February 01, 2004
HIS NAME IS BILL, BILL HUNG
I don't watch "American Idol,'' but I've seen enough from promos to know what it's about: regular people taking a shot at the dream, risking only humiliation and verbal abuse. Sounds like a pretty good trade to me.
One of those, apparently, was William Hung, a civil engineer from L.A. who sang Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" for the panel. (You can see his audition here.)
It strikes me on several levels. First, Billy did way better than I could have done. Second, Bill hears the same orchestra in my head that I do when I sing in the shower or in the car on the way to work. Third, had he not taken a shot, then there wouldn't be a Web site in his honor.
And fourth: Girl in the white skirt sitting behind him, put on some clothes, young lady. You're not skank enough to go for Aguilera territory.