Whatever Happened To William Hung?

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The following article contains mention of addiction.

While some "American Idol" winners have basically disappeared after their champion runs, William Hung skyrocketed to fame back in 2004 when his endearingly bad rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" won over millions of "American Idol" viewers. Unimpressed judge Simon Cowell cut Hung's spirited audition short ("You can't sing, you can't dance," the British music mogul said), but the Hong Kong-born American was given just enough screen time — and showed enough heart and passion for singing — to kick-start his 15 minutes of fame.

His earnest performance of Martin's provocative classic turned him into an overnight pop culture sensation, and he went on to perform at numerous sporting events, regularly showing up at minor league baseball games. "I'm a baseball fan in general, and I love performing in small towns," he told Deadspin in 2008.

More than two decades have passed since then, however. Does he still have a cult following today? Whatever happened to this unlikely star? Let's take a look at what life had in store for William Hung after the "American Idol" buzz died down.

Believe it or not, Hung actually managed to land a record deal on the back of his "American Idol" appearance. The enthusiastic singer was signed by Koch Entertainment and he released a total of three records in quick succession. His debut album, "Inspiration," hit music stores in 2004. "I think I represent a symbol of hope," Hung would later tell The New York Times in a telephone interview. "I tell people all the time to never give up and keep trying until they succeed." "Inspiration" included one original track, (the annoyingly catchy "Free") but was otherwise comprised of covers. Hung's love for Latin pop fusion became even more evident — his debut album included unique takes on Enrique Iglesias hit "Bailamos" and "Shake Your Bon Bon," another Ricky Martin track.

"Inspiration" was great and all, but we'd argue that his finest work was his 2004 album of Christmas standards, the amazingly titled "Hung for the Holidays." Sadly, Hung's festive LP only sold a measly 35,000 copies, down from the 200,000 copies that "Inspiration," which climbed to No. 34 on the U.S. Billboard chart and even hit No. 1 on the U.S. independent chart. We've heard of the sophomore curse, but if any album was going to be the exception to the rule, it deserved to be "Hung for the Holidays." In 2005, Hung released the EP, "Miracle: Happy Summer From William Hung," which was reported to have sold about 7,000 units.

William Hung showed up on virtually every TV talk show at the height of his fame. Sure, Simon Cowell didn't allow him to finish his version of "She Bangs" when he auditioned for "American Idol," but Hung got to perform the song in full, complete with a band and backup dancers, when he appeared on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." He was a man in high demand, and he parlayed that demand into commercial work. Hung wound up starring in adverts for some pretty big brands, such as Ask Jeeves, AT&T, and Jack in the Box.

It wasn't long before TV writers began to see his value, too. Hung had cameos on a number of popular comedies, including "MADtv," "George Lopez," and of course, "Arrested Development," in which he played the leader of the house band, William Hung and His Hung Jury, for the daytime courtroom show parody, "Mock Trial with J. Reinhold."

"The entertainment career has been incredible," Hung told author and journalist Ricky Potts in 2018. "I met many famous and interesting people around the world. I learned so much that many people don't have the same chance to. I am very grateful for my fans and supporters."

William Hung launched a short-lived music career on the back of his failed "American Idol" audition, but did you know that he also appeared in several movies? The smiley singer popped up in a Chinese comedy named "My Crazy Mother" in 2005, and he's branched out into more serious fare since then. A few years after playing the Godson in "My Crazy Mother," Hung portrayed a character named Ting in the historical drama "Chinaman's Chance: America's Other Slaves," a role that he reprised in 2018 sequel, "Railroad to Hell: A Chinaman's Chance." Both films are set in the Old West and explore the exploitation of Chinese workers during the construction of the American railroads.

Speaking to The Slant (via Medium) in 2018, Hung revealed that he was actually offered the chance to appear in a number of other films over the years, but he won't take on any roles that don't align with his image. "There was a movie deal where I would have had to use a lot of profanity, or say bad things to other people — I mean, I would [have gotten] paid a substantial amount of money, but that's not right," he said. "That's not me. So I refused. That's okay, there were other opportunities, and if I did that one, maybe I wouldn't get that other opportunity."

