Over the history of the show, there have been a number of contestants to find success in their post-American Idol careers. Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood have been hit machines since they won season one and season three, respectively. Chris Daughtry found success with his self-named band, Katharine McPhee has an acting career, and Jennifer Hudson won an Oscar. But would you believe William Hung's career after American Idol was also a success? He's sold records, appeared in TV shows, and even starred in a movie. Not bad for a guy known for his less-than-stellar singing voice.
After 'Idol,' He Quit College To Pursue His Music Career
When he auditioned for American Idol, Hung was studying civil engineering at UC Berkeley. The audition was not well-received by the show's judges, with Simon Cowell saying, "You can't sing, you can't dance, so what do you want me to say?" But once the audition aired - and Hung shot to fame - he decided he might actually be onto something. Not discouraged by the criticism he got for his singing, Hung quit college in order to pursue music full time.
Due To The Buzz Surrounding His Audition, Hung Got A Record Deal
After his appearance on Idol, Hung decided he wanted to continue pursuing music. As it turned out, music video director Jeff Richter thought Hung just might have something to offer the music world. So Richter called up Koch Entertainment, and talked them into signing Hung to a record deal. "You know, there's just something about him," Richter said. "He's the ultimate underdog and I wanted to do something to help him out."
His First Album Went To Number One On A Billboard Chart
With the success of his first album, Hung's music career was just getting started. Like many musician before him, he followed up a hit record by putting out an album of Christmas songs. Hung For The Holidays was released on October 19, 2004, and included his versions of "Deck the Halls," "Winter Wonderland" and more. However, the album didn't fare as well as his debut, selling 35,000 copies.
In July of 2005, Hung kept his career going with the release of his third album, Miracle: Happy Summer. This time it featured him performing "I Love L.A.," "Achy Breaky Heart," "Surfin' U.S.A.," and more. Critics weren't kind, with AllMusic saying "Like the strongest and most hideous of cockroaches, Hung just simply refuses to give up and expire." Sales also dropped off significantly, with the album selling just 7,000 copies.
He Made A Guest Appearance On 'Arrested Development'
Over the course of its three seasons on Fox - and one revival season on Netflix - Arrested Development was a critical and cult favorite, in large part due to their clever use of wordplay. One such example occurred in Season 3, when the Bluths appeared on a Judge Judy-tyep show. But in this case, the show is "Mock Trial With J. Reinhold," with the court presided over by actor Judge Reinhold. And in another deviation from the typical judge show, "Mock Trial" also has a late night-style band, William Hung and the Hung Jury. Watch the video to see Hung get a chance to show off both his musical and acting skills.
