One of the greatest comedians of all time. There should be a health warning on the doors before every one of his shows because it is so funny it's painful.
Well, he was only an icon to the Aussies after he went abroad and took the world by storm At home he was dragged thru the gutter by the native press and made a laughing stock as the nation's shame But the old establishment passed on and the younger generations coming up thru the 90s were able to appreciate his humour
Having known Dame Edna all these years it’s nice to meet Barry Humphries. As to those people saying he is boring next to his characters I beg to differ. If you were to meet him not knowing his characters you would be charmed by such an eccentric witty, arty fellow. His characters are just over the top!
My only exposure to Barry is as the character Dame Edna. What other characters does he perform as and does he have any DVDs produced that can be purchased and played in the USA? This clip of Barry as Barry was truly an educational experience.
What a fantastic programme about a man and a character that I personally adore!! well done Barry for bringing so much joy and laughter to the world, you are truly a fantastic artist!! I remember when I forst went to Melbourne as a young man at 22 travelling around Australia, and we arrived in Melbourne and stayed with friends in MOONEE PONDS!! I was over the Moonee to be in the same suburb where Barry began his career!!
i wrote to him when starting out as a designer.. he wrote back said come back stage.. operate the cherry picker.. was a lovely generous man who kick started my career.. ❤
Barry Humphries should be knighted. He is a true performer with a great talent. I saw him live at the theatre and by the end of the show my gut ached from laughing so much. All three of his characters are something special. Thankyou Barry for a great night and sharing your talent with the world.
I agree, I heard him say once that he wonders what more he has to do to ‘deserve’ this as well. He is the greatest comedian ever, in my opinion, and as his everyday self, just so charming, disarming:)💖💜💖and unique.
Sir Barry Humphries has a very nice ring to it, pity it never happened R.I.P. Barry, thankyou for the memories for the infinite amounts of laughter you shared with the world, gone, but you will never be forgotten forgotten
This guy is pure genius, I would say that about very few people. His quick wit and way of deliverance if far beyond most peoples abilities. I didn't realize he had so many characters. He really should have had a pre-nup about those paintings.
I had the pleasure of meeting Barry on several occasions 20 odd years ago because my mum knew him through mutual friends. Not only is he an absolute comic genius, but he is also a genuinely nice person. I love his ability to completely take the piss out of someone while doing it in a way that is not nasty or sarcastic. His "celebrity victim" feels like they have been hit over the ego with a feather hammer. Also if you have ever been to one of his live shows you were VERY glad you arrived on time LMAO
Dame Edna. He had such an incredible sharp sense of humor. Such a warm, funny, and loving host on the Edna show, made all the celebs relax and enjoy themselves.
Anne Oneal I've always thought the same. Emily Perry was a true gem, and was effortlessly hilarious herself. Amazingly, I have read that she was actually the third actress to play Madge. To my mind, her portrayal is the definitive one, though admittedly I've not seen the other two.
I went to one of Dame Edna's performances and I have never seen a more hard-working gifted performer in my life. It was the work of a consummate performer from the start to the end of the show. There was no laxing going on - great work.
One gentle man near the end of clip said he be the greatst comedy act out of Ossie I recon the most greatest comedy act in the world. Up for debate of course.Awesome man
It's lovely to see some shots of the real Barry Humphries. I met him on a couple of occasions, once when I was minicab driver in about 1969 and I was an avid fan of his comic strip in Private Eye and then a few years ago, when he had just had an honour bestowed on him by The Queen, at a Monty Roberts horse demo. near Guildford. He gave me a very generous tip for getting him a cup of coffee during the break. Was he known as a generous man? He didn’t give me a tip on the occasion of the minicab journey. Perhaps he was a bit skint at the time. What a wonderful performer
I have always been completely fascinated with this man. What a genius. Thank you from South Africa from an ardent fan. How I would absolutely love to see one of his shoes. Bravo Dame Edna 💫
Comedy Connections on RUclips is turning me onto so much great comedy. While we were doing Laugh In and All In the Family they were doing some really intelligent comedy.
Actually, All in the Family was a great show. It wasn't endorsing racism. It was trying to show the foolishness of being narrowminded on either side. It was extremely cutting edge for its day.
