Early 2000’s viral sensation William Hung made a rare TV appearance on Today Extra on Monday.

The 42-year-old hit the pop culture stratosphere thanks to his memorable audition on the 2004 season of American Idol.

William’s unconventional rendition of Ricky Martin’s hit She Bangs turned into an internet phenomenon, with a video of his energetic but off-pitch performance attracting over three million views on YouTube.

Although judges Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson attempted to soften the blow with their feedback, Simon Cowell was not as kind, describing the performance as ‘grotesque’.

In a conversation with Today Extra hosts David Campbell and Sylvia Jeffreys two decades after his memorable audition, William mentioned he wasn’t shocked by Simon’s harsh critique of his abilities.

‘I expected Simon to be the negative person,’ William said.

‘I watched some shows before I went to audition, and I knew Simon was going to be the mean guy.’

William added that he was glad that he could turn what should have been a negative experience into a positive one.

William Hung, the early 2000s viral sensation, made a rare appearance on Today Extra, offering Australian viewers another glimpse of the song that catapulted him to fame.

‘Not everything in life unfolds as planned, so I still strive to reinvent myself and leverage my story and experiences to help others,’ he shared.

‘I feel wonderful that I can turn a negative into a positive.’

Sylvia then requested that William perform the iconic song for old times’ sake, and to the hosts’ delight, he graciously complied, as both Sylvia and David happily sang along.

William’s ‘unique’ take on the Ricky Martin hit She Bangs became an internet phenomenon with the clip of his enthusiastic yet off-key rendition racking up more than three million views on YouTube

After his failed audition, William went on to make countless lucrative appearances on TV lampooning his American Idol stint and he recorded three albums between 2004-2005.

He rapidly gained a cult following thanks to myriad television appearances on the likes of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show With David Letterman, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and playing himself in the critically lauded comedy series Arrested Development.

In 2018, William’s journey came full circle when he joined Ricky Martin onstage the Park MGM Las Vegas to perform a duet of She Bangs.

The viral star also triumphantly returned to American Idol in 2016 for the 15th season finale and in 2022 for The Great Idol Reunion special.

‘I expected Simon to be the negative person,’ William revealed on Today Extra. ‘I watched some shows before I went to audition, and I knew Simon was going to be the mean guy’

Having retired from music in 2011, William is currently analysing data and statistics for the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

In January, William spoke to People about overcoming a gambling addiction.

‘I knew I was good at poker, but then I got greedy,’ William told the publication.

‘I got into sports betting. The whole gamut. I know better 1755086832. I wasn’t supposed to do those things, but I did it anyway. And I paid for it. I got divorced [from my second wife], and I learned I had to be smart about which risks I chose to take.’