American Idol William Hung's HK film debut?

[Brian Thibodeau]

Just noticed this entry for the new Steve Cheng film WHERE IS MAMA'S BOY? which, as I write this, is scheduled to open tomorror (Jan. 6) in Hong Kong. Would I be correct in assuming that the William Hung listed in the credits of this film is, in fact, the same "lovable" no-talent who gained an extended 15 minutes of fame from the American Idol TV show? And if so, should I worry about seeing this film some day?

In all seriousness, I have nothing against the guy, finding his nearly autistic blissful ignorance and complete lack of irony as he makes the entertainment circuit over here plugging whatever project he's working on to be quite fascinating and somewhat endearing (in fact, a recent appearance on the Howard Stern radio program elicited nary a mention of this film), so I have to think this is just more of the same exploitation he's taken part in for over a year now.

Hmmm...

[dleedlee]

Yep, that's THE William Hung. Nancy Sit Kar-Yin recruited him back to HK to appear in the film early last year.

[Brian Thibodeau]

CNN filed a brief story on this, too:

http://edition.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/01/06/people.williamhung.ap/index.html

[odresel]

Paul Fonoroff reviewed it in today's SCMP:

"an early contender for "worst of the year"...marks the screen debut of...loser William Hung, whose 15 minutes of fame are severely stretched in this 91-minute opus....Nancy Sit Ka-yin plays Auntie Foon, owner of a music hall in Imperial China...Playing a simple, kind-hearted itinerant singer [Hung] performs a duet with a talking horse as fans wave cucumbers and eggplants -- presumably the ancient equivalents of today's glow sticks....The 12 Girls Band comes in for another ribbing, as reenacted by Auntie Foon's dozen adopted daughters...there's a surfeit of lackluster songs...so that by the time Hung gets around to Siu Bang (pancakes) --the Cantonese version of his signature tune, She Bangs -- the effect is diminished. His cheerful demeanor and monotone delivery is reminiscent of Edith Massey (Pink Flamingoes, Female Trouble) but there's no John Waters here to being out his potential..."

OUCH!!!!!!! But after all, only William Hung doesn't get it, that the joke's on him.

BTW, siu bang are those really thin pancakes that they serve with Peking duck. This is also a pun on a one-woman "band" here, called The Pancakes (even though it's a solo act.)

[Brian Thibodeau]

...so that by the time Hung gets around to Siu Bang (pancakes) --the Cantonese version of his signature tune, She Bangs -- the effect is diminished.

OUCH!!!!!!! But after all, only William Hung doesn't get it, that the joke's on him.

Despite his seeming sincerity in interviews, which I suspect isn't entirely UNrehearsed, I can't help but feel sorry for the man. He will truly be remembered as one of the few undeserving souls who REALLY stretched 15 minutes of fame beyond the max.