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Print'Pants on Ground' lights up Web
Saturday, January 16, 2010
"American Idol" has done it again, creating an overnight viral video star by airing his wacky, wily audition.
"General" Larry Platt, the 63-year-old civil rights veteran and perpetrator of the original rap song "Pants on the Ground," follows in the footsteps of William Hung, whose dreadful rendition of "She Bangs" made him an "AI" hit in 2004.
Platt quickly became an e-sensation after his audition aired on the Fox competition show Wednesday night.
By yesterday afternoon, several YouTube videos of the audition had more than 500,000 views.
The performance also has launched dozens of remixes and a contest by the Seattle Times, while Jimmy Fallon, in full-out Neil Young mode, covered the song on his late-night NBC show. Platt is slated to be on ABC's "The View" Monday.
In case you've somehow missed it, the lyrics to "Pants on the Ground" go like this:
"American Idol" judge Simon Cowell knew what was coming as soon as Platt finished the Atlanta audition. "I have a horrible feeling that song could be a hit," Cowell said.
Platt was dismissed because of his age -- "AI" has a contestant age cap of 28 -- but just that fact that he was allowed to sing his song means someone had an idea that viewers would react as the judges did. Mary J. Blige fell back into her chair laughing, but they all began to bounce along and repeat the lyrics.
Platt seemed dazed by the attention the day after the audition aired, when he was interviewed by the AP at his home in East Atlanta. He said his civil rights colleagues had sacrificed too much for today's youth to walk around with sagging pants.
He showed off black and white photographs of himself alongside civil rights icons the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and pointed to plaques from city and state officials recognizing his social justice work as a dedicated foot soldier with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
Platt, can frequently be seen in downtown Atlanta holding signs protesting foreclosures, war, violence, racism and "any wicked things that take place."
Now, thanks to "American Idol," he can be seen by millions.
TV columnist Rob Owen's Tuned In+ is featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.
"General" Larry Platt, the 63-year-old civil rights veteran and perpetrator of the original rap song "Pants on the Ground," follows in the footsteps of William Hung, whose dreadful rendition of "She Bangs" made him an "AI" hit in 2004.
Platt quickly became an e-sensation after his audition aired on the Fox competition show Wednesday night.
By yesterday afternoon, several YouTube videos of the audition had more than 500,000 views.
The performance also has launched dozens of remixes and a contest by the Seattle Times, while Jimmy Fallon, in full-out Neil Young mode, covered the song on his late-night NBC show. Platt is slated to be on ABC's "The View" Monday.
In case you've somehow missed it, the lyrics to "Pants on the Ground" go like this:
Pants on the ground
Pants on the ground
Lookin' like a fool with your pants on the ground
Gold in your mouth
Hat turned sideways, pants hit the ground
Call yourself a cool cat looking like a fool
Walkin' down town
With your pants on the ground!
Platt was dismissed because of his age -- "AI" has a contestant age cap of 28 -- but just that fact that he was allowed to sing his song means someone had an idea that viewers would react as the judges did. Mary J. Blige fell back into her chair laughing, but they all began to bounce along and repeat the lyrics.
Platt seemed dazed by the attention the day after the audition aired, when he was interviewed by the AP at his home in East Atlanta. He said his civil rights colleagues had sacrificed too much for today's youth to walk around with sagging pants.
He showed off black and white photographs of himself alongside civil rights icons the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., and pointed to plaques from city and state officials recognizing his social justice work as a dedicated foot soldier with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.
Platt, can frequently be seen in downtown Atlanta holding signs protesting foreclosures, war, violence, racism and "any wicked things that take place."
Now, thanks to "American Idol," he can be seen by millions.
Errin Haines reported on this story for The Associated Press.
TV columnist Rob Owen's Tuned In+ is featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.
First published on January 16, 2010 at 12:00 am
