Coco Lee’s alleged mistreatment on Chinese singing competition show leaked in emotional audio clip (VIDEO)
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 — A leaked nine-minute emotional rant believed to be by the late American-Hong-Kong singer Coco Lee has sparked controversy online.
The audio file leaked on Weibo features what sounds like the 48-year-old singer claiming she was ‘bullied’ after having an outburst filming a Chinese variety show, AsiaOne reported.
The singer was a judge in Chinese competition show Sing! China in 2022 where she mentored the next generation of young vocalists.
Last September, Lee stood up for her student Zhou Feige when he was eliminated even after receiving a higher score than another contestant.
A viral video showed her yelling at the show’s director demanding he explain the rules of the competition.
“Please tell me the rules of the competition. Why does someone with a score of 73 get a second chance, and another with 88.3 doesn’t?” Lee shouted
“Can the director please explain, is this fair? Even if you won’t say it, everyone will.”
Recently, a leaked audio clip allegedly features Lee going on a tirade. In the clip, a female voice claimed she was mistreated by the show’s staff after standing up for Feige.
According to the clip, Lee was inappropriately touched by two of the director’s assistants after her outburst.
“The assistants said that I had to leave immediately or they would call security. Saying this to someone with 28 years (of experience). I have never heard of someone speaking to me like this,” she claimed.
“The assistant manhandled me, she wanted to catch me because I could feel that she pulled at my clothes. My eyes were closed at the time because I was crying and she held onto me and pulled me off (the stage).”
She claimed that the production staff was willing to give Feige a second chance only if she made a post on Weibo due to support from her fans.
Lee obeyed the staff’s terms and made a Weibo post, saying that she wrote it so Feige could show ‘how talented he is’.
However, her alleged mistreatment did not stop there.
On October 11, 2022, Lee was suffering from her longtime leg pain and had to stand beside another mentee Wang Zepeng for support.
But during the filming of the episode, the production staff made her stand away from Zepeng while she was wearing ‘seven-inch heels’ that tortured her feet.
She described the numbing pain as feeling like ‘hypothermia’.
“Did anyone think about my feelings? As a singer of 28 years, I was humiliated on stage. This is called disgraced, being bullied. Did anyone consider my feelings?” she said as she wept.
The production team of Sing! China posted an official response to the controversy on Weibo Thursday night (August 17)
“As a mentor of Sing! China 2022, Coco Lee put in her efforts wholeheartedly. Although there were misunderstandings during the production, it was resolved after communication,” the statement said.
“Out of respect for the deceased, we will not be explaining about the matter again, and will always remember her sincere devotion for the show. We hope that she can rest in peace.”
Lee, who had struggled with depression for several years, died in Queen Mary Hospital on July 5 in Hong Kong, after a suicide attempt three days earlier left her in a coma.
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