Last night the terrible news came down that the voice of Bruce, the shark from Finding Nemo, has left us. Comedian, satirist, and author Barry Humphries passed away at age 89.
We learned the news via a post by BBC Archive on Twitter. Barry Humphries had been admitted to a Sydney hospital on April 21st due to complications related to hip surgery. When that announcement was made, many of us knew the outcome would be bad.
Those outside of Oz will most likely recognize Humphries as the colorful Dame Edna Everage. The comedian’s alter ego has popped up everywhere, including briefly crashing next two King Charles and Cammi in the royal box (see below).
I was first introduced to Barry Humphries in the 1980s, thanks to Shock Treatment, the sequel to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Humphries played a “blind” celebrity and gameshow host named Bert Schnick.
As the BBC’s presence grew in the States, I eventually got my first viewing of Dame Edna on a talk show and was hooked. The character even showed up in Howling III, an underappreciated werewolf flick.
Barry Humphries was a truly multi-faceted entertainer. He won a Tony Award in 2000 and became an Honorary Fellow of King’s College London in 2017. But, most importantly, he was in the smash hit peak of cinema: the Spice World movie…
Yes, Barry Humphries could make the most mundane and soulless production pop with his involvement.
Humphries delivery and wordplay made him loved the world over as a performer. It is sad to see him go, but we’re happy knowing that he left behind seventies years of entertainment for us to enjoy.
Barry Humphries, best known for his comic character Dame Edna Everage, has died aged 89. In November 1979, Dame Edna was appearing at Leeds Grand Theatre, and Look North's Mike Smartt got a good dose of Humphries' wit, wisdom and, well…, niceness. pic.twitter.com/Y3TnGXa12Z
— BBC Archive (@BBCArchive) April 22, 2023
Humphries’s passing was met with an outpouring of love from fans across the globe. Even Australia’s Prime Minister dedicated a tweet to the versatile satirist:
For 89 years, Barry Humphries entertained us through a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone.
But the brightest star in that galaxy was always Barry.
A great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind, he was both gifted and a gift.
May he rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/oSAKpxPGae
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) April 22, 2023
[Source: BBC Archive]
[Source: ABC News]
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