Perhaps no one has spent more time with Johnny Miller — other than his wife Laura — than Dan Hicks, his partner in the both for NBC’s golf broadcasts for over two decades until Miller’s retirement in 2019.
Over that time, Hicks got first-hand experience of one of Miller’s more “gross” habits as he put it.
After Miller appeared last week at the U.S. Open at Oakmont, site of Miller’s historic final-round 63 to win the 1973 U.S. Open, Hicks was talking about his former broadcast partner on The Smylie Show podcast with Smylie Kaufman when his preferred booth snack came up.
“It was kind of actually gross to see him,” Hicks said of Miller’s habit of eating Cheese Whiz straight from the can.
He explained that their state manager used to prepare cheese wiz on crackers for the broadcasters to munch on during a telecast. But Miller knew what he liked best in that combo.
“He found that he really liked it,” Hicks said. “So much that he started mainlining it from the nozzle to his mouth.
“All of a sudden I’d just hear this [tries to imitate shooting noice of the bottle]. And I would look over at him and he would have this smile on his face.
“I’d go, ‘What are you doing, dude?’ He’d have his shoes off, his feet up— He was Northern California cool in every way.”
It just goes to show you that behind every great take from Miller during his 20+ years behind the mic on NBC’s golf broadcasts, there was also an image of him throwing back cheese wiz like there was no tomorrow. And one of Hicks laughing at it.
After hearing that story, you have to wonder how much Cheese Whiz powered his Sunday 63 at Oakmont more than 50 years ago?
