Fitz: Pride of place on the cover of your book goes to a photo of you with Shane Keith Warne. You were there the day he bowled the “Ball of the Century”.
SMP: Yes,it was a ball produced by a superstar,and there was nothing to stop him becoming what he became. He was the greatest bowler I’ve ever seen. As a man,he was a larrikin – a gifted larrikin – and just the greatest competitor. He never contemplated the possibility that there might be a batsman who could whack him all over the park and make him look ordinary. He made everybodybelieve he was the greatest bowler in the world,which he was.
Fitz: As a sportsman,would you put him in the category of Muhammad Ali and Tiger Woods,for example?
SMP: Well,he was a much nicer man than Muhammad Ali,to start with. Ali was a strange man. I admired him tremendously,and I grew to like him. The more I interviewed him,the more I understood him. But Shane was,you know ... who didn’t want to watch him,who didn’t want to be with him? He was extraordinary and I still can’t believe that he’s dead. I just cannot believe it. I don’t accept it. I think he’s hiding somewhere!
Fitz: Over the years,Australia has become practically your second home. Why do we Australians resonate with you so,do you think?
SMP: I think because I resonate with you. My father used to say that “Australians are just sun-tanned Yorkshiremen”,and he was right. I’ve always been happy in the company of Aussies,and I’ve always fitted in with them. I just like the easy scholarship of Australia. Yes,I’ve met a lot of athletes. But also there’s an intellectual side to Australians that is fascinating and they are easy to be around. Moreover,they have a great sense of humour.
Fitz: I am sure you’ve been asked this many times,but looking back on all the interviews you’ve done,well beyond sport,are there particular standouts?
SMP: Professor Jacob Bronowski,the guy who didThe Ascent of Man.He was my favourite interview of all,because of the way his brain worked,and he just had this wonderful methodical way about him,and an extraordinary way of telling his story.
Fitz: Can you give me a few more interview subjects who are near the top of your list?
SMP: Shirley MacLaine,because she was wonderfully female,just funny and witty and all those things. And Dame Edith Evans and Catherine Bramwell-Booth. They were just so inspiring in the way that they refused to be old,and could use that wisdom they had gained over the years to actually do marvellous interviews and at the same time be provocative. And even in their 80s,be challenging and sexy. They had a great sense offun in life which,which is a great lesson,I think. Tony Blair,also had that great sense of fun,a wonderful sense of humour.
Fitz: What about feeling like you’re in the presence of greatness?
SMP: Meeting and interviewing Mandela was just wonderful,a really wonderful experience. It was in 2003,and we went to Nelson Mandela’s house. The crew was all set up,I had my back to the door,and suddenly I was aware that the room had gone very quiet. And now I hear the voice of Nelson Mandela:
“Where is the great interviewer?”
I turned,and said,“I am here.”
“Now,Mr Parkinson,I must tell you,that I am somewhat hard of hearing.”
“Well,sir,I do hope that you’ll be able to hear my questions.”
“I will be able to hear the ones that I would like to answer...”
Look,he was just extraordinary.
Fitz: What a privilege to meet him.
Fitz: The French have a phrase,l’esprit de l’escalier – the thought that comes to you when you’re already on the stairs of the thing you should have said,or asked,or done,but it’s too late for the moment has gone. Do you have anything like that for your interviews,for the question you should have asked?
SMP: (Laughing heartily.) Yes! After interviewing Muhammad Ali four or five times,I wish I’d dared to ask him,“What do you really think about me?” I mean,I probably couldn’t live with it,and it wouldn’t be something you put on your tombstone. But I just used to wonder about that. “Well,what doeshe make ofme?”
Loading
Fitz: And the greatest satisfaction of your life?
SMP: I think people would expect me to say the greatest satisfaction has been the television I’ve made. In fact,that was a lot of fun,and I made a bit of money and all that,but it nowhere reached the kind of satisfaction in myself that I got to rereading some of those early stories that we’ve put in the book.
Fitz: Sir Michael,it’s been a pleasure.
Q: What’s the last thing a drummer says before he gets kicked out of a band?
A: “When do we get to playmy songs?”
Twitter:@Peter_Fitz
The Opinion newsletter is a weekly wrap of views that will challenge,champion and inform your own.Sign up here.