Podcast Looks Back at William Hung's Wild Rollercoaster Ride to the Top and Back

William Hung

If you've followed my mixes, website or blog over the past 20 years, you probably know that I've featured a bunch of material from the 2004 album Hung for the Holidays, by former American Idol contestant William Hung. Hung was a young civil engineering student at U.C. Berkeley when he skyrocketed to fame following his unsuccessful audition for the hit Fox show performing the Ricky Martin number "She Bangs." His spirited performance was brutally panned by the judges, especially Simon Cowell, who called it "grotesque," adding, "You can't dance, you can't sing, so what do you want me to say?" Cowell wasn't necessarily wrong, but Hung's response touched a nerve with many viewers: "Um, I already gave my best," he said, "and I have no regrets at all."

During the next several years, Hung enjoyed considerable publicity and a fair degree of commercial success. He released three different records, the first of which, Inspiration, sold over 200,000 copies and reached #32 on Billboard's Hot 200 Albums Chart. His career as a recording artist fizzled out within a couple of years and Hung was forced to deal with a variety of challenges in the years that followed, but he maintained a positive outlook and persevered. In addition to taking jobs as a math teacher, professional gambler and analyst for the L.A. Sheriff's Department, Hung has also worked as a motivational speaker.

To mark the 20th anniversary of Hung's American Idol appearance (can it really have been that long ago?) Jamie Loftus' "Sixteenth Minute of Fame" podcast recently featured a two-part retrospective of his life and career. It's a fascinating look at an especially interesting character in our popular history and it's told with understanding, kindness and respect:

I confess I originally included Hung's holiday tunes on my mixes for comic relief. He's not a talented singer and his material is good for a cheap laugh. But there's a far more important message I now see in his performances. He enjoys singing and is courageous and smart enough to take chances in life and do what makes him happy. I admire William for that, and hearing his spirited rendition of some holiday classics gives me some real joy as well.

Watch William Hung's Audition on American Idol, Season 3