Nash1a ... Absolutely. It was during a time when the Selma civil rights workers were killed and lynchings were a recent past or not past at all. A lot of very narrow minds liked Carole O’Conner’s (sp?) Archie Bunker character because they were too ignorant to get the intent. Most of us got it. For comedy to be effective, you need a strong character to play off of. That’s who he was. He was the joke and he didn’t know it. But the audience (usually) did.
The best Australian comedian ever. I have some inside information - he actually always suffered from stage fright - hard to believe as it would only happen before he went on stage & wasn't apparent when he was performing.
21 November 2014 - front and center at California Center for the Arts in Escondido - and the delightful Dame Edna strikes again! How wonder-filled she is and funny than a possum's poonum! My friend was enjoying her first live Dame Edna and we both smiled and enjoyed the dear Dame Edna during our driving and our dinner. I held to my chest the photo of Dame Edna and me from her 2009 show at San Diego Civic Center, where she called 4 people up to sit with her onstage! *I* was one of them!! Ahhhh, the memories! The hugs - the laughter. Seattle, get ready, the Dame is coming up to you!! Make sure to see her! Have a wonderful tour, dear Dame and Barry - and know that you both loved.
@Thunder Exactly. It's a bloody joke. He is just an old closeted queen who looks down his nose at anything to do with Australia. If he is remembered, it will be as a dated bitchy drag queen. A comedic dinosaur.
Brilliant, i have found out so much more about Barry, he was born a genius, people where just to slow to catch on early doors. Love the guy, super intelligent and funny. You can tell he bears no ill will.
This is a revelation. I had no idea that he was a Dadaist and of course now it makes perfect sense. Even the way he allows this very well made documentary to try and define him and yet leave us wanting to know more. Masterful. I would love to see him cast a Tim Burton misfit or villain like the Penguin man. I think he would deliver a heartbreaking performance.
All the kudos in these comments are true. Barry Humphries produced a stellar character and gave us memorable comedy. What a gem. Thank you for posting this look into the Dame Edna character. I really enjoyed the look at some of the original dresses - wow, what an imagination.
His vast linguistic repertoire allows him to twist and even expand Australian slang as well as incorporating of some American pop slang/phrases for the full gamut of language spice.
When Barry talks about Melbourne being suffocatingly “nice” in the fifties. ...... it is the view of a privileged boy and the priveleged area he was born into. It is typical of the upper classes to project extra niceness. . If he had come from the working class districts of Sunshine, Footscray or my neighbourhood Yarraville, where such niceness is seen as slightly suspicious, he would have felt liberated, as, we were able to be more open about our opinions of everyday life. I have always been grateful for my working class upbringing as I have always been in touch with what I consider to be real and genuine about the values of civilized experiences of that era, or in fact any era. I now live in an upper class area of a big city....and believe me it is also suffocatingly nice....
Funny how none of the comments focus on the fact that he was such an interesting guy off the stage- poet, writer and painter. That is what most impressed me about the guy.
One of the best documentaries that I’ve ever seen. Such good filming, good set design and the focus is an amazing person. He is incredibly handsome as a man. He seems to be like so many. Put on a costume and be that person. Love his fedora and lovely, so lavish male clothing.
I think it will be many more years before we can really appreciate the genius of Barry Humphries Like Dali, his genius explodes and covers a multitude of ideas, some yet to be uncovered and, perhaps, understood.
I still can't believe the Dame is gone. My heart aches when the world loses comic genius. So many bad things in the world. We need Dame Edna to make us laugh and to give us advice. I will forever miss her.
I'm an American, gay, and 34 years old (I think my following comment needs those things established) Back in my 20's I was visiting with an acquaintance (also gay) who's father was a close friend my father's. I think he sort of felt like introducing me to some actual gay culture since I was just then coming into my own. He put in a "Dame Edna" tape and I was just amazed that I had never heard of "her." He went on to tell me that his dad never knew Dame Edna was really a guy and had a celeb crush on "her." I feel like my generation and younger ones won't have quite a celeb or comedian to enjoy. Folks such as these cannot be replaced, only succeeded.
I first saw Dame Edna on the tonight show with Johnny Carson.......Here in the States........He was a laugh a minute. All ad libbed ...a comedic genius.
