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"What bothers me about William Hung "
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trojan55 9 desperate attention whore postings
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03-26-04, 11:14 AM (EST)
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"What bothers me about William Hung "
What bothers me about William Hung – one man’s opinion (and ranting)

I have to admit I found William Hung to be funny and refreshing at first. His audition with American Idol was amusing and good for a laugh. And that’s where it should have ended. William should have gone back to his classes and concentrated on getting A’s on his exams. But at some point, things got out of control. It’s the combination of internet websites, media, record companies, merchants, and William himself all contributing to this “madness.” Upon close examination, the common thread here is money. That’s the bottom line. I read somewhere that William will not appear on TV shows unless the price is right. Right now, it is feeding frenzy and anyone with the know-how is jumping in to cash in. This in itself is not such a bad thing, considering we live in a free country with a free economy. But there are other considerations….

· William Hung’s appearance fits the stereotypical Asian male image to a tee with his small slanted eyes, buckteeth, Chinese accent, and overall goofiness. Does anyone think that William Hung would have gained such fame and notoriety if he were very handsome or athletically built, or had big eyes? I seriously doubt it. I am an Asian American male. It bothers me that in order for an Asian male to be noticed and be successful in the entertainment industry, he has to do a “circus act” on TV and make himself look foolish (or be a Kung Fu master like Jet Li or excel in classical music like Yo Yo Ma). Can anyone name one Asian actor or musician who commands and maintains the kind of fame and popularity as say, Brad Pitt or Mick Jagger, for instance? Does anyone come even remotely close? Don’t say Mike Shinoda or Chad Hugo. They’re not the front men in their respective bands. William Hung reinforces the Asian male stereotype as a goofy looking geek who has no musical talent or otherwise, and is only good for a laugh. This stereotyping is being perpetuated not only by the media but also by the fans including the Asian population. I understand it comes from ignorance, but I find it sad regardless.

· I am a working engineer. I know how much work and effort must go into engineering classes. I’ve been there and it is no picnic, folks. The last thing an engineering student needs is this type of distraction. I have seen some engineering students’ semesters ruined by something as normal as girl problems. William himself admitted that he struggles in his classes. Hit the books, William!

· Some say he has shown a positive attitude in responding to the judges at the audition and thereafter. I guess I can’t argue with that. But as an engineer, I can confidently say that most engineering students would have given a similar response. To me, William Hung was merely explaining and rationalizing his predicament. This is a natural response for an engineer because that is a part of what engineers are trained to do. Let me give an example of a real positive attitude. Picture an engineering student slaving away on Friday and Saturday nights in a library studying for a difficult exam. Maintaining a positive attitude to finish studying while his liberal arts major buddies are getting wasted at parties is an agonizingly painful exercise. It requires serious determination and perseverance. Sure, most engineering students would not put themselves in front of Simon Cowell and company to be scrutinized in front of a national TV audience, especially if they know they are short on talent. But since when is having dignity a bad thing? My point is that it takes a heck of a lot more positive attitude to study as an engineering student than clowning around on national TV.

· Some people say they are laughing with him, not at him. Laughing with him about what? The fact that he is having fun? The fact that he is making money? Do you laugh with the lottery winner you just saw giving a press conference on your local news channel? Do you laugh with Hugh Hefner as he is partying his life away with endless parade of hot young blonds? Like it or not, if you think William Hung’s performance is funny, you are laughing AT him. When you see a comedian making a joke, you are laughing at his joke. His performance is intended to make you laugh. But William Hung is genuinely serious about his singing. At least that’s what he says. There is no joke intended. So if you are laughing at his performance, you are laughing at him. I don’t recall laughing at a music performance even once in my life, until William Hung came along.

· Some say he is courageous. This bothers me a great deal. One could say that he has guts. That is as far as I would go. Personally I think he is oblivious and has a very thick skin, and that’s about it. But courage? A firefighter risking his life to save others; that’s courage. Better yet, how about young American soldiers William Hung’s age, risking and in some instances giving their lives in foreign countries like Iraq and Afghanistan, in the name of patriotism? That is COURAGE. Heck, from what I’ve seen, many of the other losers on American Idol have shown just as much “courage” as William Hung, if not more.

