'AMERICAN IDOL' Losers discover that winning isn't everything

William Hung's album has sold more than 38,000 copies.
NEW YORK (AP) -- Acidic tongue-lashings from "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell could deflate anyone's musical aspirations, but many "Idol" losers are finding that second-chance success isn't a bad consolation prize.
As the third season of Fox's hugely successful reality contest gears up for the May 26 finale, numerous former contestants -- some dishonorably discharged -- are signing major record deals, appearing on television and singing on Broadway.
The show "has gotten the public captivated," said Geoff Mayfield, director of charts for the Billboard music-industry magazine. "I think that the viewers feel an investment in 'American Idol.' Now, I kind of take it as a matter of course that this is an event that sells music."
And jump-starts careers.
Unlikely success
William Hung, the laughingstock of the third season, already has an album out. The 31-year-old engineering student performs comical covers of popular tunes by R. Kelly, Elton John, The Beach Boys, Enrique Iglesias and, of course, the Ricky Martin numbers that made him infamous.
In its first week, the CD cracked Billboard's Top 40, selling more than 38,000 copies. The self-proclaimed "Real American Idol" has appeared on everything from "The Today Show" to "The Tonight Show," and even sang at a nationally televised NBA game. On Saturday he's scheduled to share the same stage as Jessica Simpson, Lenny Kravitz, OutKast and Janet Jackson at the Wango Tango Music Festival at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Although Hung's popularity is based on his awfulness, "you can't blame a person for taking an opportunity," said season two finalist Kimberley Locke. "That's why we all do it."
Getting a boost
Locke just released her debut album, "One Love," on Curb Records, home of country superstars Tim McGraw, Wynonna Judd and LeAnn Rimes.
She admits that "Idol" has accelerated her career. "For the rest of my life I'll have to talk about 'American Idol,' which is a good thing because I'm proud to have been a part of the show," she said.
RJ Helton, the top-five finalist from season one, released his debut album, the Christian-oriented "Real Life," on B Rite/Zomba last month. The Latin crooner is managed by Beyonc & eacute;'s father, Matthew Knowles.
"Just because we didn't win the show doesn't mean that we didn't think we were going to continue, by any means," Helton said.
Former child star Marque Lynche, who got the boot February 10, recently joined the off-Broadway musical "Fame On 42nd Street," based on the popular 1980s film and television show.
"The reason that I got 'Fame' was because [the producers] saw me on the show and they said [I] was perfect for this role," said Lynch, 23, who was seen as a child on the "All New Mickey Mouse Club" alongside Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. "It did give me a platform to kind of be a quasi-celebrity and go in with a little bit of a name. So it makes it a little bit easier to do what I do."
Life after 'Idol'
Other contestants taking on theatrical gigs include Vanessa Olivarez from season one, currently playing the lead in the Toronto version of the hit Broadway musical "Hairspray," and season two semifinalist Trenyce, who recently wrapped a national tour with "Not A Day Goes By," based on the best-selling E. Lynn Harris novel.
And then there's Frenchie Davis -- clearly Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken's biggest competition from season two. The voluptuous vocal powerhouse, bounced after her pictures surfaced on an adult Web site, is on board for another run in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical "Rent" this summer. She recently performed a leading role in the touring company of the legendary musical "Dreamgirls," and she's negotiating a record deal.