‘Idol’ Hung now in Asia, too

HONG KONG (AP) – William Hung, who shot to fame as a reject for “American Idol,” has made his singing debut in Asia.

Accompanied by sexy dancers in red tube tops, the Hong Kong-born singer belted out his off-key rendition of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” at Kam Pek casino in Macau, local media reported Sunday.

“I don’t mind having some people ridicule me,” Hung was quoted as saying in the South China Morning Post.

Hung, a 21-year-old civil engineering student at the University of California, Berkeley, became famous after he responded to the mockery of “American Idol” judges by saying that he’d done his best and had no regrets.

He went on to sign a contract with music channel Fuse and record company Koch Entertainment.

Hung was about to provide some details about an upcoming film to reporters Sunday, but his mother, identified only as “Mrs. Hung,” quickly cut him off and told him not to spoil things by revealing too much.

His mother also told a photographer not to shoot her son from below head level because it makes him look “ugly,” according to the Post.

Hung, who has inspired fan clubs and Web sites that sing his praises, now spends most of his time touring to promote his debut album, “Inspiration,” which has sold more than 100,000 copies.

Bangles get ‘rock’ diploma

Sir Paul McCartney has awarded ’80s girl rockers The Bangles “rock ‘n’ roll diplomas” from his Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, reports Ananova.com.

The former Beatle opened the institute, inspired by New York’s School of Performing Arts, in 1996 in the grounds of his old school.

Each year at graduation, LIPA inducts celebrity “companions,” the equivalent of an honorary degree. The current list of companions includes Joan Armatrading and Malcolm McLaren.

A statement by The Bangles said: “We are honored and grateful to accept Companionship from this historic institution, and as longtime Beatles fans, are absolutely delighted at the involvement of Sir Paul, and to receive our rock ‘n’ roll “diplomas’ from the great man himself.”

The Bangles were formed in the early 1980s in Los Angeles and are made up of Susanna Hoffs, sisters Vicki and Debbi Peterson and Michael Steele. They were the most successful all-female band in chart history when they split up in 1989.

They regrouped in 2000 and their latest album “Doll Revolution” was released in 2003. Their hit single “Eternal Flame” remained in the charts for 18 weeks in 1989 and was recently covered by Liverpool-based girl band Atomic Kitten. Other hits include “Manic Monday,” “Walk Like an Egyptian” and “Going Down to Liverpool.”

Braff babied his ‘Garden’

WASHINGTON (AP) – Zach Braff never considered letting anyone else direct “Garden State,” which he also wrote. But the star of NBC’s “Scrubs” wasn’t sure if he also wanted to work in front of the camera.

“I considered not playing the lead. But what sort of put me over the top was reading the scripts that I was auditioning for as an actor,” Braff told The Associated Press recently. “I just felt like, if I hadn’t written this thing, I wouldn’t have had the chance to audition for the part. It would have been offered to eight other guys.”

And while it gave Braff a huge workload on the set, playing the part himself might have made things smoother.

“It was a personal thing to me,” the 29-year-old said. “I knew the part really well, since I’d written it. I knew exactly how I wanted all the lines delivered.”

‘Simple’ pair to host awards

Fox’s Teen Choice Awards is coming up. Voted on by teens ages 13 through 19 and scheduled to be taped Aug. 8 in Los Angeles, it includes such august categories as “Choice Hissy Fit,” “Choice Liplock,” and “Choice Movie Your Parents Didn’t Want You to See.”

Fox has announced that it will be cohosted by two young women who truly fit the preternatural inanity of the categories themselves: “Simple Life 2” stars Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.

Copy the Story Link