INDEED, there are many inspiring stories that have yet to be told by people from all walks of life.
Goh Wee Ping is a local emcee and a television host. Articulate and presentable, he has been in the broadcasting and entertainment industry for two decades. The experiences that he has accumulated over the years have opened many more doors for his career.
“I started off as a news reader at NTV7 in Kuching, Sarawak. (I’m from Kuching by the way.) In 2001, I came to Kuala Lumpur to join NTV7, reading the Mandarin news. Then I joined 8TV on a current affairs talk show and I produced some programmes. One of the programmes was called Tauke Club. I also read the Mandarin news for 8TV.”
Apart from that, Goh has tried out acting, and over the past few years, he also had the opportunity to host home shopping programmes from South Korea and Singapore.
Although a jack of all trades, Goh actually prefers emceeing. “I think because the gratification is instant. It is not like television or drama, where you would not know the response until the ratings are out. Whereas emceeing is pretty straightforward, where you can see how people react to you. I think the emcee plays a very important part in ensuring the event is successful,” he explains.
Aside from emceeing, Goh is currently hosting a television show on 8TV, called Living Delight, a programme that focuses on health-related topics.
On the other hand, Goh’s confidence of handling the limelight did not just happen overnight.
“It didn’t come naturally, but over the years I took a lot of beating from people through their harsh comments, and I kind of learned the hard way. I can say that I graduated from the school of hard knocks! To be where I am, I think it requires a thick skin, and being selective in what I choose to listen to or ignore. We cannot please everyone.
“I think people who are not in the industry have this glamorised image of a television host, but if you ask me, it is just like any other job. The only difference is that our job requires us to be on camera. So what is the big deal? We are still like other people.”
Before knowing which path to pursue, Goh had always wanted to be a businessman. Coming from a family of successful entrepreneurs, he is the one with a rather different career path.
“In a way, I am a businessman because I have my own company running the emcee job for events and stuff. But, it is not the traditional or conventional business model. This is not how I envisioned myself to be, I never thought in a million years that I would be a news anchor, actor, or a television host.”
Reminiscing on his younger days, Goh recalled a time where he wanted to be a musician.
“I learned music during my teenage years, I really liked it but I didn’t get a chance to pursue music as I was not accepted into the Berklee College of Music. I learned to play the electronic organ but in the late 80’s the school did not recognise it as a principle instrument.”
Eventually, Goh left for Australia to pursue a degree in Mass Communication and returned to his hometown in Kuching, where he stumbled upon an opportunity to work at NTV7.
Goh grew up with rather liberal parents who did not dictate which path he should take.
“My parents used to tell me that I was free to do what I want, but I had to prove to them that I was making the right choice. That made it difficult for me at such a young age to decide, which explains why I tried out different things.”
Goh did not hesitate to share his experiences and the lessons he has learned along the way.
However, there was one that stood out most: “Whatever you do, you should do your best. The blessing is that I don’t know what the ‘best’ is, and to what extent something is considered ‘best’, so I always try my hardest. That is what drove me, during all these years.”
