It was our dear Helen from the UK who alerted me of the poor health Dame Edna was in and I feared it wasn't good. Barry Humphries, AKA Dame Edna Everage was ridiculously funny. I had seen her show three times when it came to the US...and one of five queens who I found to be the funniest. I'm not keen on most drag acts out of drag, but even Humphries' male characters were a scream. One was a politician named Les something or other, who wore a huge dong in a track suit, with a greasy combover, and some potion that made him spit out gallons whenever it spoke. That's a gimmick you don't see or hear of much- because no one except Humphries was twisted enough to want to use it. I also had a friend who was one of the producers of one of her shows when she toured the US... and said don't worry about her calling out gay men from the audience, because Edna knew a gay man would read her right back. Humphries and his Dame Edna were literally genius, getting away with insulting and cracking jokes on many big names. One favorite was when Edna was interviewing a still barely recognizable Joan Rivers. "Please Joan, don't EVER consider plastic surgery." Thanks for all the laughs and hilarity. And has you all know; I adore anyone that wears fabulous eyewear and huge hats.
What an Earthly delight!!!! I adored him and had no idea he had been ill or heard the news. Always left me with hurting sides and sometimes even wetting myself a bit, sad to say. That video was priceless.I've never seen someone just come on and take over a chat show like this, with the interview and other guests just sitting back and enjoying the ride.
ReplyDeleteHow sad. A huge influence on me. The funniest thing I saw Dame Edna do was once in a clip of Good Morning Britain and congratulating the wrong presenter with his public coming out. You tube it..it hilarious.
ReplyDeleteJust from hearing the Hello Possums would have me in stiches. And would be solid laughter from then on. The skit you talk of is Les Patterson and it WAS HILARIOUS!!!!
ReplyDeleteRIP.
One of a kind. I wonder who’ll inherit the mauve wigs.
ReplyDeleteI completely forgot about his racist and transphobic comments in later years. I don't want to honor the talent without remembering that ignorance.
DeleteYep...I remember that. I think it was back in 2018 or 19. Probably shouldn't have been said, but I took it with a grain of salt. I know myself in drag, when I did drag and delivered some comedy, I could be like Lisa Lampanilli ...and very insult comedic. No one is safe. But I also think by then Dame Edna had become a bit irrelevant and out of touch with his room. He did say the comment was grossly mistaken by what he meant, but by then it was too late. I'm sure he loss some fans over that.
DeleteSo sad but a long life, well lived.
ReplyDeleteWe saw him in new York in 2005. He was absolutely hilarious. He came on stage throwing gladioli into the crowd. We were sat in a private box close to the stage( we queued up for cheap tickets!)
He came on, looked up at us and said "look at those two up there, very posh!" He threw gladioli at us and husband caught them. He said we must have been from a poor family used to fighting for any resources !
The world will be a darker place, now his light doesn't shine.
That was a great story!!!!!!! I bet you two were howling with laughter. I can picture it!!!!!
DeleteA practicing homeopath? Oh dear.
ReplyDeleteAnother genuinely sad loss. Coming so soon after Paul O'Grady/Lily Savage - as you said over at mine, "Not the year for our icons is it?" Jx
ReplyDeleteNO!!!!!!!!!!!! When I went to bed last night, news update was that he was still in hospital, but now recovering from complications following a hip job.And first up this morning...I come here expecting gorgeous gardens and holiday pics... but here's something I came across yesterday
ReplyDelete. https://twitter.com/Otto_English/status/1648692003645841411
Thanks for that link Dinah needless to say that had me in tears from laughing.
DeleteMay Dame rest in peace.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on, and stay safe.
I absolutely adored Dame Edna and her caustic wit, never at a loss for a hilarious joke or a sly dig especially at celebrities. Rest in peace, Barry Humphries.
ReplyDeleteBack on Joan Rivers' Fox show, Edna told the story of Madge Alsop, her maid & how Madge had gone into the plastic surgeons to get a new face. Madge was given a loose-leaf notebook filled alphabetically with movie star photos to choose from. She chose Joan Crawford. In the operating room, the notebook was open to Crawford's photo for the doctor to use as a guide. Problem was, there was a gust of wind which made the page turn to the preceding photo.
ReplyDeleteBroderick Crawford.
I loved that joke.
I also saw Edna a few times in person & loved her, but I was always uncomfortable when she joked about her son Kenny. It was then that she lowered herself, telling homophobic crap. But I forgave her.
Broderick Crawford!!!!! Now that is funny!!!!!! The way she would tell these jokes you would almost believed Edna average was a real person. Her delivery was always perfect.
DeleteYes, desperately sad even though we all knew the end must come sometime. Never was there a more irreplaceable comic entertainer - and of such consistently high value too. Brilliant man!
ReplyDeleteI dare say that in the current American dire political climate some states' news programmes will be wary about mentioning his passing - and even moreso his 'Dame Edna' persona, for fear of any illustration being 'corrupting' to children - and even to mature adults. If so, more fool them.
What amazes me Ray beard is how many I would talk to you young and old that actually thought Dame Edna was an aged British old lady just very colorfully dressed. It blew their mind when I told him that it was really a man.
DeleteReally?!? I could say I'm surprised but I shouldn't be. What a delightful 'discovery' for them! I trust that when they'd been 'enlightened' it not only didn't put them off Dame Edna but made them even more of a fan.
DeleteLots of love and laughs over the years
ReplyDeleteSad news, fond memories.
ReplyDeleteSx
I heard about this late last night after I made my last blog post, and it made me really sad. Dame Edna was a delight. RIP.
ReplyDeleteJust read this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a character. RIP
Barry Humphries was a master of provocation and glorious grotesquerie!
ReplyDeleteTundra Bunny here...
ReplyDeleteI loved Dame Edna from the first moment I saw her mauve hair, over-the-top glamour and eyeglasses! Barry Humphries' dry, caustic wit and sly delivery was a bonus.... RIP, possum.
I've already asked our Jon from above if there is any word of an auction. I would love me some Dame Edna eyewear. I do believe I could pull it off dear Tundra.
DeleteI imagine Edna'd have left it all to a museum - the V&A in London has her "breakfast dress" (we've seen it) and some pairs of her trademark specs already... Jx
DeleteThank you for the video! I loved her.
ReplyDeleteI had the pleasure of seeing him live in concert. He was a stitch.
ReplyDeleteI usually say of a man who dresses as a woman that he looks better as a man. Instead here it is the opposite: as a woman she is extraordinary. She has spent her life well.
ReplyDeleteLove, love, loved Dame Edna, so, so funny! RIP
ReplyDeleteHe certainly brought a wonderful sense of humor to the world. We could really use him right about now, traveling the states and making the statement.
ReplyDelete