Very interesting biography of a fantastic comedian. Had to laugh at the "Les Patterson bar scene" - the blonde girl behind LP obviously had a sense of humour - I thought she was the best! :) And Dame Edna obviously rocks all the way.
From Florida, USA: I love ya, Barry! I didnt discover you until you were gone. But thanks to the miracle of RUclips, you wil be entertaining us all over the English-speaking world, forever!!;😅
Do you know if the Mr. Humphries character in "Are You Being Served" was named after him, as a witty homage to the art of pantomime? I've always wondered if the AYBS Mr. Humphries was Barry Humphries' namesake.
Frankly, only someone born into such comfortable middle class privilege could whine about it's 'faults'. Growing up in a very poor area we could only dream of living in such clean, leafy and peaceful surroundings.
Bingewatching all the Barry Humphries I can find. The world is a duller place without you .RIP😢
Me too!
I can't stop watching them
Yep, me too.
I can’t help myself. How fortunate we all are to be able to witness the genius of Barry over and over. 💖💙
Me too!
A friend of mine worked with Barry and spent a lot of time with him privately, he said he's one of nicest people you'd ever meet ❤
Barry is a prime example of how genius comes in many shapes and forms , may he rest in peace comforted by his accolades and achievements.
A Genius entertainer ...JUST LOVE HIS WORK ..HE WILL BE TRULY MISSED .
One of the greatest comedians of all time. There should be a health warning on the doors before every one of his shows because it is so funny it's painful.
A genius. A consummate entertainer. An Aussie icon. Sometimes in life you don't know what you've got until it's gone. RIP Barry.
Well, he was only an icon to the Aussies after he went abroad and took the world by storm
At home he was dragged thru the gutter by the native press and made a laughing stock as the nation's shame
But the old establishment passed on and the younger generations coming up thru the 90s were able to appreciate his humour
Having known Dame Edna all these years it’s nice to meet Barry Humphries. As to those people saying he is boring next to his characters I beg to differ. If you were to meet him not knowing his characters you would be charmed by such an eccentric witty, arty fellow. His characters are just over the top!
To Tes Smith: This is a well-constructed comment with truth and observation. Well done.
My only exposure to Barry is as the character Dame Edna. What other characters does he perform as and does he have any DVDs produced that can be purchased and played in the USA? This clip of Barry as Barry was truly an educational experience.
RIP Barry, this is a brilliant video, thank you.
No Barry, you’ll never be a shame.
Absolutely brilliant entertainer, and an a terrific documentary right here. Well done.
Humphries is a genius actor who can unleash characters that are alive without needing a master script.
What a fantastic programme about a man and a character that I personally adore!! well done Barry for bringing so much joy and laughter to the world, you are truly a fantastic artist!! I remember when I forst went to Melbourne as a young man at 22 travelling around Australia, and we arrived in Melbourne and stayed with friends in MOONEE PONDS!! I was over the Moonee to be in the same suburb where Barry began his career!!
I adore Dame Edna! When I see Edna I believe in her completely.Even Barry said, Edna is herself.
I love Dame Edna Everage. She does and says what we all want to do and say but getting away with it in a way that still makes us roar with laughter.
I think Barry Humphries as himself, is an extremely elegant dresser. Very suave.
i wrote to him when starting out as a designer.. he wrote back said come back stage.. operate the cherry picker.. was a lovely generous man who kick started my career.. ❤
Barry Humphries should be knighted. He is a true performer with a great talent. I saw him live at the theatre and by the end of the show my gut ached from laughing so much. All three of his characters are something special. Thankyou Barry for a great night and sharing your talent with the world.
I agree, I heard him say once that he wonders what more he has to do to ‘deserve’ this as well. He is the greatest comedian ever, in my opinion, and as his everyday self, just so charming, disarming:)💖💜💖and unique.
Yes agree
@@Schwabian 😸❤️❤️💚💜🇩🇪🇦🇺
Sir Barry Humphries has a very nice ring to it, pity it never happened
R.I.P. Barry, thankyou for the memories for the infinite amounts of laughter you shared with the world, gone, but you will never be forgotten forgotten
I agree. He should be Knighted!
This guy is pure genius, I would say that about very few people. His quick wit and way of deliverance if far beyond most peoples abilities. I didn't realize he had so many characters.
He really should have had a pre-nup about those paintings.
