American Idol’s William Hung seen taking bus in LA after gambling addiction

AMERICAN Idol’s William Hung was seen getting the bus in Los Angeles after revealing he has a gambling addiction.

The 41-year-old went viral with his off-key but enthusiastic audition for American Idol in 2004.

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William, who was 21 at the time, won over fans with his performance of Ricky Martin’s She Bangs.

The brief clip was enough to catapult him to stardom and he appeared on talk shows and sports events in the years that followed.

However, the singer was forced to return to his old job as an analyst for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department after spending his earnings on a betting addiction.

On Wednesday, William was seen getting off a $9 bus at LAX airport after doing an interview about his gambling habits.

The analyst – who flew to LA from Las Vegas – wore a backpack promoting a gambling website as he pushed his luggage through Union Station to the subway.

He looked casual in an orange T-shirt, baggy jeans, a navy jacket, and Nike Dunk sneakers.

William shot to fame on the third season of American Idol, winning over viewers despite criticism on the show.

The judges laughed openly at his performance and Simon Cowell called it “one of the worst auditions we’ve had this year.”

His audition blew up online, sparking a parody on Saturday Night Live and countless memes.

William appeared on talk shows for Jay Leno, Ellen DeGeneres, and Jimmy Kimmel.

He was a student at the time and had lived in the U.S. for a decade after immigrating with his family from Hong Kong.

I developed a gambling addiction. I paid for it. I got divorced, and I learned I had to be smart about which risks I chose to take

William Hung

After the show, he dropped an album called Inspiration in 2004 which peaked on the Billboards.

William went back to university, became a crime analyst, and resigned in 2021 to pursue a career as a professional poker player.

Earlier this year he revealed he became a gambling addict and that his issues prompted his divorce.

“I’d been doing it on the side for a while, and I decided maybe I was good enough to go for it,” he told People in January.

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“I was earning way more doing that than I was at my regular job. It was going well for a while. Unfortunately, I developed a gambling addiction.”

William explained that he “got greedy” when he got into sports betting.

“I paid for it. I got divorced, and I learned I had to be smart about which risks I chose to take,” the former reality star said.

He said his friends and family have helped him recover and he looks forward to returning to his job at the sheriff’s department

“It’s a good way to start a new future,” William told ABC’s Eyewitness News.

If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 800-522-4700.

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