· I hear and read young girls saying things like “he is so adorable and cute” or “he is so lovable, I want to marry him,” or “he is a breath of fresh air,” or “he is so sincere and is not like other guys.” Give me a break! Ladies, wake up and look around you. Take a closer look. There are millions of William Hungs all around you, with positive attitude and all. You probably passed them by at work or at school today. These are the guys you wouldn’t even think of talking to. In fact, if you didn’t know who William Hung was and he walked up to you and talked to you with nothing but sincerity, you would think he is a creep anyway. You may vaguely remember that goofy looking guy with buckteeth asking you out with a trembling voice one day. What did you do? You probably gave him some lame excuse about washing your hair or, worse, just simply laughed at his face. That guy could have been your William Hung. These are the guys that need a little encouragement from YOU to break out of their shell and realize their full potential. Sadly, the reality is that most of these women are only enamored with William Hung’s sudden fame. And his fame will eventually fade away.

· It’s a fact that he has no singing talent. If anyone disagrees he/she ought to pick up a CD by Elvis Presley or Frank Sinatra and compare. The fact that he has been awarded a recording contract, I feel, is making a mockery of all the talented yet struggling musicians and true music fans everywhere. I also consider it a direct assault on the essence and spirit of music itself. The head of the recording company that offered William Hung a contract said “William Hung is this generation’s Elvis Presley.” Talk about blasphemy! I don’t know about you, but I am deeply offended by that statement. The King of Rock & Roll and William Hung do not belong at the same level, let alone in the same zip code (no, make that the same planet). If you consider yourself a true music fan and are planning to purchase William Hung’s new CD, I urge you to think twice before plucking down your hard earned thirteen bucks.

The emperor has no clothes on. Right now no one seems to see it or care. But once the reality sets in, the William Hung phenomenon will crash and burn just as fast as it has undergone its meteoric rise. When that happens, I hope William will have just as much positive attitude as he does now, because he will need it. But if I am wrong about any of this, more power to him. Only time will tell. I just wish everyone who’s caught up in the William Hung phenomenon would slow down, take a seat, take a deep breath, and think hard about what William Hung TRULY means to him/her. That is all I ask.

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  Table of Contents

  Subject     Author     Message Date     ID  
 RE: What bothers me about William H... ElroyJetson 03-26-04 1
   RE: What bothers me about William H... trojan55 03-27-04 7
 RE: What bothers me about William H... opinionated 03-26-04 2
 RE: What bothers me about William H... drooler 03-26-04 3
 RE: What bothers me about William H... I_AM_HE 03-26-04 4
   Very true HE Breezy 03-26-04 5
       RE: Very true HE Twisted Sister 03-26-04 6
   RE: What bothers me about William H... drooler 03-29-04 24
 RE: What bothers me about William H... AugustGirl 03-27-04 8
   RE: What bothers me about William H... greenmonstah 03-27-04 9
       RE: What bothers me about William H... AugustGirl 03-27-04 13
           RE: What bothers me about William H... ElroyJetson 03-28-04 15
           RE: What bothers me about William H... niteowl 03-28-04 21
               RE: What bothers me about William H... greenmonstah 03-29-04 26
                   RE: What bothers me about William H... AugustGirl 03-29-04 28
   RE: What bothers me about William H... trojan55 03-27-04 12
       RE: What bothers me about William H... AugustGirl 03-27-04 14
 RE: What bothers me about William H... qwertypie 03-27-04 10
   RE: What bothers me about William H... trojan55 03-27-04 11
       RE: What bothers me about William H... lindsaywhit 03-28-04 16
       excuse me? TeamJoisey 03-28-04 18
           RE: excuse me? trojan55 03-28-04 19
               RE: excuse me? TeamJoisey 03-28-04 20
                   RE: excuse me? trojan55 03-30-04 30
                       RE: excuse me? TeamJoisey 03-30-04 31
                           RE: excuse me? trojan55 03-31-04 32
 RE: What bothers me about William H... strid333 03-28-04 17
   RE: What bothers me about William H... opinionated 03-29-04 25
       RE: What bothers me about William H... strid333 03-29-04 27
 RE: What bothers me about William H... managerr 03-29-04 22
   RE: What bothers me about William H... qwertypie 03-29-04 23
       RE: What bothers me about William H... PC452 03-30-04 29

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ElroyJetson 586 desperate attention whore postings
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03-26-04, 11:56 AM (EST)
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1. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
This is a great post Trojan55. I'm assuming you went to USC but I won't hold that against you

I'm going to counter some of your points and agree with some.

