GETTING 2GETHER
the band that began as a joke has the first laugh at Britney's Show

The mock pop band 2gether's real life opening for Britney Spears's July 29th concert in Irvine, California, was like a scene out of their satirical MTV series, 2gether (Tuesdays, 10:30 P.M./ET). While Spears's equipment filled the main stage, 2gether got a ground-level platform the size of a bedroom, beside the restrooms. Next: The microphones wouldn't work. "I've died with stand-up before," Kevin Farley (who plays 2gether singer Doug Linus), laughing. "This was worse." Finally: Rumors that Britney would hop a golf cart to say hi to 2gether never came true.

Still, Spears invited 2gether to open six dates of her tour, and girls love these guys (Farley, Evan Farmer, Alex Solowitz, Michael Cuccione, and Noah Bastian). "I want to make out with all of them," gushed Rachel O'Neill, 18.

2gether's self titled CD, full of silly send-ups of boy band tunes, has sold more than 300,000 copies. The followup, 2gether Again, hits stores August 29, the same day the group appears on Total Request Live (MTV, weekdays, 3 P.M./ET). "We're good entertainers," says Farmer. "But we can't take ourselves too seriously."

The fans can-and do. "I like Q.T. because he's so cute," cooed Michelle Zamorano, 15, of Cuccione's character. Does she get that the band is a spoof? "Oh yeah," she says. "So?" -Janet Weeks