Early 2000s viral sensation William Hung made a rare television appearance on Today Extra on Monday.
The 42-year-old shot into the pop culture stratosphere thanks to his memorable audition on the 2004 season of American Idol.
William’s “unique” version of Ricky Martin’s hit She Bangs became an internet sensation; the clip of his enthusiastic but off-key rendition racked up more than three million views on YouTube.
While judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson attempted to gently let William down after his performance, Simon Cowell didn’t mince his words, calling the performance “grotesque.”
Speaking to Today Extra hosts David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys 20 years after the fateful audition, William said he was not surprised by Simon’s adverse reaction to his talent.
“I was expecting Simon to be the negative person,” William said.
‘I watched a few shows before I went to audition and I knew Simon was going to be the bad boy.’
William added that he was glad he was able to turn what should have been a negative experience into a positive one.
Early 2000s viral sensation William Hung made a rare appearance on Today Extra, giving Australian audiences another taste of the tune that made him famous.
“Not everything in life goes as planned, so to this day I continue to reinvent myself to use my story and experience to benefit more people,” she explained.
“I feel wonderful being able to turn a negative into a positive.”
Sylvia then asked William if he could sing the classic tune for old times’ sake and the unexpected star obliged, much to the host’s delight, as both Sylvia and David danced along to the song.
William’s “unique” version of Ricky Martin’s hit She Bangs became an internet phenomenon and the clip of his enthusiastic but off-key rendition racked up more than three million views on YouTube.
Following his failed audition, William went on to make countless lucrative television appearances satirizing his time on American Idol and recorded three albums between 2004 and 2005.
He quickly gained a cult following thanks to countless television appearances on shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show With David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and playing himself on the critically acclaimed comedy series Arrested Development.
In 2018, William’s journey came full circle when he joined Ricky Martin on stage at Park MGM Las Vegas to perform a duet of She Bangs.
The viral star also made a triumphant return to American Idol in 2016 for the season 15 finale and in 2022 for The Great Idol Reunion special.
“I was expecting Simon to be the negative person,” William revealed on Today Extra. “I watched a few shows before I went to the audition and I knew Simon was going to be the bad guy.”
William retired from music in 2011 and currently analyzes data and statistics for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
In January, William spoke with People on how to overcome gambling addiction.
“I knew I was good at poker, but then I got greedy,” William told the publication.
‘I got into sports betting. Across the spectrum. I know more now. I wasn’t supposed to do those things, but I did them anyway. And I paid for it. I got divorced (from my second wife) and learned that I had to be smart about the risks I decided to take.’