William Hung’s appearance fits the stereotypical Asian male
I hadn't noticed until you brought it up.

Can anyone name one Asian actor or musician
Steve Park, Keanu Reeves, Tiger Woods, The Van Halen Brothers

The last thing an engineering student needs is this type of distraction
If he plays his cards right, he'll never have to work again. It's worth the gamble to take a semester or 2 off

Some say he is courageous.... One could say that he has guts
I totally agree. It's guts, not courage.

Some say he has shown a positive attitude ... But as an engineer
Disagree. I'm an engineer too and I've seen tons of "it's not my fault" type of arrogance in this business. His humility and positive attitude comes from how he was raised. This country needs A LOT more of this.

These are the guys that need a little encouragement from YOU to break out of their shell and realize their full potential.
Hard to argue with the William is huge with the women paragraph. I was type typical engineer in college. The major thing women look for in a guy is self-confidence and William oozes it. My wife thinks he's awesome and I don't think she's looking to get any money from him.

It’s a fact that he has no singing talent
Absolutely. But so what? That never stopped anyone from getting famously rich. That's what makes this country great IMHO.

The emperor has no clothes on
The public is definitely fickle. Heard much from Kelly Clarkson lately? Hopefully William will milk it for all its worth.

Great post!


Trojan55 bangs!


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trojan55 9 desperate attention whore postings
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03-27-04, 00:21 AM (EST)
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7. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Elroy,

I appreciate your constructive response. It is this kind of positive discussions that make it worthwhile to post on message boards. And thanks for not hating me because I went to USC. It sure is a great time to be a Trojan nowdays, though. I think you know what I'm talking about if you're a sports fan.

I just wanted to put out there a counterpoint to the consensus opinion on William Hung. I personally have nothing against William. He seems like a good kid and I can see why people like him. He certainly is much more likable than some of the recent punkass college hires I've seen at work. My dismay is mainly directed toward the media, I guess because I've always had a general skepticism toward the news media.

Your points are all well taken, including your disagreements. We are all entitled to our own opinion and I have nothing but respect for yours.

Thanks again.

Trojan55

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opinionated 151 desperate attention whore postings
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03-26-04, 11:56 AM (EST)
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2. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Hi. I notice this is your first post. I am new here as well, and everyone has been very welcoming, so the first thing I'd like to say is WELCOME!

I don't agree with everything you said, but I agree with much of it. This whole William Hung thing bothered me right from the start. I get this uneasy feeling that he's not "in" on the joke, which makes it not funny at all for me. I feel uncomfortable watching him perform and sad when he talks about a singing career.

On a lighter note, I hope he's saving every dime he's making off his 15 minutes of fame. It will pay for a lot of engineering classes.

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drooler 67 desperate attention whore postings
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03-26-04, 11:58 AM (EST)
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3. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
It's okay to rant. Just remember one thing. William Hung is making the choices now, and is probably getting a fine income, one he can use to return to classes.

He's not stupid--if he wants to use this to get some goodies, why not?

The fact that he does look like the stereotype bothered me, too. But another thing is that his facial features are what humans instantly respond to as they look at infants or young children. It's hardwired in the species to want to care for a round face with big round cheeks. And we laugh at children's attempts to sing even while we love them. I know he's a grown man, but I think his appearance makes him get treated as a young child.

