affleck'', including what Matt Damon thought about the video.