A proper thread about Barry Humphries

[thepuffpastryhangman]

Thirty years ago I might've took him up on that.

[thepuffpastryhangman]

Are you not going to answer my D O'B enquiry Jemble? It's fine it not, just wondered.

[Bean Is A Carrot]

Thirty years ago I might've took him up on that.

I dunno, puff. He often gets in people to write for his big shows. Back in 1997 he hired Kit Heskith-Harvey (of all people)! And if you go back to page 2, you'll see that next year Bazza is playing London...finally, I might get to catch a gladie.

[thepuffpastryhangman]

Sorry, I was just being a twat about it. I took Jemble's remark as sarcasm, which is fine, but he hadn't even commented on my point about D O'B and I became a precious wanker, once more my apologies. In my defence all I'd done was attempt to mimic the style of Edna re: a Hazel related line, not to write anything 'good'.
But forget all that because now I'm on topoftheworldma, as I've just secured tickets for the Palin reading mentioned on his diary thread. Wearenotworthy, wearenotworthy, weartenotworthy. Though I've no idea how I'll feel after ninety three days without sleep.

[Jemble Fred]

My internet use has been severely curtailed, on pain of Job Seeker's Allowance.

But more to the point I think this:

All I've seen him in recently is the battenburg slicingly twee Three Men In A Boat and the formulaic Turn Back Time. What's "admirable" about that? I'm not suggesting he's especially cuntish, but since when did 'genuine' become a substitute for talent? I don't see, based on his recent work 'this point in his career', how he can even be classified as a "performer".
I'm not being deliberately contentious on a slow Friday morning, I'm genuinely curious.

Seems to be entirely based on opinion. What do you want me to say? If you found 3MIAB (and especially O'Briain's part in it) to be twee, then that seems to be your problem. Twee??? And it goes without saying that TBT is actually the opposite of the formula you think it's following, at least in spirit. It seems to be about celebrating lives, paying homage rather than the existing formula of whinging about hoodies or whatever shit you see on Room 101. I find it massively refreshing. Plus I think O'Briain's a pretty good stand-up, one of the very few in fact. I'm sure you'll disagree. I'm sure I'll not care. Sorry, but that's differing opinions for ya.

[thepuffpastryhangman]

Never ever need to apologise, thanks for responding. I lived in hope of 'ahh, but the Three Men In A Boat was the absolute opposite of...or whatever. I watch Turn Back Time as it has interesting guests, I'm pretty sure anyone could sit opposite them and not completely ruin it. As for it being "the opposite of the formula I think it's following", even that were true, it doesn't make it any less formulaic. I've not see or heard O'Briain's stand-up, nothing personal against him, but I can't imagine thinking anyone is good any more. Maybe there's a thread in there somewhere...
Sorry to hear about JSA related anxieties, enjoy the holiday weekend.

[Bean Is A Carrot]

Dame on...

Edna set for TV return

ITV1 is planning to bring Dame Edna Everage back to British TV.

The network is in 'advanced talks' with Barry Humphries about giving his creation her first series in more than a decade, according to trade magazine Broadcast.

Everage could be back on screen as early as spring, although the format of any new show is still being discussed.

ITV was said to be keen to bring the character back following her outstanding performance at the Prince's Trust 30th birthday celebrations earlier this year.

Humphries' agent  Peter Bennett-Jones told Broadcast: 'My mission in life is to get Dame Edna back on primetime TV in a series.'

Humphries, 72, is on tour in Australia until February.

Last week, Humphries' home town of Melbourne gave Dame Edna the keys to the city.   And it also plans to name a city centre alleyway Dame Edna Place, in a proposal to be discussed by the city council on Tuesday. Rockers AC/DC already have a back lane named after them.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/aug06/edna318801.php

Excellent news!

[Boing]

Dame on...

Edna set for TV return

ITV1 is planning to bring Dame Edna Everage back to British TV.

The network is in 'advanced talks' with Barry Humphries about giving his creation her first series in more than a decade, according to trade magazine Broadcast.

Everage could be back on screen as early as spring, although the format of any new show is still being discussed.

ITV was said to be keen to bring the character back following her outstanding performance at the Prince's Trust 30th birthday celebrations earlier this year.

Humphries' agent  Peter Bennett-Jones told Broadcast: 'My mission in life is to get Dame Edna back on primetime TV in a series.'

Humphries, 72, is on tour in Australia until February.

Last week, Humphries' home town of Melbourne gave Dame Edna the keys to the city.   And it also plans to name a city centre alleyway Dame Edna Place, in a proposal to be discussed by the city council on Tuesday. Rockers AC/DC already have a back lane named after them.

http://www.chortle.co.uk/news/aug06/edna318801.php

Excellent news!