He has an irrepressible love for performing, but it turns out that William Hung also has quite the analytical mind. He was a student at UC Berkeley when he auditioned for "American Idol," studying for a degree in civil engineering. "I heard on Fox News that San Francisco will be hosting 'American Idol' auditions," he recalled during his 2018 conversation with Ricky Potts. "I just showed up like 3,000 other people did. I had no expectations, but somehow I made it past multiple rounds through staff members and producers. That's how I made it to see Randy, Paula, and Simon."

Hung decided to take a break from school when he became famous, but after five years of appearing at events and rubbing shoulders with A-listers, he switched to California State University Northridge and finished his degree in mathematics. "I was able to make more friends than my first two years in school," he told LA Weekly in 2012.

After graduating, Hung started working a totally regular job as a statistical analyst with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department in 2011. His duties included calculating the probability of crimes in particular neighborhoods. "My passion has always been math, it just took a while to end up as my career," he said.

Yep, William Hung put a ring on it. Sure, the "Mrs. Hung" t-shirts that were being sold on eBay during the height of his fame may have been a little tongue-in-cheek ("He bangs," they confirmed), but all joking aside, the "American Idol" cast-off was an eligible bachelor when he shot to stardom as a fresh faced 21 year old. The singer and occasional actor met a lot of beautiful women after his memorable appearance on the show's 3rd season (he was spotted socializing with reality TV star and fellow singer Paris Hilton at one stage), but he didn't end up with a celeb.

Hung has walked down the aisle more than once. His first marriage, which began before he started working for the Los Angeles Sheriff's department, ended "in a matter of a year," as the former viral sensation noted in a personal essay. The "American Idol" alum then married a licensed vocational nurse named Jian Teng in June 2014. The duo met on a Chinese dating site, and unsurprisingly, that's the same way Hung had crossed paths with his first wife. "She's [Teng] a fantastic wife and I'm glad to have somebody to support me," the newlywed Hung told People at the time. The lovebirds tied the knot in Alhambra, California.

William Hung started getting into poker shortly after his appearance on "American Idol" turned him into a D-list celeb, eventually becoming somewhat of a professional poker player. Hung reportedly made over $30,000 between 2014 and 2015 alone, $17,000 of which came from an impressive third place finish in a Rio Deepstacks event. "I still remember the first time I played poker, it was $2/$4 Limit Hold'em at the Reno Hilton," he told PokerListings. "I won a few hundred dollars and I got hooked into the game afterwards."

According to Hung, his background in statistical analysis allowed him to make the right calls when he's playing poker, but his "American Idol" experience has also helped him become a better player. "In poker, being able to handle adversity is very important, especially when playing tournaments because it is easy to get short-stacked and it is natural to just feel like giving up," he said. "But that is not a good attitude to have, because anything can happen in poker. If you play bad when your luck is bad, then you may not have a chance to turn things around when your luck is good."

About a decade later, Hung revealed his struggles with a gambling addiction (more on this later).

William Hung's "American Idol" journey began when he noticed a poster calling for contestants to take part in the UC Berkeley talent show. "I figured, 'Why not? There's nothing to lose,'" he told Ricky Potts. "I decided to try the song 'She Bangs' by Ricky Martin with no expectations, but to my surprise, I won! The grand prize was ... A DVD player! That gave me the confidence to audition for 'American Idol.'" As we all know, he didn't do quite as well in the televised competition, but he became a part of the show's legacy, and it was only fitting that he returned for "American Idol: The Farewell Season" in 2016 (a new "American Idol" returned in 2018 to good and bad reviews).

Despite being ruthlessly rejected by Simon Cowell when he tried out for Season 3, Hung harbored no ill will toward the show (unlike some former "American Idol" contestants who were kicked off the show). The singer performed his signature version of "She Bangs" during the final season to air on Fox, which is quite remarkable considering that the last time he was there for his audition, Cowell told him that his performance was "grotesque." His unexpected return was made even more satisfying because of the fact that producers chose to bring Hung out immediately after Cowell's surprise appearance and emotional thank you.

