About that Bing!
A couple of years ago, much derision met the movie studios’ choice of the name “Hulu” for their video portal, which has since become one of the top sites on the Internet.
At that time, I immediately defended the name Hulu, calling it a “great name”, based on it’s close auditory association with the candy known as Bing Tang Hu Lu. (Yes, I beat Alex Bosworth to the punch on that one). Now with the name “Bing”, we have appropriated the other part of that tasty treat’s name. I can hardly contain my excitement! Look at pictures of Bing Tang Hu Lu on Bing!
We should call it “Bing Bing” in China. And we should hire the actress Bing Bing to be the spokesperson.
Some have theorized that the name comes from Groundhog Day’s “Ned Ryerson – Bing!” skit. Others think it might be a riff on Mitch Kapor’s old project, Chandler. Or Monty Python. Yet others have pointed out the possible reference to the bar in The Sopranos or the sidekick in the Lethal Weapon series. Jon Stewart has already “Disrespected the Bing!”
While the “bada boom, bada bing” reference seems to be hinted in our marketing materials, I believe that the Stallmanesque explanation probably holds some truth: The name is a recursive acronym, “Bing Is Not Google”. How incredibly geeky.