Former American Idol contestant William Hung has revealed the three words he has for Simon Cowell 20 years after his brutal audition.
The aspiring star, who had been studying civil engineering at the University of California, auditioned for the reality show in 2004, then in its third season, with a rendition of Ricky Martin’s She Bangs.
William, then 20 years old, was greeted with fierce disapproval when Simon spoke: ‘It’s one of the worst auditions we’ve had this year if I’m honest. Oh really. I mean it was all grotesque.
But, despite the music mogul’s criticism, William, now 41, shared with Mirror that two decades later he would like to tell Simon: ‘I did it.’
Former American Idol contestant William Hung has revealed the three words he has for Simon Cowell 20 years after his brutal audition
The aspiring star, who had been studying civil engineering at the University of California, auditioned for the reality show in 2004, then in its third season, with a rendition of Ricky Martin’s She Bangs.
William had taken two days off from school to audition, much to his parents’ disappointment.
In throwback footage, the enthusiastic singer pulls out all the stops to deliver an enthusiastic performance complete with a host of unique dance moves.
But Simon was not far behind in his comments.
‘You can’t sing. You don’t know how to dance, so what do you want me to tell you? the television personality said.
William managed to remain optimistic when he stated: “I’ve already given my best and I don’t regret anything.”
Simon’s fellow judges, Randy Jackson, now 67, and Paula Abdul, now 61, seemed more positive about his outlook, but Simon added: “William, go and do some homework.”
The pair continued their verbal sparring, but William ultimately did not advance to the next round.
However, William still credits his looks for propelling him to stardom.
William, then 20, was met with fierce disapproval when Simon said: “If I’m honest, it’s one of the worst auditions we’ve had this year.” Oh really. I mean it was all grotesque.
William later uploaded his American Idol audition tape to his YouTube channel along with a caption that read, “I tried to stay positive so I could leave with my head held high.” “I didn’t know it, this was the defining moment of my life.”
The aspiring singer also took to Instagram to share that he landed a “$25,000 record deal” and that his website reached “over eight million views in less than a month” after his audition.
Now, 20 years later, William revealed his honest thoughts behind his ‘unique interaction’ with Simon with The Mirror.
‘Whether you believe it or not, I made my own path. I’ll continue to reinvent myself as needed, but I feel like I’ve gotten there.
‘SImón is known to be a bad guy, so it wasn’t surprising, but he was very bad, saying “the worst audition ever” and the whole thing was “grotesque.”
“He made his comments brutal and honest and then I responded positively.”
William also shared his advice for others looking into reality competitions as a possible career path.
‘I think it’s different now, because they want good singers, but they still want that special story.
‘Now it’s not just about talent, but whether they can promote you.
‘You can only focus on what you can control. If you try to do your best and it doesn’t work out, there are always other paths you can take in life.’
In November, William posted a photo of his birthday cake and captioned it: “Can’t believe I’m 41 already!” Big changes this year
In November, William posted a photo of his birthday cake and captioned it: “Can’t believe I’m 41 already!” Big changes this year.
‘I got married, got a new job and experienced more emotional ups and downs, but I’m grateful to have the opportunity to grow.
‘Whenever I think about other people who are more successful than me, I need to think about who I need to become to achieve success.
“Thank you all for the continued support.”
William, who landed a job as a statistical analyst at the Sheriff’s Department in Los Angeles, continues to delight fans with live performances and Cameo videos.
He has aAlso become a public speaker who delivers motivational speeches and has spoken at TED X Chula Vista.
The star proudly concluded: “I feel good where I am.”