This is one of the toughest saddest loss on planet earth today. They both brought me so much joy and happiness…Rest In Paradise Edna and Barry ❤️✝️💙
I had the pleasure of meeting Barry on several occasions 20 odd years ago because my mum knew him through mutual friends. Not only is he an absolute comic genius, but he is also a genuinely nice person.
I love his ability to completely take the piss out of someone while doing it in a way that is not nasty or sarcastic. His "celebrity victim" feels like they have been hit over the ego with a feather hammer.
Also if you have ever been to one of his live shows you were VERY glad you arrived on time LMAO
Asking myself the same thing.
Thank you for shedding a bit of light into a rather rabid undocumentary.
Barry Humphries surpassed everyone on television...his humour and genius was amazing
an absolute master of comedy. Love Mr. Humphries and Dame Edna!
And sir les patterson! 💜🧡❤️💚
He's the Australian equivalence to our Ronnie Barker, both utter gems and totally irreplaceable!
Dame Edna. He had such an incredible sharp sense of humor. Such a warm, funny, and loving host on the Edna show, made all the celebs relax and enjoy themselves.
Even when he's himself. he talks and has the facial expressions and mannerisms of Dame Edna.
He’s clearly a genius.
I will never understand how Madge the bridesmaid could keep a straight face. She did an amazing job. I would have been destroyed.
Anne Oneal I've always thought the same. Emily Perry was a true gem, and was effortlessly hilarious herself. Amazingly, I have read that she was actually the third actress to play Madge. To my mind, her portrayal is the definitive one, though admittedly I've not seen the other two.
I went to one of Dame Edna's performances and I have never seen a more hard-working gifted performer in my life. It was the work of a consummate performer from the start to the end of the show. There was no laxing going on - great work.
Its 2023....we must accept that the creations of this Man Will last forever....its called the test of time,BRAVO,BRAVISSIMO, BARRY.
thx for posting this. Enjoyed it!
Eternally grateful to Dame Edna and Sir Les for cheering me up throughout my life
Holly is fab..
One gentle man near the end of clip said he be the greatst comedy act out of Ossie I recon the most greatest comedy act in the world. Up for debate of course.Awesome man
Barry Humphries is positively brilliant !!
Should be on British TV more often. Long may he live!
It's lovely to see some shots of the real Barry Humphries. I met him on a couple of occasions, once when I was minicab driver in about 1969 and I was an avid fan of his comic strip in Private Eye and then a few years ago, when he had just had an honour bestowed on him by The Queen, at a Monty Roberts horse demo. near Guildford. He gave me a very generous tip for getting him a cup of coffee during the break. Was he known as a generous man? He didn’t give me a tip on the occasion of the minicab journey. Perhaps he was a bit skint at the time. What a wonderful performer
New Zealander here - he's absolutely brilliant! I wish **we** could claim him!
At least we've got (or had) Madge!
I only discovered Dame Edna about a year ago unfortunately. Love the raw humor and entertainment factor.
Extremely interesting, very entertaining and revealing about a wonderful character and self-made superstar. Well done and thank you.
I love Barry Humphries and Dame Edna and have seen him live several times. He is a genius.
Thanks for airing this. Documentary. He was a gem and is sorely 👏👏👏. May he RIP
I have always been completely fascinated with this man. What a genius. Thank you from South Africa from an ardent fan. How I would absolutely love to see one of his shoes. Bravo Dame Edna 💫
Amazing man! From SA too!
Georgie Walker .. Just one of his shoes, or one of his shows ? lol
I remember Dame Edna from the Mavis Bramston Show when I was a teenager. I saw her live in 1998 in san Francisco. Barry Humphries is a genius.
What an artist! BRAVO!
sugar love Indeed❤
You mean BRAVA ;)
sugar love qqaa
The pink wig reminds me of Mrs. Slocumb from "Are you being Served".
Comedy Connections on RUclips is turning me onto so much great comedy. While we were doing Laugh In and All In the Family they were doing some really intelligent comedy.
Yes, indeed. Brilliant.
Actually, All in the Family was a great show. It wasn't endorsing racism. It was trying to show the foolishness of being narrowminded on either side. It was extremely cutting edge for its day.
