Well, Hung
Published February 24, 2004
Some contestants argue when they get the Cowell cutoff; others cry. Said Hung, "I already gave my best and I have no regrets at all."
...."Everyone's having fun with it," says Jared Levy, a fellow UC-Berkeley student. "It's completely different from everyone else's auditions who didn't make it. He said, `You know what? That's OK.'"
Levy, a Cal volleyball player, was so impressed by Hung that he invited the 21-year-old to sing at a game this week, drawing a crowd of hundreds.
"Will! Will! Will!" they screamed as Hung launched into "She Bangs" with the backing of a sextet of nubile young dancers calling themselves The Movement. (A key move turned out to be avoiding getting walked into by Hung.)
....The music channel Fuse and New York-based record company Koch Entertainment offered him a record contract and music video production deal, but the offer, made just after Hung's volleyball singing gig, drew a polite smile but no immediate acceptance.
He's grateful for fan support and the thousands of people who have signed online petitions trying to get American Idol to invite Hung back. Reportedly, the show wants him for the "loser" special, "Uncut, Uncensored and Untalented." Hung was noncommittal about that possibility.
Hung seems to suspect some people are laughing at him, not with him, but he's not letting that get him down. He's taking singing lessons and says every time he sings "She Bangs," "there's always something to work on, something to improve." [AP] Indeed - I think the Willy Hung explosion is the latest of periodic public uprisings where they collectively tell the "experts" to shove it.
Well done, Hung. I would not, however, quit your day job.
Check out this hilarious tribute to William, and note that he will appear on American Idol this Wednesday. I wonder if Simon will be contrite.
- Well, Hung
- Published: February 24, 2004
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- Section: Sci/Tech
- Filed Under: Sci/Tech: Internet, Video: News, Video: Television
- Writer: Eric Olsen
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Comments on this articleComments
I think William Hung is coming out ahead on this one. People who think that the only way to make it in the music business is to go through American Idol are wrong. He does seem to realize that some (maybe many) folks are laughing at him, not with him, he seems genuinely interested in improving his vocals.
And it's not guaranteed success anyway if you go through American Idol (Justin Guarini, anyone?). Simon Cowell shouldn't be fooling anybody, he's parlayed his whole I'm An Asshole thing into a huge payday for himself. He sort of borrowed the attitude from the host of The Weakest Link, didn't he?
It's funny when the public chooses singers differently than the judges like last night where the colored-hair girl (Amy?) won instead of the girl all the judges thought would win. They'll bring back the girl they wanted on the last chance show, I'm guessing.
I see no musical future for Free Willy, but he is a very likeable personality and the exposure can only be good for him whatever he ends up doing, including engineering.
do you guys think that there will be a lot of uc engineering students try out american idol? from what i heard , i know a couple of electrical engineering student said that they will! so, it will be very crowded!
my guess is Hung is sui generis and any other electrical engineering students who audition will actually have to possess some talent to get anywhere
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Dear Webmaster:
As you may already know, American Idol candidate
William Hung has been given a very unique opportunity to shine. I am currently a promoter for several television events and would like to send you these William Hung video clips to take a look at. I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it.
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