![]() While doctors say the operation has been an outstanding success and should remain so for some years to come, the heavy-framed Packer appeared to have lost a lot of weight. "You don't give organs away for money," he said. Ross rejected media speculation that Packer had paid him for the transplant. The pair swapped jokes during the interview, with Ross describing their relationship as two rascals who enjoy racing fast cars. The television interview gave rare insight into a media mogul who shuns the media and a man best known for his gruffness and fondness for high-stakes gambling as well as his generosity to employees and charities. Packer, whose personal fortune is estimated at $4.3 billion, was clinically dead for about eight minutes after he suffered a massive heart attack while playing polo in October 1990. I wouldn't," Packer said of the dialysis that can require up to nine hours of treatment a day, several days a week. "Obviously, he saved my life," Packer, 63, who controls media and gaming group Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd., said in a rare interview Thursday. Helicopter pilot Nick Ross said Packer, a grumpy billionaire with a history of health problems, was near death before the transplant of his only kidney in a Sydney hospital in November. "Twenty minutes later I'm leaving, and I said 'goodnight Mr Sinatra, thank you for inviting me', and he said 'goodbye David' - so I thought I've made a real impression there.SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) - Australia's richest man, Kerry Packer, said Thursday he would have refused life-saving dialysis treatment if he had not received a kidney transplant from his longtime friend and pilot. "I admire him so greatly and I met him but the once and I was introduced to him. "He was the biggest star - he didn't need the publicity, didn't need to be bothered with interviews, with pesky journalists," Sir Michael said. Of missed opportunities, he reflected that crooner Frank Sinatra was the one who got away. ![]() "He wasn't altogether likeable but, my God, he was interesting," he said. He said Muhammad Ali remained his most cherished guest. Richard Burton was interviewed in front of an impromptu audience of catering staff. Orson Welles ripped up his list of questions. Peter Sellers once agreed to appear only if he could be dressed as a German soldier. 'I very rarely made friends'ĭuring his interview with ABC Radio Adelaide this morning, he confirmed several stories about his long-running show. "I managed to engage him in a way I hadn't thought possible," he said. Sir Michael admitted he found former Queensland premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen and wife Flo "entertaining" and was proud of his interview with media mogul Kerry Packer, which he regarded as one of his best. I'm not totally gaga - heading that way but not there yet."Īmong the thousands of people he interviewed there were many Australians, including the late Bob Hawke and fellow - but fictitious - knight of the realm Sir Les Patterson. I still feel able and up to talking and performing. That's the way I'm looking at it," he said. ![]() ![]() " may be that this is my last visit to Australia. In 2011, he became the first non-Australian to deliver the official Australia Day address. "If I'd been a younger man when I first came here, I might have settled here. "The important thing to get them settled as quickly as possible - get them to lean forward and trust you enough to sort of open up to you." Parkinson visit could be last to Australia You can't just go and wing it, that doesn't work at all," he said. "You've got to do the research, you can't back off that. Sir Michael said he believed there were two key ingredients to a good interview - background research and establishing trust - and his son had a natural advantage when it came to knowing a thing or two about his father. In October, he will visit Perth, Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, taking to the stage to face questions from his son Mike. Sir Michael is currently preparing for his newly-announced Australian tour, which he said could be his last visit to Australia. "It was endlessly fascinating because of that, because you had to try to instantaneously create a bridge between you and that person you've never met before." "It's an imperfect thing because there's no script and it's just two people getting on together - or not getting on together, as the case may be.
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