Nash1a ... Absolutely. It was during a time when the Selma civil rights workers were killed and lynchings were a recent past or not past at all. A lot of very narrow minds liked Carole O’Conner’s (sp?) Archie Bunker character because they were too ignorant to get the intent. Most of us got it. For comedy to be effective, you need a strong character to play off of. That’s who he was. He was the joke and he didn’t know it. But the audience (usually) did.
One of our female neighbours in Col Light Gardens, in Adelaide was pure Edna.
This was an amazing watch. The guy is a brilliant genius ..Love
What a very clever man!!!!.... so articulate and dapper!!. Adore Dame E and Sir Les.... can't get enough of them!!!!
What a great entertainer !!!! Absolutely delightful Dame Edna the Pearl from Australia
Wit sharp as a razor a genius
What an utterly charismatic gentleman, and like a fine wine, got better with age. God bless you dear Barry ❤
Genius I prefer Sir Les Patterson, I remember a head master at school on his door was the sign written Head master but his surname was Bates
The 80s were great because of Dame Edna.
The best Australian comedian ever.
I have some inside information -
he actually always suffered from stage fright -
hard to believe as it would only happen before he went on stage
& wasn't apparent when he was performing.
21 November 2014 - front and center at California Center for the Arts in Escondido - and the delightful Dame Edna strikes again! How wonder-filled she is and funny than a possum's poonum! My friend was enjoying her first live Dame Edna and we both smiled and enjoyed the dear Dame Edna during our driving and our dinner.
I held to my chest the photo of Dame Edna and me from her 2009 show at San Diego Civic Center, where she called 4 people up to sit with her onstage! *I* was one of them!!
Ahhhh, the memories! The hugs - the laughter.
Seattle, get ready, the Dame is coming up to you!! Make sure to see her!
Have a wonderful tour, dear Dame and Barry - and know that you both loved.
Thanks for uploading this! :))
An endless talent .. Bravo Dame Edna , Bravo .
A genuine Australian national treasure.
absolutely. Seen him 2x in Cali. Love Dame Edna forever.
no He/she is not is def a world treasure :)
noozilaner
@Thunder Exactly. It's a bloody joke. He is just an old closeted queen who looks down his nose at anything to do with Australia. If he is remembered, it will be as a dated bitchy drag queen. A comedic dinosaur.
Brilliant, i have found out so much more about Barry, he was born a genius, people where just to slow to catch on early doors. Love the guy, super intelligent and funny. You can tell he bears no ill will.
I really enjoyed this docu. I had the great fortune to see Dame Edna from the front row in Cleveland, OH. It was a stellar show! I loved it!
This is a revelation. I had no idea that he was a Dadaist and of course now it makes perfect sense. Even the way he allows this very well made documentary to try and define him and yet leave us wanting to know more. Masterful. I would love to see him cast a Tim Burton misfit or villain like the Penguin man. I think he would deliver a heartbreaking performance.
All the kudos in these comments are true. Barry Humphries produced a stellar character and gave us memorable comedy. What a gem. Thank you for posting this look into the Dame Edna character. I really enjoyed the look at some of the original dresses - wow, what an imagination.
Edna and Sir Les bring an immense amount of joy to me. I have watched everything on the internet that they have done!
He just has these expressions and doesn't have to say a thing and it's hilarious! Comedy timing at its best
His vast linguistic repertoire allows him to twist and even expand Australian slang as well as incorporating of some American pop slang/phrases for the full gamut of language spice.
Agree, ;-)
Mitzy596 ))(huijjuu). m,.iuu
N’!i’lo
Fg
8oiooioiiiiiijjii
When Barry talks about Melbourne being suffocatingly “nice” in the fifties. ...... it is the view of a privileged boy and the priveleged area he was born into. It is typical of the upper classes to project extra niceness. . If he had come from the working class districts of Sunshine, Footscray or my neighbourhood Yarraville, where such niceness is seen as slightly suspicious, he would have felt liberated, as, we were able to be more open about our opinions of everyday life. I have always been grateful for my working class upbringing as I have always been in touch with what I consider to be real and genuine about the values of civilized experiences of that era, or in fact any era. I now live in an upper class area of a big city....and believe me it is also suffocatingly nice....
Love this video. Watching it again has so many memories. He was a genius
Funny how none of the comments focus on the fact that he was such an interesting guy off the stage- poet, writer and painter. That is what most impressed me about the guy.
