I want to make television that puts a smile on peoples faces: Mike Whitney
Mike Whitney maybe well-known for his off-field antics and sharp-wit; but a little known-fact about the colorful Whitney is that he was a former fast bowler for Australia during the late eighties.
Mike Whitney maybe well-known for his off-field antics and sharp-wit; but a little known-fact about the colorful Whitney is that he was a former fast bowler for Australia during the late eighties. He represented his country in 12 Tests and 38 ODIs.
Tell us something about your former cricketing career.
Well, I was born in 1959. Everybody played cricket in my neighborhood and I took up the sport as well. My heroes while growing up were Dennis Lillee and Greg Chappell but my No.1 cricketing hero was Doug Walters. I used to love the way he batted and bowled seamers. I got an opportunity to play my very first season with Doug Walters for New South Wales. It was a wonderful experience to play alongside my hero.
I started my life with cricket and when I look back now I feel very proud of those achievements. And I still cherish my cricketing moments - I played cricket against West Indies and India. I also got a ‘Man of the Match’ award in that particular match against India for my bowling figures of 4 for 68 in the first innings and 7 for 27 in the 2nd innings.
How did your association with the ICL come about?
My association with the ICL started because of Dean Jones. Dean is on the executive committee. He approached me and told me that the ICL team were sitting down to put together a commentary team and Kapil Dev requested Dean if they could avail of my services as part of that team. I organized my work to come here and do this and it’s been a lot of fun.
Were you reluctant to take on this assignment?
No! Not at all. In fact, I was very excited. I love coming back to India. Whenever I visit India people show me a lot of respect and I enjoy interacting with them. And people have a perception of me here that I make them laugh and that’s what I like. I want to make television that leaves people with a laugh.
What would you say it is that has gotten you so far?
There is no doubt that coming from a cricketing background in Australia and having played cricket for the past 15 years, both for New South Wales and Test cricket for Australia, has given me an opportunity to get into television. I got a job to do commentary with Channel Nine but I always wanted to do entertainment and I think I am the only cricketer to refuse a job on the Channel Nine commentary team.
Later, a friend of mine who worked in Channel Seven network gave me an opportunity to do entertainment. In 1995 I got a chance to do ‘Who Dares Wins’ which turned out to be a hugely popular game show. ‘Who Dares Wins’ gave me an opportunity to come to India a few years ago and make the show here in India for AXN.
Do you come up with your own creative ideas which you use in your broadcasting, or do you have a creative director in the ICL who gives you ideas?
Well, Jacob Paul is the executive producer and on the very first day he said, “Mike, I want you to take a camera and a sound man and go out there and shoot something”. I asked, “But what?” He said, “I don’t care just make sure that it is funny.” So ten minutes later I was with the dancing girls on stage. I can’t do my own stuff in Australia because I have my director with me, we sort out ideas and then go about executing them, but here Jacob has given me creative freedom and we have been doing stuff which is quiet funny.
Will we see you again for the second season of the ICL?
You should ask Tony Grieg that (laughs). Well, for me to come back here I need to do some re-organizing work with my Television company back there in Australia, but if the ICL asks me to come back I will surely love to be back here.
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