6/17    What's up with William Hung? He sings like a retard, he looks
        like a retard, yet every now and then there's news coverage of
        him. Have we really sunk this low?
        \_ It's like the South Park where Timmy joins a rock band.
        \_ White folk like watching buck-toothed, effeminate,
           model-minority Asian men making comic asses of themselves.
           Hung's recording contract is a slap in the face of each
           and every genuinely talented Filipino American or Asian
           American pop music artist who can't get a contract b/c
           s/he isn't black, white, or JLo. -elizp
           \_ This reminds me of the time I was on campus right after Brandon
              Lee got killed in a set accident and these two Asian guys
              walking behind me were echoing each other, each assuring the
              other of the White Man's Conspiracy to demasculinise the Asian
              Male.  They were certain that both Bruce and his son were
              murdered by the White Man as part of this huge conspiracy to
              keep the Asian Man down and in 'his place'.  Get over it.  There
              are plenty of people of other races who are talented and unknown.
              There are plenty of whites, black, and hot brown women with
              great asses that can't get contracts.  It is as much about luck
              as anything else.
           \_ This is a nice theory. Check William Hung's fan pages, though
              and you will find the truth is not so simple. There are
              mostly white people but good representation from other ethnic
              categories as well. I, too, am curious why his fifteen minutes
              have run so long.
           \_ riiiight.  so jlo and the other fucking RIAA-sponsored
              pre fab corporate clowns like the Spice Girls are all about
              talent, huh?  the whole system is rotten.  why point to the
              lack of untalented corporate whore asians in particular when
              all the system turns out is crap anyway?
              \_ I agree -- big labels suck, and indie labels start sucking
                 once they discover they have to act like big-time
                 labels/distributors to break even. -elizp
                 \_ fine. so we agree. then what's the point of complaigning
                    about the evil labels' attitude towards Asian talent,
                    when they show complete contempt for the very concept
                    of talent?  it's like complaigning that your local mob
                    boss isn't an equal opportunity employer.
           \_ You're my hero. Pinoy pride! --jsjacob
           \_ Yeah, it is so mean of those recording companies only giving
              recording contracts to the people who are most likely to have
              a large record buying audience.  Pinoy power!
           \_ He's a buffoon.  Americans like watching buffoons, especially
              the ones who think they're really stars.  It's a character
              defect, yes, but this is not a symptom of anti-Asian sentiment.
              The absolute lack of any major Asian-American pop stars is
              the symptom you're looking for, and yes, it's a crime.
              \_ There are some like James Iha. The industry doesn't care
                 what color you are if: 1) You are talented or 2) You can
                 sell records. Yes, the former will still get you a record
                 deal, although not on a pop label with pop exposure.
           \_ Good response. Haven't thought about it that way, thank you.
           \_ Hey, look, is it white people's fault that there are no hip
              Asian dudes?
              Asian dudes?  The most we can come up with is some nerds-gone-bad
              story (Better Luck Tomorrow), and that just does not qualify.
              \_ Dumbshit, didn't you go to Berkeley?  *EVERYTHING* is white
                 people's fault.