US comedian jokes about $3m 'friendzone' lawsuit: 'This is why I don't date anyone from Singapore'

Singapore just got a mention on The Daily Show, though perhaps not for a reason we would be proud of.

While guest hosting the US satirical news programme on Tuesday night (Feb 7), comedian Chelsea Handler joked about the Singapore man suing a woman for $3 million for "friendzoning" him.

After a segment about Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Chandler said: "Speaking of dissatisfied men, a man in Singapore is suing a woman for putting him in the friend zone.

"That's right. He wants US$2.3 million because he says her rejection caused him sustained trauma.

"And this is why I don't date anyone from Singapore.

"He said getting friend zoned caused him sustained trauma? How hard is this guy masturbating?

"This would never happen the other way around. Women would never file a lawsuit just because a man ghosted us.

"No, we would just spread a rumour, you know, that he's got a small penis that's riddled with STDs because we are adults.

"I just hope this guy doesn't win. Because if rejecting losers becomes a crime, I'm looking at a class action lawsuit against myself."

On Jan 31, it was reported that Mr K. Kawshigan filed two lawsuits against Ms Nora Tan.

One was a $3 million High Court claim for allegedly causing “damage to his stellar reputation” and “trauma, depression and impacts” to his life.

The other was a $22,000 magistrate’s court claim for allegedly breaching an agreement to improve their relationship, which was struck out as it was “manifestly groundless and without foundation” and amounted to an abuse of the court process, said the State Courts deputy registrar.

Ms Tan and Mr Kawshigan met in 2016 and became friends over time.

In September 2020, problems began to arise when they became misaligned in how they saw their relationship. While Ms Tan regarded Mr Kawshigan only as a friend, he considered her to be his “closest friend”.

Ms Tan asked for their interactions to be reduced, which displeased Mr Kawshigan, as he felt it constituted taking a step back in their relationship. Nevertheless, she emphasised the need for boundaries and urged him to be “self-reliant”.

On Oct 22 that year, Mr Kawshigan issued her a letter of demand, threatening legal action for “monetary damages arising from negligent infliction of emotional distress and possible defamation”.

The Daily Show has been guest hosted by different comedians every week since Trevor Noah left the programme on Dec 8 last year. The previous guest hosts were Leslie Jones, Wanda Sykes and D. L. Hughley.