PUBLISHED ONDecember 28, 2021 11:01 AMByChing Shi JieWang Lei has been busy during his maiden trip to Europe.
Besides going on Facebook to sell luxury goods live, the 60-year-old veteran getai entertainer also found time to explore the various attractions and try the local delicacies that the continent has to offer.
And true to his profanity-spewing "fish-selling brother" persona, Wang Lei was captured on video teaching two men in Paris a few Hokkien phrases — one of them vulgar — and the clip was shared across various social media pages.
While some netizens were amused at the "cultural exchange", an article by a local Chinese language daily on Monday (Dec 27) quoted a reader who expressed his disapproval towards Wang Lei's "rude behaviour" in France.
He said: "When he (Wang Lei) is overseas, how can he not care about how he's seen as a Singaporean and do something that's detrimental to the country's reputation? This is unacceptable!"
In a seven-part video series shared on TikTok that is laced with profanities, a furious Wang Lei hit back at netizens who criticised his behaviour in Paris.
Speaking in Chinese, he said: "Teaching vulgarities to ang mohs is my own business, how does it concern other Singaporeans? If you think that I sia suay (cause embarrassment to) Singapore, don't watch it lah."
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Wang Lei then accused some media outlets of "betrayal" as they portrayed him in a negative light by not placing attention on the good that he's done.
He said: "Which celebrity in Singapore has stood up to be a voice for those suffering from the floods in Malaysia? I raised over 600,000 ringgit (S$194,000) in donations, did I sia suay Singapore?"
In an earlier interview with Lianhe Wanbao, Wang Lei expressed his joy over the recent "explosive sales" of luxury products on his Facebook livestream.
The funnyman had managed to sell $1 million worth of Gucci bags and products, all within two hours.
"I'm so happy, and I'm not being hao lian (boastful). Maybe it's easy for others, but not me. I used to sell so many things, including cars such as Mercedes and Toyotas, but it has never crossed $1 million," he said at that time.