Who says we don't have Asian representation in pop music?

Caught William Hung on Leno last night. You may remember him from American Idol, where he was so good, the judges decided he was too good for the show, that he should just skip the Idol process and go straight to the studio. Apparently, the geniuses at Koch Records agreed and decided to give him a record deal. Nice. For a long time I've been complaining that we need a prominent Asian/Pacific Islander (I'm one) in American popular music. After years of fellow Asians laboring in the background in premier music groups -- the only ones I can dig up are James Iha (as makeup guy) from Smashing Pumpkins, Jeff Lin (as obscure guy) from Harvey Danger, the long-haired one in Blackeyed Peas, and the dolt from N.E.R.D. -- we now have our uber performer/singer/dancer, our Asian Justin Timberlake, our Asian Michael Jackson. Nay, our Asian...Clay Aiken?

Keep up the good work, William. You get your groove on. Nevermind that you're earning more money than your fellow Idol-ers, who have more talent than you and who take what they do a hell of a lot more seriously than you do. Nevermind that you're considered a joke or that you're a tool who cheerfully reinforces bad stereotypes. But you can't get all the credit. Kudos to all your "supporters" who adopted you as their ethnic pet and thought that someone who can't dance or sing deserved a shot in the music biz.

A special shout out to Hung's band, backup singers, and dancers last night for keeping it serious and legitimate (as much as it could be). For whatever wrongs you've done in the past, may this be sufficient atonement.