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I_AM_HE 6123 desperate attention whore postings
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03-26-04, 12:11 PM (EST)
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4. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
first: welcome trojan, opinionated, and drooler! (glad we've been welcoming, but i do think we've been a little remiss in the actual "welcoming" duties lately if you take my meaning)

like the others, I don't necessarily agree with everything you said, but you do make some very good points, and it is a very well thought out piece, so thanks for posting

another area Asians are becoming more prominent in is sports (Yao Ming - who just happens to be my favorite basketball player - anyone? and there are quite a few in baseball). overall though, i'd say it has less to fitting an "Asian" stereotype as to what drooler said. not to mention the fact that it looks like he cuts his own hair.

i think the biggest thing of all is that we as americans like to root for the underdog, and this is part of William's appeal. see JPL, who IS William Hung but with a bit of singing ability and a charm that is somewhere in between (and far from both) William's innocent goofiness and naivete and a suave sophistication. but they are both everyday people without pretensions, and that is attractive

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Breezy 18380 desperate attention whore postings
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03-26-04, 12:24 PM (EST)
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5. "Very true HE"
I think the biggest thing of all is that we as americans like to root for the underdog, and this is part of William's appeal. see JPL, who IS William Hung but with a bit of singing ability and a charm that is somewhere in between (and far from both) William's innocent goofiness and naivete and a suave sophistication. but they are both everyday people without pretensions, and that is attractive

I just hope he is saving all this money he's making.


Just say no to trolls.


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Twisted Sister 13 desperate attention whore postings
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03-26-04, 07:55 PM (EST)
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6. "RE: Very true HE"
Harlem Lee very easily won the Fame competition. I think part of the prize was going to Debbie Allen's Performing Art Academy as well as a part in the Broadway remake of the movie which is probably why we haven't seen that much of him "on the circuit" as Idol winners.
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drooler 67 desperate attention whore postings
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03-29-04, 12:51 PM (EST)
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24. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Thanks for the welcome I_AM_HE. I agree with your statement about rooting for the underdog, too.
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AugustGirl 11534 desperate attention whore postings
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03-27-04, 07:57 AM (EST)
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8. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Welcome Trojan55!

I have to say I agree and disagree with certain points in your post and right now I haven't had enough coffee to go into detail. But I will say I feel the William Hung phenomenon will die down very quickly. Case in point..... where's Justin Guariani today?


FTR - I never felt Justin was that good, and was very glad he didn't win AI1. If he had competed last year, he wouldn't have made it half way through the competition. While the American public does like the underdog, true talent will go further in the long run than some record company's get rich scheme.

I didn't buy Justin's CD. Heck, I didn't buy Kelly Clarkson's. I certainly won't be buying William Hung's CD.

Clay? I bought his. Now there is some true talent.

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greenmonstah 10761 desperate attention whore postings
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03-27-04, 09:32 AM (EST)
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9. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
When it comes to William Hung, I am somewhere between a "uh?" and a "whatever"

Welcome trojan55. Please keep posting...

What is that fancy drink on your sigpic, AugustGirl?

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AugustGirl 11534 desperate attention whore postings
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03-27-04, 07:13 PM (EST)
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13. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Today the fancy drink is a Rum Runner. Tomorrow it just might be a mimosa. Or maybe a screwdriver. Oh, I know! It's a Harvey Wallbanger. I don't know what a Harvey Wallbanger is but I've always wanted to try one.


You want one? I'll call the cabana boy over. He'll bring snacks, too. He's good like that.

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ElroyJetson 586 desperate attention whore postings
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03-28-04, 01:16 AM (EST)
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15. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
I don't know what a Harvey Wallbanger is but I've always wanted to try one.

No you don't. Trust me.

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niteowl 199 desperate attention whore postings
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03-28-04, 11:25 PM (EST)
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21. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Harvey Wallbanger: orange juice, vodka, splash of Galliano liqueur (if i remember correctly from my old bar days)...uggh.
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greenmonstah 10761 desperate attention whore postings
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03-29-04, 02:11 PM (EST)
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26. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Thanks for the recipe...it does not *appear* to be all that nasty, Elroy...


99% of the time, I drink beer. The cabana boy will bring me beer, right?

