The best thing about this song isn't the song. It's the video.  See kids?  Flashmobs were invented well before youtube made them famous.

The video for "Praise You" was directed by Spike Jonze. Jonze starred in the film under the pseudonym Richard Koufey, along with a fictional dance group The Torrance Community Dance Group.

The video was shot guerrilla-style (that is, on location without obtaining permission from the owners of the property) in front of puzzled onlookers outside a movie theatre in Westwood, California. In the video, Jonze and the dance group dance to "Praise You", much to the chagrin of a theatre employee who turns off their portable stereo. One of the actor-dancers in the fictional Torrance Community Dance Group, Michael Gier, documents the making of the "Praise You" video on his website.

Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim) is briefly seen in the video as one of the many onlookers, with the clearest view shown at the conclusion of the video, while Jonze is talking about the dance. Cook curiously peers over Jonze to catch a glimpse of the camera before walking off to the right.

The video reportedly cost only $800 to produce, with most of that money going towards a replacement boombox and food for the cast and crew.

The video won three major awards at the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards: Breakthrough Video, Best Direction (awarded to "Torrance Community Dance Group"), and Best Choreography (awarded to "Richard Koufey & Michael Rooney"). It was also nominated for, but did not win, Best Dance Video. The group also put on a dance performance to the song at the awards.

 

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