There is no-one like Barry. Unique. An absolute treasure, fbulous. An icon.
A true Aussie treasure, the like of never to be seen again, god bless him.
I admire this human being more so than for myself.Amazingly blessed.
May you rest in peace. April 21, 2023. Your presence will be sorely missed. I will miss you terribly..❤❤
Barry Humphries' appearance and wit remind me of Oscar Wilde. High praise and deserved.
Reminds me of Quentin Crisp actually.
Stupid
one of the best Aussies ever born
One of the best documentaries that I’ve ever seen. Such good filming, good set design and the focus is an amazing person. He is incredibly handsome as a man. He seems to be like so many. Put on a costume and be that person. Love his fedora and lovely, so lavish male clothing.
Completely enjoyed watching this and learning more than I ever wanted to know about Barry Humphries!
Me too
Thanks for putting this up. Worth every mb of lost data allowance.
I'm floored by the comedians genius learning where it all started is quite exciting because we all want to know the incredibly talented entertainer
A truly fantastic, interesting and highly enjoyable Documentary :-) Barry Humphries is a Genius, no doubt about that.
The three funniest shows I’ve ever seen, anywhere in my seventy plus years were all Dame Edna’s. Just remembering them makes me feel happy again.
Forever amazing..a genius that shines above all else when it comes to humour..
LECON... LEGEND AND ICON ... HIS COMEDY MAKES MY DARK MOMENTS INTO ONE WORTH LIVING ON FOR...
I think it will be many more years before we can really appreciate the genius of Barry Humphries Like Dali, his genius explodes and covers a multitude of ideas, some yet to be uncovered and, perhaps, understood.
Beautifully well done.
Fantastic peek into the private past of Humphries. Loved every minute of this.
I still can't believe the Dame is gone. My heart aches when the world loses comic genius.
So many bad things in the world. We need Dame Edna to make us laugh and to give us advice. I will forever miss her.
I'm an American, gay, and 34 years old (I think my following comment needs those things established) Back in my 20's I was visiting with an acquaintance (also gay) who's father was a close friend my father's. I think he sort of felt like introducing me to some actual gay culture since I was just then coming into my own. He put in a "Dame Edna" tape and I was just amazed that I had never heard of "her." He went on to tell me that his dad never knew Dame Edna was really a guy and had a celeb crush on "her." I feel like my generation and younger ones won't have quite a celeb or comedian to enjoy. Folks such as these cannot be replaced, only succeeded.
@Reid Moore. Barry Humphries was married four times and has four children.
A talented man to portray a female role.
I saw him perform and it was the most exceptional professional performance I ever saw
What a joy that was. Thank you.
Went to her/his show in Glasgow, the show was fantastic.
Very handsome Barry Humphrey
I first saw Dame Edna on the tonight show with Johnny Carson.......Here in the States........He was a laugh a minute. All ad libbed ...a comedic genius.
I love Dame Edna. I saw her on Broadway when he came to NYC. She was so unbelievably funny! We all waved our gladioli with pride!
I realize I'm envious of his creativity & would like to be able to just "let go" the way he seems to through his characters.
Very interesting biography of a fantastic comedian.
Had to laugh at the "Les Patterson bar scene" - the blonde girl behind LP obviously had a sense of humour - I thought she was the best! :)
And Dame Edna obviously rocks all the way.
From Florida, USA: I love ya, Barry! I didnt discover you until you were gone. But thanks to the miracle of RUclips, you wil be entertaining us all over the English-speaking world, forever!!;😅
Barry is marvellous....I'm a massive fan of Edna and dirty old Les...Mr Humphries I salute you Sir! 😎🇬🇧
I used to like Dame Edna ... now I love her. Great doc. If Leigh Bowery wasn't influenced by this man I'd be surprised
wonderful movie.
luv u barry love.
Do you know if the Mr. Humphries character in "Are You Being Served" was named after him, as a witty homage to the art of pantomime? I've always wondered if the AYBS Mr. Humphries was Barry Humphries' namesake.
Brilliant man !! Totally loved his characters !!!
Frankly, only someone born into such comfortable middle class privilege could whine about it's 'faults'. Growing up in a very poor area we could only dream of living in such clean, leafy and peaceful surroundings.