Sammy asks Mike a bunch of questions about the new show
Fri, 21 July 2006
by: Hillelman
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Cybershack TV will be going to air on Channel 10 on the 1st of August. I recently had the chance to have a bit of a chat with one of the presenters, and producers, of the show - Mike Kerry. He provided me with plenty of interesting information. So right here and right now, for the eyes and brains of all you beautiful Buttonholers, are the main things Mike told me during the interview.
The Cybershack TV Press Release we posted was mainly focussed on Fuzzy, no big shock since, in Mike's words, she is "definitely the main drawcard". So, I figured we should start this article with a bit of background on Mike Kerry himself. He says he's probably best known from his days working on Foxtel's Channel [V]. Sounds about right to me, since that is indeed where I recognised him from. One thing I recall liking about Mike, from watching him there, was that he seemed very natural (I find that many TV personalities come off as rather phoney). He reinforced that impression with this interview (I could also tell that he's a sharp dude). Anyway, Mike's next onscreen gig was on Channel 7, with the music show called Wild TV (he was a producer for that one too, I believe).
 | | The "main drawcard" herself, Fuzzy |
Now, with Cybershack TV, he's moved to a new home on Channel Ten. Mike developed the initial concept for the program and is now "finding out how much work it takes to put something like this together". The show's coverage of videogames is what our readers are most likely to be interested in, so that was what I focussed the majority of my questions towards. The role of "game & gagdet expert" on the Cybershack will be handled by the man with the easily remembered name Charlie Brown. Mike, on the other hand, confesses that he's not really what could be classified as a "hardcore gamer".
Mind you, he's no stranger to videogames either; like many people I know, he speaks fondly of the regular late night gaming sessions he was involved in, hanging out with his game-loving mates, in times past. However, he's only started getting more into games again, recently, due to his work with Cybershack TV and doesn't claim to be an expert. I believe it's cool that Mike is honest about that (again showing that he doesn't pretend to be something he's not). Besides, as he said himself, it can actually be refreshing to have the perspective of someone who is learning more about the wonderful world of videogames at the same time as some of the viewers. For instance, we were chatting briefly about how realistic the characters now look in sports games (Mike's favourite genre); I found it nice to hear from someone who could appreciate how impressive today's technology really is, as I find many regular reviewers tend to be extremely jaded and cynical.
As a DJ, and former Channel [V] presenter, Mike is obviously a big fan of music. So, even though they'll not be doing actual music reviews (or live performances) on Cybershack, you can expect the show to be backed by some cool sounds. When asked if he had any favourite game soundtracks, Mike told me that Project Gotham Racing's was pretty sweet and mentioned that he's started to get into creating custom soundtracks for games (something I'm sure many Buttonhole readers can relate to).
As far as Cybershack TV is concerned, Mike's focus will be more on his role as a producer for the show and effectively utilizing his experience working as a television host (and in the media in general) over the years. More info about Mike can be found here.
Out of curiosity, I asked Mike for his view on the issue of videogame censorship and found that his opinion was similar to my own (paraphrased): "violent games don't make a person violent and those who act in a dangerous way must have other serious problems to begin with. How a person is raised is more likely to influence their behaviour than playing games & parents should monitor what their kids are doing".
I tend to get a little defensive about how videogames and gamers are presented in the media, because we've been misrepresented and given the short end of the stick so many times before. So, it puts my mind somewhat at ease, knowing that Cybershack TV isn't going to be patronising towards games and the people who love them.
While the show is officially sponsored by Xbox 360, Mike assured me that Cybershack TV will discuss the best games on all formats and that Microsoft has "no problem whatsoever" with them giving plenty of coverage to their competitor's products.
 | | Anthony Mundine will make an appearance on the show. You'll have to add your own smart arse comment here. I'm not that stupid! |
Mike says the hope is for the show to be "extremely open" to a "very wide ranging audience". They expect to achieve this mainly by just by keeping it all fun and entertaining. As for the more avid (obsessive) gamers and technology geeks, Cybershack TV will cater to them as well: "I don't think any of those people will be offended," says Mike, "we'll still be showing what is cool and why it is cool" - with news and reviews of all the latest and most interesting products and gadgets. Indeed, Mike agrees that the vibe of the program is not unlike what Buttonhole aims for - plenty of information for the entusiasts and hardcore fans, presented in a fun and (hopefully) amusing way, allowing for a more widespread appeal.
In keeping with Cybershack's fun nature, some well known faces will be appearing on the program. "We won't be treating them like they're special, just because they're celebrities" Mike informed me, they'll be there more to share their favourite gadgets or games with viewers (or to get involved with some of those fun antics with Fuzzy, as mentioned in the original Press Release).
Something I'm sure our male readers (and, let's be honest, that's probably the majority) will be pleased about, is that we can expect to see some attractive ladies appearing on the program as well. Chic Management is also a talent agency for models (as you can see by clicking here), so that should work out nicely! I made sure to let Mike know that I was envious of him, in that regard.
Well then, there we have it. I look forward to checking out the first episode of Cybershack TV, on Tuesday the first of August at 11pm on Channel Ten (Old Sammy is a shameless shill master!). Thanks to Mike, for taking the time to chat with us. Buttonhole wishes everyone involved all the best; quality Australian game coverage and a heavy dose of fun, that's always welcome in my book!
by: Hillelman
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