When he spoke to Ricky Potts in 2018, William Hung said that he was listening to the Los Angeles radio show "Valentine in the Morning" when he heard something mind blowing. Ricky Martin — who must be earning millions for his net worth with these ever-lasting hit songs — was on the show, and the pop star revealed that he would love to do a duet of "She Bangs" with the former "American Idol" hopeful.

"Ricky Martin talked about bringing me on the stage to sing 'She Bangs' with him," Hung said. "I am already talking to his manager. We'll see what happens." Turns out those talks were super productive, because days later, Hung joined Martin on stage for the last night of his six-show stint in Las Vegas.

"RuPaul's Drag Race" judge Ross Mathews happened to be at that show, and he shared a snap of the long overdue duet on X. "At Ricky Martin's concert in Las Vegas and he just welcomed William Hung during 'She Bang,'" he captioned the pic. "Dying!" The photo went down well with Matthews' followers, who had nothing but good things to say about Hung. "Thank you!" one user replied. "Smile of the day! 15 minutes of fame ... still going!" Another user wrote that they were "happy to see William Hung is still around," while another added that "enthusiasm can get you places talent cannot." Hung certainly is living proof of that.

In May 2018, William Hung hosted Deadpool Karaoke alongside stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker Atsuko Okatsuka. The event was organized by 20th Century Fox to promote its Ryan Reynolds-led superhero sequel, "Deadpool 2." It was an evening of frivolities attended by "Deadpool 2" actor Lewis Tan (who performed a version of Blackstreet classic "No Diggity" with film critic and self professed comic book geek Markeia McCarty) and a number of Los Angeles-based influencers. The idea was to drum up publicity by having those influencers get on the mic and share videos of themselves belting out songs from the movie's eclectic soundtrack, which includes tracks by Celine Dion, Cher, and Dolly Parton, as well as more modern music by the likes of DJ Shadow, Diplo, and Skrillex.

Ricky Martin's "She Bangs" isn't on the "Deadpool 2" soundtrack, but Mari Takahashi (co-founder of Smosh Games and former Survivor contestant) wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to perform the song with Hung. "About last night ... competed in a dance battle with Joe Bereta and sang 'She Bangs' with William Hung all in celebration of 'Deadpool 2,'" she tweeted. Fashion blogger Jenny Wu (who was a runner-up in Season 26 of The Amazing Race) also jumped on the mic with Hung. Many of those in attendance were just kids when he made his infamous appearance on "American Idol," but Hung's legacy clearly spans generations.

He seemed happy with his career at the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department when he spoke to LA Weekly back in 2012, but it turns out that this wasn't William Hung's true calling in life. As of this writing, the rejected "American Idol" contestant works as a motivational speaker, or, as he puts it, an "empathy cultivator." Speaking to The Slant in 2018, Hung said that one of the world's biggest problems right now is a lack of communication, something he addresses when he's hired by corporations and associations to speak at their events.

"It's almost like there was a point where we really took the time to understand people for who they are, not based on color, not based on the way you look," Hung said (via Medium). "It's very polarizing. I think that's the right word — it's like, 'I'm right! You're wrong! You're stupid!' I see it in the way people talk online ... That's not very constructive. That's not the right way to treat people." Amen to that. Hung now has a TEDx license and speaks at independently organized events that can be viewed online. "Not only can I do a great talk, but millions of people will get to see [them]," he said.

If there's one word that sums up William Hung, it's positivity. The majority of people would have crumbled after being chewed out by Simon Cowell on TV, but Hung's response ("I already gave my best, I have no regrets at all") truly sums him up as a person — and he still has that attitude to this day. "It's okay not to make it to Hollywood," he told The Slant (via Medium). "So what? It doesn't define me as a person ... just because you fail at something. That's the way I see it, and I also feel that the reason I still do what I do [is] because I have a bigger mission than myself. I want to inspire people to overcome their fears. I want to inspire people to become champions by choice."

"Champion By Choice" is the name of Hung's memoir and self-help, which was released in 2019. Advance copies were sent out to a number of reviewers, and the early responses were encouraging. "'Champion By Choice' is a refreshing and powerful guide to tapping into your potential," Dorie Clark, author of "Stand Out" and "Entrepreneurial You," said. "This book is for anyone who has ever been knocked down and is ready to reinvent failure into unlimited success." "American Idol" producers put Hung in front of the judges knowing full well that people would make fun of him, but he's the one having the last laugh.

