Getting Featured on SG Armpits: DJs Germaine Tan & Azura Goh On Their Worst Social Media Encounters

Hush Podcast hosts Germaine Tan, 27, and Azura Goh, 29, are in the hot seat on the latest episode of R U Okay?. The jocks, who helm shows on 987 and Ria 897 respectively, speak to host Jean Danker and clinical psychologist Jeanie Chu about being active on social media, and coping with unsolicited comments.

As public figures, Instagram is one of the platforms Germaine and Azura use to keep their listeners and fans in the loop. However, as many are able to relate, it can be hard striking a balance between having social media presence without being chronically online.

“I try to put a screen time, but when I limit myself to a time, I want it more. I try my best, ‘cos I know so much social media is not that good for you. I try to follow things like ‘good news movement’ on social media, so I see more positive things. But social media brings about this comparison, my life versus your life, how I look versus how you look. It gets a bit too much sometimes,” says Germaine.

Azura, on the other hand, admits she’s “never been a social media person”. She enjoys her privacy and being present in real time, so recording moments on her phone have never come naturally for her.

“Her boss begs her to go on social media,” adds Germaine.

“Sometimes I feel like this comes from growing up with a mixed heritage,” says Azura. “For a while, it felt like I’m never ‘this’ enough, I’m never ‘that’ enough. Sometimes it feels like society projects their beliefs on you so that’s also a little strange for me. We always see a different version of someone on social media, but I think especially in the past year, I’ve gone through this journey where I’ve just grown into myself. I feel very liberated because I’ve embraced that I’m this person, and it’s hard for me to still hide or shield that,” reveals Azura. FYI: Her dad is Chinese while her mum is Chindian, and yes, she is a host on a Malay radio station.

Jean is the first to share about some specifically odd comments she’s received online. “I always get people commenting about armpits, like armpit fetishes. Why though!” she says.

Turns out, Germaine too, has experience with comments of that sort. “One time I posted a selfie where you could see my armpit, and it was reposted on an SG Armpits Instagram page [which featured pics] of girls with their armpits out. I was like, what the f***?” she laughed, while adding that she was even tagged in the post.

“Sexy armpits”, and “Ooh look at those armpits”, are just some of the comments Jean has gotten as well. She then asks the girls about some of the most memorable comments they’ve seen about themselves.

Germaine recalls an interaction she once had with an acquaintance. “This was a couple years back, and I was dressed in a bodycon dress [in a photo]. At this time, I was living in America, I was eating really good, and I put on a few kilograms, obviously. This guy replies to my story and he says “I think it is time to hit the gym Germaine”,” she says with a sigh.

Shock gasps are heard around the room before Germaine reveals she told the guy off. Her acquaintance apologised, saying he “didn’t realise it was rude”.

Jean was curious if the girls generally responded to such comments.

“People would comment about me and my partner, saying things like “when he’s twice your age, but financially stable”. I just take it in good stride, I think sometimes it’s funny to look at it, just don’t take it to heart,” replies Germaine, who ignores most unsolicited comments.

Azura then shares that receiving “sexual comments” make her most uncomfortable. Understandably so, if we might add.

“I think it’s a little better when you DM it, but still, don’t. Sometimes they comment on pictures where it’s out there in the open for everybody to see. I especially don’t like it when they are done on my station’s page, or when I go live on the station’s account and these comments are coming in at real time,” she says.

She continues: “I’ve seen comments like point-blank, on pictures or videos I’ve posted [saying] “oh, I wanna f*** you”. And I’ll be like, okay, everybody does honey, you don’t stand a chance.”

“Do you respond like that though?” exclaims Jean.

“No I just ignore it,” says Azura with a laugh.

She adds: “Sometimes, I get a little feisty. There was once I had a listener who would text in everyday and eventually started saying uncomfortable things. I got very irritated, so I went live and I read it out. I said: “Is this the same mouth you use to speak to your wife?”.”

Cue supportive whoops from the rest.

Catch all 3 seasons of R U Okay? on meWATCH here. You can also listen to the podcast on Spotify and meLISTEN.