'His criticism has no effect on me': Quan Yi Fong responds to Addy Lee's accusations

Local TV host Quan Yi Fong has responded to Addy Lee's recent expose about their fallout years ago, saying his criticism has "no effect" on her.

Following the former celebrity hairstylist's explosive livestream on May 13, Yi Fong, 51, explained her side of her story in a Lianhe Zaobao report published yesterday (May 15). The two had previously been good friends for decades.

Yi Fong claimed she was still busy with hosting during the Covid-19 pandemic, working over 10 hours every day, but continued to do livestream sales with Addy, 54.

"When he sold chilli crab paste in the beginning, he only had a dozen sales and viewership and didn't have much popularity. But he told me he believed it was a good business opportunity and wanted me to join him, so I used my Facebook fanbase of 260,000 fans to help him in joint livestreams," she explained.

Yi Fong said Addy invited her to live with him a week after they livestreamed together. The Covid-19 restrictions at the time prevented social interaction but if she changed her residential address to Addy's, they would be able to host the livestreams together.

Addy's expose comes after Yi Fong's daughter, China-based actress Eleanor Lee, was accused of using a derogatory term on Chinese nationals in an audio leak in late April.

He made a Facebook post on May 12, writing that "karma" had befallen on Yi Fong and Eleanor and revealed in a separate post on the same day that he received messages from a person claiming to be from Eleanor's management company warning him not to "add fuel to fire".

In a six-hour Facebook livestream on May 13, he confirmed speculations about their fallout in 2020 and alleged that Yi Fong earned $300,000 from their sales livestream in a month but humiliated him and eventually moved out of his residence.

He also alleged that her non-celebrity boyfriend and Eleanor stayed in his residence then and the trio did not pay rent, adding he paid for their living expenses.

Addy, who was godfather to Eleanor, claimed that after the fallout, Eleanor got her hair styled by his former rival, celebrity hairstylist David Gan, and slandered his business' reputation in an appreciative online comment to David.

He also claimed that both mother and daughter were "ungrateful".

Why Yi Fong left

In response to Addy's claims that she earned $300,000 in a month from livestream sales, Yi Fong told the Chinese daily: "It was $400,000 in three months… It was the first time such a huge sum of money was deposited into my bank account. [Addy] told me that was more than what I earned in Mediacorp annually and told me to give up hosting to be a livestreamer instead. But I increasingly got more scared as I livestreamed."

She emphasised that she had declared her income and paid taxes, adding that the management in Mediacorp were aware that she was moonlighting.

When Addy started to promote hair products made with his own formula, Yi Fong said she struggled as she didn't have knowledge about them and felt guilty promoting them to her fans, feeling that she had violated her "credibility" as a host.

Yi Fong also revealed her supporters had purchased the products she promoted in large quantities and exchanged the items among themselves as they were unable to finish it. While she felt grateful towards them, she also felt she had made use of them.

"They gave me a second chance, and helped me during my lowest point, I wouldn't have another chance," she said, adding that was why she decided to stop doing sales livestreams with Addy and moved out of his residence.

'His criticism has no effect on me'

Yi Fong also explained she didn't reveal her fallout with Addy in 2020, after nearly three decades of friendship, because she believes in fate and that it was okay to fade out of each other's lives if they are not meant to be friends.

As for Addy acknowledging Yi Fong for her help in his early career, she said: "That was just a small favour and I did it willingly. He was a hardworking and positive person then."

She also rebutted his accusations that she is "ungrateful".

"How was I ungrateful?... We were once friends, but I don't know his limits. Actually, his criticism has no effect on me," Yi Fong said.

She added that this would be the last time she would respond to this issue, as there is "no end to it".

Yi Fong also shared the report in a Facebook post with the caption: "Wasting your energy on others is meaningless. Cultivate and complete yourself and live a good life… As a human being, it's best to have a clear conscience."

yeo.shuhui@asiaone.com

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