William Hung eventually quit his job to become a professional poker player, but he soon ran out of luck. His fate, he said in a 2024 chat with People, was tied to greed. "I got into sports betting. The whole gamut. I know better [now]. I wasn't supposed to do those things, but I did it anyway," Hung told the outlet, adding that his "gambling addiction" was also the cause of his split from Jian Teng.

Gambling not only took a toll on Hung's marriage but also affected his social life and mental health. The former singer isolated himself from his surroundings, and more often than not, his moods would fluctuate depending on his wins. "If I would win even, like, $100, I'd feel good, but when I lose even $50, I'd feel bad," he told "The Addicted Gambler's" podcast. Hung explained that his relationship with winning was more destructive than it was rewarding, as he experienced bouts of nervousness, which Teng picked up on.

In a reflective letter posted on LinkedIn, Hung revealed that he had been trying to quit the habit for years and often found himself procrastinating the decision. His love affair with gambling had supposedly begun with a $200 win, and by the time his relationship with Teng had hit the rocks, he had done away with "all of the money I could have used to improve our life."

Although William Hung's main career goal as of May 2018 was to capitalize on his professional motivational speaking business, he still had dreams of making it big in Hollywood. Years after his guest appearances on "George Lopez" and "Arrested Development," Hung shared on-set images in a 2024 Instagram post behind-the-scenes of his latest acting project, "Downtown Bus."

The film, he explained, was "about an aging former boxing champion who now works as a bus driver and struggles to reckon with his violent past and the monotony of his current life." The character's retirement is interrupted when a past opponent whom he "once beat into a comma" regains consciousness and pursues a vendetta.The movie features the talents of several gifted actors, including Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival winner Danny Trejo, "The Buddy Holly" star Gary Busey, and former Miss Venezuela María Conchita Alonso.

At the time of writing, "Downtown Bus" — in which Hung plays a character named Mr. Bifu – hasn't had a set release date. But Hung has other projects as an actor in the works, such as "The Wild Western" and "Dragged Off."

William Hung and his third wife, Hannah Du, tied the knot on May 6, 2023. Prior to their nuptials, the couple set up a page on Honeyfund through which they shared several items on their wedding wishlist, including dance classes and a year's worth of date nights. Although some fans happily donated to Hung and Du, others criticized them for the move and further voiced the opinion that their money was better off spent on charity.

Nonetheless, the lovebirds said their vows, and in a post shared to Instagram on their first anniversary, Hung reminisced over some of their cutest moments. One video showed the sweethearts playing a game on their wedding day, while other clips and stills captured them sightseeing during a visit to Yunnan, China. The statistics professional gushed over their relationship, writing in part, "What an amazing first year we had together. I am so grateful to find her. We went through our ups and downs, but I am now ready to thrive together."

Hung has opened up about the value of making memories with loved ones in the past, and in the future, we're likely to see him share experiences with his children. In his conversation with People, the part-time actor disclosed that he and Du were looking forward to adding to their family of two. "It's a work in progress," he said.

William Hung keeps piling up his plate of achievements, and as far as education goes, the sky is the limit. The former viral pop star has a master's degree in business administration that he obtained from Marist University in 2015, and years later in 2024, he enrolled as a master of data science student at National University.

Hung is a star student in every sense of the word. In February 2025, he revealed that he had made it to the dean's list. The actor displayed a certificate that showed he had achieved a GPA of above 3.7 in the fall of 2024, which he captioned in part (via Instagram), "This recognition reflects countless hours of dedication, late-night study sessions, and a deep passion for understanding how data can drive meaningful insights and decisions." Hung further thanked his professors and peers, both of whom he said had been reassuring throughout his academic journey.

In September 2025, Hung's star shone even brighter, as he was awarded a scholarship by the Western Users of SAS Software (WUSS). Hung took to Instagram to express that the opportunity couldn't have come at a better time because he was "completing my 12th consecutive accelerated data science course and preparing to present on organizational navigation skills for analytics professionals."

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).