How the late Barry Humphries will be remembered at the opening night of the 2024 Melbourne Comedy Festival
Barry Humphries will be remembered at the opening of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival on Wednesday evening.
The legendary Australian comedian, best known for his portrayal of the iconic character Dame Edna, will be honored with a special video package celebrating his remarkable career.
The short package will be shown at the Palais Theater during the Opening Night All Stars Supershow of the comedy festival, the Herald Sun reported.
The video is not an official tribute, but is described as a recognition of Humphries, who passed away in April last year.
The commemorative package comes after the Melbourne International Comedy Festival stripped Humphries’ name of its most prestigious award, the Barry Award, in 2019.
Barry Humphries will be remembered on the opening night of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival
The folk festival previously distanced itself from Humphries due to his views on transgenderism and gender reassignment surgery in 2018.
The entertainer described transgender surgery as “self-harm” and called transgender “a fashion.”
Following his comments, Humphries’ name was removed from the award.
The famous entertainer helped create the festival in 1987, which has grown into one of the world’s largest comedy events.
The legendary Australian comedian, best known for portraying the iconic character Dame Edna, will be honored with a special video package celebrating his remarkable career
The Australian comedy legend died last April at Sydney’s Vincent Hospital at the age of 89.
Humphries had a long and grueling battle with an inoperable cancer before his death.
For weeks, the comic had brushed aside concerns about the severity of his condition.
Humphries tripped on a rug while picking up a book in February 2023 and underwent surgery at St. Vincent’s, where he was readmitted that week with his family by his side.
The commemorative package comes after the Melbourne International Comedy Festival removed his name from its most prestigious award, the Barry Award, in 2019 following comments he made about transgender surgery. Pictured: Humphries speaking at the MICF in 2016
“He was completely himself until the end and never lost his brilliant mind, his unique humor and generosity of spirit,” his family said in a statement.
Dame Edna Everage remains one of Humphries’ most recognizable inventions.
Humphries was also a successful musical theater actor, talented landscape painter, film producer, author and screenwriter.
A state memorial was held at the Sydney Opera House in December last year following his tragic death.
Humphries died in April last year at the age of 89 during the final weekend of the annual month-long festival