Okay, so we all know this dude is pathetic & (hopefully) most people feel sorry for him, I know I do Entertainment Weekly (the Prince issue) gave it a well deserved "F" & I thought this part of the review was particularly interesting - here's the last paragraph:

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excerpt from Entertainment Weekly
"Hung Out To Dry" : There's nothing funny about the debut CD from American Idol's most laughed at star. by David Browne



...By now, hideous singing on record is nothing to get worked up over. In past decades, we've had to deal with everyone from William Shatner to schizophrenic indie-rock icon Wesley Willis. Inspiration adds a particularly ugly race card to this time-honored tradition. From the way Hung mispronounces "perseverance" in one of the album's spoken interludes (it comes out as "per-sa-re-vance") to the way he vocalizes as if he had bitten off the tip of his tongue, we're meant to laugh at him, not with him. He's a horrific stereotype of the cluless foreigner desperately trying to conform and be "American" by wearing logo-emblazoned sweatshirts and singing middlebrow pop. His inability to fit in may make unenlightened listeners feel superior especially in light of recent global events. Even in a business with a high threashhold for shame, Inspiration is shameless. Despite its title, there's nothing in the least bit inspirational - and everything repugnant - about it. "F"

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Any thoughts??

I've only heard of William Hung here and I've never watched American Idol. I don't have cable or watch tv.

For some reason I'm reminded of the stupid chick that was sitting in front of me at the Prince concert screening. When the fans were on stage and that bigger woman was behind him, EVERY time she was on the screen, this girl in front of me would point and force hideous laughter.




This cd sounds like a sick joke. Of course, the record companies are gonna make more money off this than he is, just like any other artist. Soon there will be a behind the music special, with William telling his story about how he was taken advantage of by the music industry.

I'm glad EW gave it an F, instead of saying it has entertainment value of some kind.

William Hung is the Clara Peller of the 21st Century. In ten years or so, Hal Sparks will be imitating him on VH1's "I Love the 00s".

Damn if that ain't hittin' the nail on the head!

CalhounSq said:

Feel sorry for him? Heyyyyllll NO.

`
[This message was edited Mon Apr 19 12:09:20 2004 by Supernova]

Supernova said:

Exactly! What's to feel sorry about? Hung believed he could be a star when he first auditioned for AI, and now...he is!

Supernova said:

psykosoul said:

how can this bitch get a big rekid deal and we cant?

I think there is a kind of racism going on with Hung-he's like the "chinese" people on "Gilligan's Island" with the exaggerated false teeth, exaggerated slitty eyes, aand made to be stupid & laughed at. He's like Hrundi V. Bakshi in "The Party", except with a mean-spirited undertone. Laugh at the minority.

If Hung was just your average American white kid male, or female, with the same performance in AI, he would be forgotten by now.

What put Hung over the top is his race & teeth, and maybe his dance moves.

There's always humor to bad renditions of songs-listen to the "Golden Throats" compilations, or Pat Boone's "No More Mr. Nice Guy" cd. But Hung is an unknown, and it's his badness due to his racial differences, resulting in different interpretations.

This behavior toward Hung is just an aspect of fallout of the Bush Administration going after brown guys. Xenophobia.

William Hung is the kind of embarrassing cultural stereotype that America likes to gawk at ("Look, Earl, the Viet kid with the slitty eyes from MASH is trying to sing!"). If I were his parents, I would be really embarrassed. He's peddling his jumbled r's and l's all over town for a quick buck, but it sure as hell isn't doing Asians (or his academic credibility at whatever foolish institution he's attending) any good. There are many good Asian singers out there (Coco Lee being one of my favourites) who deserve respect. With Hung out and about, is it any wonder they're not getting it?
[This message was edited Mon Apr 19 16:28:11 2004 by VoicesCarry]

warning2all said:

But the fact of the matter is, he did this to himself...

No one forced him to sing "She Bangs" or record that stupid fucking album... all the fallout, or stereotyping or insults and cold hearted laughs at his expense are a direct result of his actions.

Welcome to the American Dream... While my music remains virtually unheard of, his "joke" (on us) is that it's on every airwave, every television and on every website...

Hell... he'll have his college tuition paid for and will probably be able to buy himself and his parents a house outright.

I'm still paying my mortgage and only hearing my music on my home stereo...

Bravo EW for resisting the urge to approve of something so blatantly horrible and insulting... "F" for Fucking Sucks.

Resume laughter here: William Hung.

SHE BANG, SHE BANG, SHE MOVE, SHE MOVE

paisleypark4 said:

Because when one is a novelty act, it's easier to get attention for a brief while. It's fast food, quick money. Unfortunately, in this era's climate it's harder for The Real Deal to get that type of break/attention right off the bat, and the big record companies sure as hell aren't gonna help nuture your talent like they used to. That's old school...time's have changed for the worst and the recording industry deserves its current state.

Personally, I think he took "Rocket Man" and made it his own.
[This message was edited Mon Apr 19 17:43:47 2004 by theVelvetRoper]

Supernova said:

Well said.

I should also mention that pic is not from EW - I just found it online...

Adisa said:

I hear you guys but I can't help but feel sorry for him. I know he opened the door to this flood but it's like anyone who voluntarily exploits themself in such a way - there will come a time (I would hope) that the subject realizes what's really going on & it's something they can never undo but will always feel shitty about (& be made to feel shitty about).

Maybe I'm putting too much faith into this dude waking up & ultimately putting more on dignity than fame - I guess he may never feel differently about all this, which is just as sad (if not more so)

theVelvetRoper said:

That's some cold shit

theVelvetRoper said:

Hey, look everyone! Paula Abdul's decided to join the party!