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AugustGirl 11534 desperate attention whore postings
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03-29-04, 07:10 PM (EST)
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28. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "

The cabana boy *Lives* to serve. If it's beer you want, it's beer you'll get. He's good like that.
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trojan55 9 desperate attention whore postings
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03-27-04, 05:44 PM (EST)
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12. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Thank you AugustGirl,

I'm not so sure the William Hung phenomenon will die down quickly. I may be wrong but I think his debut CD will sell extremely well. But I think many fans will realize it was a waste of money and that will be the beginning of the end. Even those who happen to like the CD, I don't think, will spend money on his future releases (if there is one, that is). Who would enjoy the same joke told over and over? Of course all bets are off if he decides to record a rap album.

trojan55

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AugustGirl 11534 desperate attention whore postings
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03-27-04, 07:15 PM (EST)
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14. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Now, I just might pay for a William Hung rap album.


a JSlice original. isn't she something?

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qwertypie 9776 desperate attention whore postings
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03-27-04, 10:48 AM (EST)
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10. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
I hear and read young girls saying things like “he is so adorable and cute” or “he is so lovable, I want to marry him,” or “he is a breath of fresh air,” or “he is so sincere and is not like other guys.” Give me a break! Ladies, wake up and look around you. Take a closer look. There are millions of William Hungs all around you, with positive attitude and all. You probably passed them by at work or at school today. These are the guys you wouldn’t even think of talking to. In fact, if you didn’t know who William Hung was and he walked up to you and talked to you with nothing but sincerity, you would think he is a creep anyway.
You may vaguely remember that goofy looking guy with buckteeth asking you out with a trembling voice one day. What did you do? You probably gave him some lame excuse about washing your hair or, worse, just simply laughed at his face. That guy could have been your William Hung. These are the guys that need a little encouragement from YOU to break out of their shell and realize their full potential. Sadly, the reality is that most of these women are only enamored with William Hung’s sudden fame. And his fame will eventually fade away.

Sad but true. And I've too often seen the reverse where men claimed to want to settle down with a nice girl, but chase after the beautiful wild unattainable party girl and ignoring wonderful women who aren't as flashy.
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trojan55 9 desperate attention whore postings
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03-27-04, 04:25 PM (EST)
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11. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
I agree 100%. In fact, I'd say men are worse than women. Generally speaking, men are after looks and women are after money/fame/power. But that's OK as long as people grow out of it as they mature emotionally. I admit that I'v been there myself when I was younger. We all just need to try to respect and understand one another better. But one needs to respect and understand himself/herself first, I think.

I may have come across very strong in the way I expressed my thoughts on this issue in my original post, but I thought it was necessary. My intention was not to knock these women (most I'm sure are decent people) but to expose the hypocracy. I think many people forget to think before they act. I believe the media has a lot to do with it. Their sole purpose for existence is to put thoughts in our heads to fit their own agenda. If more people are conscious of this fact and do more thinking of their own, the world would certainly become a better and more interesting place to live.

Love and peace,

trojan55

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lindsaywhit 6 desperate attention whore postings
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03-28-04, 05:11 AM (EST)
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16. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Hi, Trojan. I'm pretty new here too - good post...but I have to disagree with one part. I am caucasian, but lived in Hong Kong for four years, and there are some extraordinarily attractive Asian men. One actor in particular, and its making me nuts right now because I can't remember his name (although I can remember practically every scene of the movie I fell in love with him!)...anyway, this guy was/is one of the most sensual, understated actors I've ever seen...absolutely incredible and very big in the Hong Kong entertainment industry. I think if he wanted, he could make the crossover to Hollywood. However, many of the actors/actresses/pop stars in Hong Kong like their niche there and don't even try to make the transition....they live very glitzy, high-profile lives in Asia. Sorry, I got a bit off the topic there.

I do, however, share your concern that Mr. Hung isn't in on the joke...on the other hand, his father seems very involved, and I guess my hope is that his entire entourage is being 'crazy like a fox.'

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TeamJoisey 3558 desperate attention whore postings
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03-28-04, 05:19 PM (EST)
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18. "excuse me?"
I believe
>the media has a lot
>to do with it.
>Their sole purpose for existence
>is to put thoughts in
>our heads to fit their
>own agenda. If more
>people are conscious of this
>fact and do more thinking
>of their own, the world
>would certainly become a better
>and more interesting place to
>live.


Please don't even suggest "the media" has some unified vision of the what world should be, and that "the media" is forcing an agenda on the public.

That is ludicrous behind all comprehension.

