Hà KhươngComedian Duy Phuong used to be a popular figure on the stage in the South in the 1990s. After reaching the peak of his career, the life of the male artist went through many difficulties, including failed business ventures.
Recently, artist Duy Phuong has received attention from the audience when sharing some videos about his daily life. The male comedian said he has embarked on a new journey by moving from Binh Chanh district to Binh Tan district (Ho Chi Minh City).
Comedian Duy Phuong moved his accommodation from Binh Chanh to Binh Tan (Photo: Screenshot).
Artist Duy Phuong said he had been living in a house in Binh Chanh since 2017. However, his youngest son goes to school in Binh Tan, and the daily commute was difficult due to the long distance. Therefore, Duy Phuong decided to rent a new house closer to his son's school.
"I have a new life, a new journey. Moving to a new house, my food stall also moved. I moved here because the delivery cost for customers ordering banh beo is cheaper, only a few tens of thousands of dong, while in Binh Chanh, it cost hundreds of thousands of dong for delivery," the artist said.
Duy Phuong's new rented house is located in a small alley in Binh Tan district, consisting of 1 ground floor and 2 upper floors. According to the male comedian, each time moving house is a struggle because of the many steps of moving belongings and cleaning. However, he said he had to accept it to have his youngest son study closer to school.
"My new house is still just a rented house. I moved houses not to live in a better house. Any house is a house, the important thing is to have a place to live, a place to shelter from the rain and sun, a good area for me to do business. I don't need a fancy house," artist Duy Phuong confessed.
The comedian added that escaping the renting situation and buying a house worth several billion dong is unimaginable for him. "I can only afford to buy a house if I win the lottery. But as a comedian, I don't have the millions to buy a house. Even if I work until I'm old, I still can't afford it. I hope God gives me a little luck at the end of my life to ease the hardship," he said.
Comedian selling banh beo, working as a delivery person to make a living (Photo: Screenshot).
At the age of 71, artist Duy Phuong is not afraid to do manual work. Once a stage star, the comedian still accepts a regular laborer's life.
Every day, he and his wife make banh beo chen, then deliver them by motorcycle. The artist said this job is enough to cover his living expenses and support his youngest son's education.
After his daughter - actress Le Loc - repaid a debt of 600 million dong in 2021, Duy Phuong's life became easier, no longer in the same predicament as before. Apart from selling banh beo, the artist still occasionally sings at weddings and conferences. He also films simple videos with his phone and uploads them to his YouTube channel to earn extra income.
"Friends see me selling banh beo and say "we feel sorry for you, you are truly a comedian working hard to make a living, without complaints, sadness, or pride when doing manual labor like this."
Many people think that a comedian cannot engage in small-scale trading like this, but I come from a working-class background, so tasks like this are not difficult for me," Duy Phuong said in an interview with Dan Tri reporters in 2022.
In the program "House with guests" at the end of 2023, the artist shared further: "In general, my life has had many ups and downs. For me now, being rich or poor is no longer as important as the love and affection that the audience shows me. Thanks to that, I now feel happy with this life."
Artist Duy Phuong and his youngest son Duy Bach in a program (Photo: Screenshot).
Comedian Duy Phuong said he considers himself lucky to have a wife who shares in his joys and sorrows. His current wife is Nguyen Thi Thom, 20 years younger than the artist, currently a homemaker.
Because she is not involved in the performing arts, Duy Phuong's wife is rarely seen on social media. The artist revealed that his wife is a simple, hardworking person. During the toughest years, when he had meals with just rice and soy sauce, his wife was still by his side.
"My wife has never mentioned divorce or separation. When others are too miserable, they will find a way to leave, but she is different. She has been there and shared with me, even now. I owe her a lot.
Therefore, I swear to repay her for the rest of my life. I only hope to have enough money to compensate her and her mother and child," the male actor said in an interview in 2022.
