A furious email from Barry Humphries after falling out with the organizers of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival has emerged as the event is flooded with more comments following his death.
The Aussie icon, 89, best known for his roles as Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson, died Saturday night at St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, surrounded by his family, following complications from hip surgery.
Humphries helped launch the Melbourne International Comedy Festival in 1987 and at one point had an award named after him before falling out with organizers in 2019 over ‘anti-trans’ comments.
The organizers dropped a major award in his honor following his comments a year earlier about transgender people, including that it was a “fashion” craze and that sex reassignment surgery was “self-mutilation.”
As festival organizers try to ‘undo’ the beloved entertainer and announce plans for a ‘appropriate tribute’, a scathing email has emerged from Humphries banning him from the festival he helped turn into one of the world’s biggest comedy events.
The late Barry Humphries (pictured with his wife Lizzie and sons Oscar and Rupert) fell out with the organizers of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival five years ago.
The email was sent in October 2020 after Humphries signed a petition in support of Harry Potter author JK Rowling after she was threatened with death and rape by trans activists.
Humphries wrote a letter to petition organizer Graham Lineham, describing the backlash against Rowling as “cowardly display.”
“You have my signature. Thank you for your letter. I’ve been banned from the Melbourne Comedy Festival that Peter Cook and I launched,’ Humphries began.
“I have been attacked and branded a fascist and transphobe by the ‘she’ brigade and accused of racism by people who have never met an Aboriginal.
“For actors who became rich and famous by appearing in JKR’s plays and films and then vengefully berated her seems like a cowardly betrayal.”
He signed off, “Thanks for writing and good luck against a powerful and evil foe.”
A scathing letter (pictured) from the Aussie icon has surfaced about being ‘banned’ by the festival has emerged in the wake of his death
The email was read by 2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham on Wednesday as he joined the bandwagon of backlash against event organizers trying to “undo” Humphries after his death.
Others who have defended Humphries in calling the festival in recent days include British comedian John Cleese, British-Australian actress Miriam Margoyles, British commentator Piers Morgan and Australian entertainment reporter Peter Ford.
“Here’s a crazy idea, don’t cancel people in the first place just because they say something you don’t like,” Fordham enraged.
‘Comedy is supposed to be confrontational and there is such a thing as freedom of speech.’
“He was a man in his 80s speaking an opinion and he was crushed by these idiots.”
Barry Humphries was best known for his role as Melbourne housewife Dame Edna Everage
Fordham ended his six-minute diatribe with a strongly worded message to festival organizers that he described as “a bunch of cowardly prodigies.”
“The awake warriors tried to tear down the reputation of a great artist and now that he is dead you are hit by the karmabus,” he said.
“Suck it up, take your medicine and grow a set. And learn a lesson from your heartless and hypocritical attitude. You can’t undo it now just because it’s dead.
Bad blow to Barry Humphries just hours after his death and how he was left deeply hurt before his death: ‘I am furious about how he was treated in Australia’
British-Australian actress Miriam Margoyles defended her 65-year-old boyfriend when she paid tribute to Barry Humphries as a “great artist” while also admitting his mistakes.
She lashed out at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, saying Humphries was “deeply hurt” by the “cancellation” of the event he helped set up in the 1980s.
“I don’t think he was properly rated by Australia. I don’t think he was treated well, especially by the Melbourne festival, which canceled him quite late in his life,” she told the ABC on Sunday.
‘How dare they!
“He had more talent in his little finger than all of them had in their entire bodies. I am outraged about it. I want to speak now to support him.
“I am furious at how he has been treated in Australia. I think it’s disgraceful, and to all those people who think how smart they are, sharpen up and learn what’s really important.”
Margoyles admitted that Humphries had his faults and that she didn’t always agree with his views.
“He was biting and he was quite nasty a lot of the time, but he was a genius and you have to accept that,” she added.
“Barry was one of the greatest comedians who ever lived, one of the greatest satirists, one of the wisest, sharpest fellows you could ever meet.”
“I’m lucky to have known him for so long.”
She added that she didn’t particularly like Humphries’ politics, but revered his talent.
“If people can’t see that, they need something up their asses!” Margoyles was furious.
“I’m not saying he was right in his politics. I told him to his face that he was wrong and that I disagreed.’
“But he was the greatest comedian who ever lived.”
A broken heart Miriam Margoyles (pictured) was friends with Barry Humphries for 65 years
Hannah Gadsby’s (pictured) comments slamming Barry Humphries have resurfaced after his death.
Entertainment reporter Peter Ford agreed that Humphries was deeply hurt by the way he was treated in his final years.
“Barry had a problematic relationship with Melbourne, and with Australia in general, and the big elephant in the room is a terrible way he was treated by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival about five years ago,” Ford told Sunrise on Monday.
“They may have had their own justification for what they did, but I don’t think they handled it well.
“Barry made comments about trans people that were considered offensive and as a result they dropped a big prize at the comedy festival named after Barry, dropping him completely.
“Expats always want validation in their hometown, and this was Barry’s hometown, and he helped set up the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, so kicking him in the guts like that really hurt.”