Mick Molloy reveals dealings with Kerry and James Packer

His TV show became a ratings disaster and Channel 9 sacked him twice but Mick Molloy says he still feels he “owes them one”.

Mick Molloy, who was sacked twice by Channel 9, has opened up about his hilarious encounters with the network’s former owners, Kerry and James Packer.

Molloy came into their multi-billion dollar orbit as Nine schmoozed the comedian and broadcaster, who became a hot property after his hit radio show with Tony Martin.

In 1999, Nine commissioned Molloy’s eponymous sketch comedy show.

“I got called into the (Channel 9) office in Melbourne,” Molloy told the Herald Sun’s Sacked: Showbiz podcast.

“It was James Packer on a conference call, and he goes, ‘Mick, I’ve got the old man here, and I go, ‘G’day boys!’

Mick Molloy and Tony Martin had a hit radio show.

“I’m slightly rattled … and I was trying to please, going, ‘Don’t worry boys, it’s going to be fine. We’re going to do this, this and this. I want to make it the best show ever. I want to deliver for you. I want it to be great so we all have a win.’

“And I hear at the other end (of the phone line): ‘Yeah, because if it doesn’t work we’ve got ways of dealing with that!’”

Molloy shudders at the memory.

“I’m like, ‘OK. Chookas!’ I don’t think it was meant necessarily as a threat. It was meant as, ‘This is how we do business.’”

During Nine’s courting process to woo Molloy, James Packer took the funnyman to the Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park Lake.

“I always got on well with James,” Molloy said.

“We were having a few drinks, and I think at one stage, I had (60 Minutes reporter) Mike Munro getting me and James drinks. ‘Mike, more tequilas over here, please!’ He came back with a tray of tequila, which we started wolfing down.”

Meanwhile, Molloy noticed cars were dropping out of the race, and only eight were left on the track.

“I said, ‘James, do you realise if we fired up the two-seater McLaren downstairs, we could finish in the points here!’”

Molloy continued: “So James makes a phone call and goes, ‘Fire up the two-seater McLaren, we’re coming down!’ People didn’t know whether to fire up the two-seater McLaren or not.

“Eventually, every time he would go to the toilet or leave, I’d be attacked by eight minders, saying, ‘James has an important meeting this afternoon. Stop it!’”

The Mick Molloy show, which aired for eight weeks, was a ratings disaster. Molloy was sacked by then-network bosses Ian Johnson and David Leckie.

However, he was still invited to, and attended James Packer’s wedding to Jodhi Meares.

Elton John was the wedding singer, for a reported $800,000 fee.

James and Kerry Packer.

Molloy says: “I remember watching Elton John play a set for James and his wife, and Kerry Packer standing 10 metres from me, enjoying Elton John, seeing me, being distracted, and weighing up whether to come over and give me the finger in the chest, or continue enjoying Elton John.

“I was trying to work out who cost him more money.”

Nine rehired Molloy to helm a news-based comedy hour, The Nation, in 2007. But that show also failed to fire.

“I’m disappointed for (Channel 9); they showed a lot of faith in me. I feel I owe them one,” Molloy said. “Whether they’re up for round three at any stage … is another story.”

Molloy is co-host of the Channel 7 hit, The Front Bar, and Triple M’s top-rating Kennedy Molloy, with Jane Kennedy.

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