More than two decades after his memorable American Idol tryout, William Hung has built a very different life, leaving behind his image as the ‘She Bangs’ performer for a public service career.
His 2004 audition remains one of the most talked-about moments in reality TV. Even though Simon Cowell called the performance ‘grotesque’, the appearance quickly turned Hung, now 43, into an internet-era sensation.
Years later, that unexpected brush with fame has given way to a much more conventional profession. Hung now works for the Los Angeles County Aging & Disabilities Department as a data analyst, after previously spending time with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
According to his LinkedIn profile, his work includes building dashboards, analyzing data, and helping maintain regulatory compliance for programs that assist more than 100,000 vulnerable residents every year. The department is one of Los Angeles County’s major social-service agencies, focused on supporting older adults and people with disabilities across the region.
His personal life has also changed significantly. Hung is now married to Hannah Du, his third wife. Before their 2023 wedding, he had been married to Jian Teng.
In an interview with People, he said that marriage ended after he developed a gambling problem during a period when he was playing professional poker.
“With all of the money I could have used to improve our life, gone? I’ll give you a hint: It ended with her asking for a divorce,” the 43-year-old admitted.
Hung has spoken openly about the reality of life after sudden fame, explaining that the attention surrounding his American Idol moment eventually faded and the entertainment work stopped being enough to support him. He later returned to school and rebuilt his career in public service and data analysis.
Writing in an essay for Our Life Logs, he explained:
“Over time, the hype died down. As fewer opportunities came in, I decided to go back to school and finish my degree.
“After that, I willingly hung up my entertainment hat and put on a new one: crime analyst in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.”
He was only 21 when he stood in front of the judges. During that audition, Cowell told him:
“You can’t sing, you can’t dance, so what do you want me to say?”
Hung’s answer would become just as well known as the performance itself:
“I gave my best so I have no regrets at all.”
Born in Hong Kong, Hung moved to Los Angeles when he was 11. At the time of his audition, he also said his parents loved karaoke, though they likely would not have been pleased to know he had skipped classes to audition for the hugely popular show.