Saturday, February 3, 2007
The focal point of the William Hung performance on American idol is the interesting singing and dancing that he gives for all of the American public to enjoy. As a member of the broader online community, this video seems to serve two purposes. The first is to poke fun at the performance of William Hung. The second, seems to serve all of those die-hard American Idol watchers who want to appreciate the rich history of American Idol screw-ups. The additions of Chinese and English subtitles were affects added by the person who posted the video on YouTube. The subtitles were not present in the actual tv show and seem to help the viewer understand exactly what William Hung is saying. The strange part is that even when Randy, Paula, and Simon talk the subtitles remain. There may be a point to the Chinese subtitles but it seems fairly redundant to have English subtitles for people who speak English well.
There are a few things that make it obvious that this is online video. First, you can't tell any facial expression from anyone because of the quality. Its hard to really evaluate his "dance moves" or even the overall quality of his voice. On the television you get a more intimate feel for what you are watching and there is some sense of being able to feel like you are there. The quality really removes any intimate experience from the video. The second thing is the fact that the subtitles have mismatched words and they only really cover about half of what is said. If this video was shown in a theatre or on tv, there would be a sense of professionalism. The video has a very amateur feel to it.
I'm not sure how many people realize what American Idol did for William Hung. His bad performance and steller attitude has landed him gigs at NBA arenas, he threw out first pitches at many baseball stadiums, and has even appeared on the Ellen Degenres Show. So regarless of the quality of the video or even the quality of his audition, William Hung has indeed used American Idol as a launching pad for his career in entertainment. Many people who audition for American Idol and fail, feel defeated. William Hung left knowing that he did all he could. His attitude was the difference and he left satisfied. With no professional training, he walked out that day a star. I leave you with a question. Watch the video and decide for yourself. Was William Hung's voice as bad as Paula Abdual's outfit? I dont think so!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
I admit I'm a fan of American Idol, and I love to sing. I don't think his voice was terribly bad, but I am still surprised that he became so famous. I'm sure there were plenty other people who reacted just like him. I guess its just what happens to a few people. I think your writing was overall well written, and your critique of the video was very well thought out. I also liked how you noticed the quality of video, especially for one taped from T.V. Finally, your follow up on Hung ended the blog very nicely and satisfying.
I have to admit that I got hooked on American Idol last year only because a friend of mine made it to Hollywood. I never saw William Hung on American Idol. People on the radio and tv just could not stop talking about this guy. When I finally heard him sing or whatever you want to call it, I laughed my butt off! In a way I'm kind of glad he got as famous as he did. We need more people out there that make us laugh. I think this was a great pick for a Youtube!
It is amazing how we as Americans embrace something so horrible and offensive to the majority of our five senses. William Hung has become a celebrity because of this American Idol audition, and he shouldn’t have because he has absolutely no talent or potential. But he is funny to watch, and he makes the rest of us feel better about ourselves and our talent and ability. That is why we watch him and give him gigs and record deals, so we can laugh and enjoy his lack of talent. In a sense, he is a comedian and should be classified as one, and he should NEVER be called an artist.
I can still easily remember watching William Hung’s performance on the American Idol bloopers show, the one where they recount all of the horrible auditions that they encountered along the road of selecting the actual contestants of the show. It is kind of disturbing how American’s find other people’s failures so hilarious; however, I would be lying if I said that I did not once laugh while watching William Hung’s performance. It is fairly shocking that a lot of the people that tried out for American Idol actually thought that they stood a chance. So, this was an entertaining video to get to watch once again.
You know to be truthfully honest there is no reason that Simon has to be so rude. I realize that this guy didn't necessarily have the "American Idol" touch but the fact is that he got out there and did it. He was so gracious and just wanted to try something new. I am glad that William has gone past American Idol and is doing something with his entertainment career.
Post a Comment