‘One among a form’: Australians pay tribute to ‘icon’ Barry Humphries

Australians have paid tribute to Barry Humphries, the comic finest identified for his character Dame Edna Everage, as each a “one-of-a-kind” entertainer and an enthralling and clever man.

The Sydney Morning Herald mentioned Humphries died on Saturday at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney, the place he had been handled for varied well being points. Humphries was 89.

Humphries, born and raised in Melbourne, rose to fame in Britain within the Seventies enjoying a number of Australian caricatures together with Dame Edna, repulsive drunk diplomat Les Patterson and Sandy Stone, a decrepit rambling senior.

St Vincent’s Hospital chaplain Martin Maunsell mentioned he met Humphries when the comic was being handled for a fall, describing him as “charming” and “clever”.

“He was considered one of a form,” Maunsell mentioned. “I don’t assume we’ll ever see somebody like him ever once more in Australia.”

Within the beachside suburb of Coogee, Sydney resident Dani Kersh mentioned Humphries was like a “full ray of sunshine”.

“He offered a superb dose of comedy and humour and leisure throughout Australia. What a legend,” Kersh mentioned.

One other Sydneysider, Lucy Bloom, mentioned it felt just like the character of Dame Edna would by no means come to an finish.

“Dame Edna is a personality you count on to dwell without end, so I used to be actually, actually shocked to see that we might haven’t any extra Dame Edna,” Bloom mentioned “I met her in 2015 in San Francisco and can always remember.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the native tributes following Humphries’ dying, calling him a “nice wit, satirist, author and an absolute one-of-kind”.

“Barry Humphries entertained us via a galaxy of personas, from Dame Edna to Sandy Stone. However the brightest star in that galaxy was all the time Barry,” Albanese wrote on Twitter.