Untold story about Barry Humphries

Radio host Michael ‘Wippa’ Wipfli has shared a hilarious untold story about Barry Humphries fooling gamblers into a notorious drunk by pretending to be blind.

He told his co-host Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald the funny anecdote about the beloved comedian on Nova FM’s breakfast show earlier this week.

“This story about Barry Humphries is just one of the greats,” Wippa began.

He said the comedian, best known for his alter ego Dame Edna Everage, met his friend Jim for drinks at a pub in Eltham, northeast of Melbourne.

“So the story goes it was in the ’60s, and Barry was very theatrical back then.

He had a hat, he wore sunglasses, with long hair and a long coat,’ he said.

The pair had met in Eltham, which was considered a ‘rough’ area at the time where most men worked long hours on the railway.

Entering the pub, Jim suddenly got cold feet – knowing that Barry would be torn apart by the locals, who had probably been drinking all afternoon.

He told the comedian they’d better leave, but Humphries was having none of it. He walked confidently to the bar and ordered two beers.

“Jim said to him, we’ll have one drink. One drink and we’re out of here, because these guys have probably been drinking the whole arvo,” Wippa continued.

The men finished their beers and Jim said it was time to go. As he got up to leave, Humphries turned to the bartender and said, “Two more beers, please.

“

Jim warned the comedian that they could get into “all sorts of trouble” after noticing some men staring emphatically in their direction.

“Suddenly some dudes start getting up and yelling some stuff. Jim tells them to go, but Humphries tells him, ‘No, let’s stay and enjoy our beers’.

After finishing the beer, Jim grabs the comedian by the arm and wants to leave.

But again, despite his protests, Humphries orders two more beers.

On entering the pub Jim, a friend of Himphries, suddenly got cold feet – knowing that Barry would be mauled by the tough locals, who were wearing high fish and covered in grease

Wippa told his co-host Ryan ‘Ftzy’ Fitzgerald the funny anecdote about the beloved comedian on Nova FM’s breakfast show earlier this week

“Suddenly Jim looks around and these guys, fat on the face, fat on the hands, 10 feet tall and strong as anything, walk up to him,” says Wippa.

Jim watched as one of the men walked over to the table and tapped Humphries on the shoulder and said to him, “Are you some freak?”

“Barry Humphries turns around and pretends to be blind,” Wippa revealed.

The comedian, whose eyes were covered by sunglasses, began to feel about the man’s face and shoulders as he asked Jim for help.

‘Jim, Jim, say something. Are these men okay? What happened? You have to help,” says Wippa, imitating Humphries with his hands in the air.

Barry Humphries was best known for his alter ego, Dame Edna Everage (pictured in 1994)

Humphries (pictured in 1968) came back to Sydney for Christmas in December. He subsequently suffered a fall that led to his hip replacement surgery

The man apologized and offered the men a drink for his mistake. Humphries continues the prank, asking Jim to put his beer where he can.

The two had a few beers with the man before deciding to leave. At the door, Humphries asks Jim where the men are so he can wave hello.

“He then takes off his sunglasses and tells the men to get f’d,” Wippa revealed.

Humphries came back to Sydney for Christmas in December. However, he subsequently fell, leading to his hip replacement surgery.

“He was completely himself until the end and never lost his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity,” his family said in a statement.

The beloved comedian spent more than 70 years on stage and was “an entertainer at heart” who loved his audience and never took them for granted.