"The media" does not have secret worldwide conventions where they plan global dominance.

They can't even agree on punctuation.

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trojan55 9 desperate attention whore postings
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03-28-04, 06:57 PM (EST)
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19. "RE: excuse me?"
TeamJoisey,

I like the quote "They can't even agree on punctuation." Can I use it?

I absolutely agree that the media does not have a unified vision about anything. They are not smart enough. Their agenda obviously is ratings. Whatever story will bring the best rating regardless of consequences is what they are after. While they lack the intelligence, they do think alike. I'd say it's more like instinct, like a pack of vicious wolves going after a prey. All it takes is one network reporting on a potentially "hot story" and the rest of them pile on the bandwagon, because nobody wants to lose out on high ratings. William Hung is a perfect example. I belive Entertainment Tonight did the very first story on William Hung, painting a picture of an underdog with a bright personality. Since then God knows how many William Hung interviews and stories I've seen all over the place. In the meantime, the public has caught on to the story and is jumping on the bandwagon. It's now snowballing out of control and at this rate, William Hung may achieve sainthood by Easter.

This is how the media "force" their agenda on us all, not by design but by their nature. I hope this explanation helps and I appologize for not being clear enough in my original post. And remember, it is just one man's opinion.

peace,

trojan55

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TeamJoisey 3558 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Thong Contest Judge"

03-28-04, 10:08 PM (EST)
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20. "RE: excuse me?"
While I respect your right to your opinion, I am a member of "the media" and think you really don't understand much about how news decisions are made. That's pretty common, and it leads people to believe that we are all a pack of dogs that move together.
In fact, we try to avoid this very thing.

Nobody followed Entertainment Tonight. From the moment he first appeared on the show, William Hung was a good story, a story that readers, viewers and listeners want to see.


Proud member of "the media" cabal since 1981.

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trojan55 9 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "American Cancer Society Spokesperson"

03-30-04, 03:15 AM (EST)
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30. "RE: excuse me?"
You're right. In fact, I have absolutely no clue as to how news decisions are made. Only insight I have on inner workings of the media is what I've seen from movies like "all the president's men" and "the insider." All I need to see is the way you guys behave, though. If it is indeed true that all media organizations try to avoid moving like a pack of dogs, they certainly don't seem to be doing a very good job at it. Why is it then, that everytime there is a sensational or controversial story, everyone is reporting it? It must be that you guys all think alike as I stated earlier, right?

What you said about the William Hung story (that "it was a good story, a story that readers, viewers and listeners want to see") seems to support my notion that all media is after is high ratings. What happened to newsworthiness? Is what William Hung did on AI that newsworthy? Sure, the public will eat it up, but that doesn't make it newsworthy. This is precisely why Janet Jackson's right breast got the front page treatment on both CNN.com and MSNBC.com. I just loved how the media kept hounding Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake for comments thereafter. So what if some people were offended? I didn't need to hear about it for what seemed like a month.

It is true that the public has an appetite for sensationalism. They want to be entertained. And the media is more than willing to oblige. This is one of the reasons why a lot of people - especially young people - don't know how to think for themselves. You know the saying, "garbage in garbage out." What this country desperately needs is a steady dose of thought provoking and intelligent news reporting instead of sensationalism and frivolous happenings disguised as news.

Just my opinion.

trojan55

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TeamJoisey 3558 desperate attention whore postings
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03-30-04, 11:56 AM (EST)
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31. "RE: excuse me?"
Turn off the TV.

Pick up a newspaper.

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trojan55 9 desperate attention whore postings
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03-31-04, 05:55 PM (EST)
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32. "RE: excuse me?"
I do read them. Newspapers aren't perfect, but they are much better than the broadcast media, for sure.
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strid333 2928 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Howard Stern Show Guest"

03-28-04, 04:08 PM (EST)
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17. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Hi and welcome to the boards!

I know what you are saying about engineering being very tough. I finished my engineering degree at Christmas and wow what a tough five years. Although, I already miss it and want to go back to university (only I'll major in political science this time if I go back).

Yes, I do agree that Willy Hung is being over-hyped and wonder about who will actually buy his CD. I won't but I did enjoy him in his audition.