What about Sir Les!
To me,Edna is to Sir Les as Ali G is to Borat.Both are funny,some tickle more.Why didn't Sir Les have a late night chat show on ANY fucking channel in the past?Humphries is a fantastic ad-libber.Sir Les is a fantastic character.That was a cult show gone to waste,".....and we all know what a cult is,do you know what I'm saying?(drool)"

[Bean Is A Carrot]

What about Sir Les!
To me,Edna is to Sir Les as Ali G is to Borat.Both are funny,some tickle more.Why didn't Sir Les have a late night chat show on ANY fucking channel in the past?Humphries is a fantastic ad-libber.Sir Les is a fantastic character.That was a cult show gone to waste,".....and we all know what a cult is,do you know what I'm saying?(drool)"

I'm pretty sure Sir Les came on (are you with me?) one of the Audiences with Dame Edna and introduced the Dame, but you're right Boing, he hasn't had his own series and that's a pity. I assume this is because TV execs are probably concerned that Sir Les is too filthy for prime time telly (although that didn't stop the ABC commissioning the excellent Barry Humphries' Flashbacks).

[benthalo]

Tell me this, as I've badly lost track: exactly what Humphries TV work has been released on VHS or DVD? I'm aware of Flashbacks and Au Audience With... but am really hazy beyond that. Was it the Neighbourhood Watch or the chat show which got a DVD release, and was that just region 1? All the shows, or just some? I'm in the position of not being sure enough of the full body of work to hunt this kind of information out on Amazon or wherever.

Can't wait for the UK live dates.

[Bean Is A Carrot]

Was it the Neighbourhood Watch or the chat show which got a DVD release, and was that just region 1? All the shows, or just some? I'm in the position of not being sure enough of the full body of work to hunt this kind of information out on Amazon or wherever.

The Dame Edna Experience and Dame Edna's Neighbourhood Watch are both available on region 1 DVD only. As far as I'm aware it's the complete series and specials. Why neither show has been released in the UK or Australia is beyond me.

You can also get a DVD of Barry Humphries' 2003 Australian tour Back To My Roots on region 4 DVD, which has Dame Edna, Sir Les, Sandy Stone and a sacked chairman of the board character (forget his name). There's also some good extras, such as a TV interview with Dame Edna, Sir Les and Barry Humphries by well known Australian TV personality Richard Wilkins.

[benthalo]

Oof! Looks like Neighbourhood Watch is out of print judging by that price.

[YoungAmerican]

Here's a real audio interview of Humphries as Edna I did when he was in San Francisco with the last DE show.  I actually asked if I could interview Humphries, but he only does interviews as Edna... and interestingly only does them when he can be completely in character.  A friend tried to book him on a morning radio show, and he wouldn't do it because he couldn't get all the makeup and costume on that early.

[Bean Is A Carrot]

Thanks for posting that. It's a rather casual interview in comparison to most of the ones you see/hear.

I actually asked if I could interview Humphries, but he only does interviews as Edna... and interestingly only does them when he can be completely in character.  A friend tried to book him on a morning radio show, and he wouldn't do it because he couldn't get all the makeup and costume on that early.

How bizarre, I've never heard of that before. Humphries often appears as himself in the UK and Australia. Could it be that in the US he finds it better to appear as Edna, as she is a bigger name than him?

[13 schoolyards]

Humphries appeared as Edna and himself on the Australia 60 Minutes last week - in fact, they were on screen together thanks to some fancy visual wizardry.  Edna slagged off Humphries, he looked puzzled, she stormed off, and the whole split-screen thing didn't really seem to be worth the effort.  Some nice footage of Edna in Moonie Ponds beforehand tho'

[Bean Is A Carrot]

Silly me, I forgot to upload Episode 5 of My Life As Me.

[Ignatius_S]

'Another Audience with Dame Edna' is on ITV 3 this Friday.

[Bean Is A Carrot]

From yesterday...
http://arts.guardian.co.uk/comment/story/0,,1981305,00.html

In praise of ... Dame Edna Everage

Leader
Tuesday January 2, 2007
The Guardian

Not all of Australia's cultural icons have been "doing a Warney" and announcing retirement at the height of their powers. A few days before Shane Warne shattered the English batting order in front of an adoring crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, another local hero, Dame Edna Everage, was packing them in at the city's State Theatre. Dame Edna's alter ego, Barry Humphries, used the occasion to underline that his new show, Back With A Vengeance, is just that. He may be 72, but his cross-dressed finger remains firmly on the pulse of Australian pretensions (always room for Pom-bashing too) and he declares his intention to soldier on to 80. This is surely good news. Humphries' creations, which include the bibulous Sir Les Patterson and Sandy Stone, poignant observer of youth's indifference to old age, have travelled the world, a beacon of political incorrectness long before Sacha Baron Cohen was born. But it is Dame Edna, the monstrous housewife from the Melbourne suburbs whose portrait adorns the walls of real art galleries, whom we love best. Like Warney and Kylie, Nicole Kidman and (unfortunately) Mel Gibson, Thomas Kinneally and Sidney Nolan, the former Mrs Norm Everage is as much part of the Aussie global brand as Rupert Murdoch, even though both now live overseas. Who needs them, eh? Rich and brash, Australia becomes more self-confident by the day and even Les Patterson drinks posh, local chardonnay now. Which is why it needs Dame Edna to take it down a peg. We all do.

Humphries has got some good PR people if he's getting a Guardian leader.