I did like his attitude. He reminds me of my best friend from engineering. He came from Iran but fell madly in love with Canada (even with our cold winters). He knew how to make a party fun but he wasn't a slacker. He is working on his masters because he couldn't find a job in Canada and he didn't want to return to Iran. I told him seriously that if needed to, I would marry him so he could get the Canadian equivalent of the green card.

And looking to engineers in the media and entertainment, we see very little of them, so any time I see any exposure, I'm generally happy. I fell in love with Jeffery Butle (Canadian figure skater and imho the next Kurt Browning). He is attending university in engineering and doing very well in the world ranks. There was a French Canadian speed skater who placed 18th (well, I think it was 18th) in the last Winter Olympics. He is working on his masters in engineering. These two people could easily (well, as easy as possible) become astronauts if they wanted to.

This year, the tryouts for Canadian Idol are coming to my city, and I might try out this year. (I haven't quite made up my mind). If I do try out, and get through, I hope to be a good role model to kids hoping to get into music and/or science (especially the girls). I would only do CI for a lark, though.


Three is the perfect number.

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opinionated 151 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Blistex Spokesperson"

03-29-04, 01:43 PM (EST)
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25. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Hey Strid333,

Just had to say (off AI topic, I know) that I love Jeffrey Buttle!! He's got great presence on the ice. (Ice skating is a big passion of mine. I'm not a great skater, but I'm a huge fan.) Since you mentioned that you're from Canada, just wanted to send condolences on Sandhu's performance at Worlds. Poor guy just fell apart in the short.

Good luck if you decide to try out for Canadian Idol! At the ripe, old age of 33 I'm too old to try out for AI. A decade ago, I definitely would have!

--opinionated

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strid333 2928 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Howard Stern Show Guest"

03-29-04, 03:19 PM (EST)
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27. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Hi, I'm glad there's another Jeffery fan! I'm a little disappointed in Sandhu's performance but it is so typical of him. I felt also sorry for Michelle Kwan but was impressed by the new winner. I'm also not a figure skater but love watching it on TV and occasionally live.


Three is the perfect number.

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managerr 1959 desperate attention whore postings
DAW Level: "Herbal Healing Drugs Endorser"

03-29-04, 11:45 AM (EST)
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22. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Can anyone name one Asian actor or musician who commands and maintains the kind of fame and popularity as say, Brad Pitt or Mick Jagger, for instance? Does anyone come even remotely close?

Dean Cain.

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qwertypie 9776 desperate attention whore postings
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03-29-04, 12:47 PM (EST)
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23. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
Mmmmmm. Dean Cain. SIGH.
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PC452 18 desperate attention whore postings
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03-30-04, 00:02 AM (EST)
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29. "RE: What bothers me about William Hung "
-William Hung-

He doesn't really bother me, unlike some rude and obnoxious contestants. I might be in the minority, but I think it's great when people all of sudden become famous. The media should not take all the blame, while we just seat there and watch. I think we as the people (audience) are most responsible for making Hung as famous as he is. He may not be a talented singer, but who cares (look at how many other talentless entertainers that make millions of dollars, or even some athletes-see Anna K, alleged Tennis player). I can see what someone could find the harm his stereotype (my mother, vaguely mentioned something about his accent when she heard him talking). Even though his accent/look may seem to play near more Asian stereotype, I think he has a very unique voice and unusual style that talent advisor could work from. One reason he has so much charisma is because of his light-hearted and humble nature, something that lot of the singers and people lack in generally. I don't think it is just William Hung, but the something called the 'It' Factor. We talked about last year in my theater class saying what is and what it does. It's mostly charisma/sexual appeal (not necessariy physically). But for some reason, anyone can have it (even a person who is considered unattractive), but most people can't (even someone who is very talent or beautiful may not even have 'it'). You may have a great voice and great looking body, but people may not like you or identify with you.

For Example,

What's difference between Coke and RC Cola?

What's difference between Barbara Streisand and that old lady across the street who can sing her heart out better than anyone you ever heard?

What's difference between Hulk Hogan and a someone who can actually wrestle?


I think this thing is just bigger than William Hung and the media.

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