Barry Humphries, creator of Dame Edna Everage, dies aged 89

Barry Humphries, the Australian entertainer best known for his comic character the irrepressible Dame Edna Everage, has passed away at the age of 89. Humphries had been in the hospital following complications from hip surgery in March. He gained fame in the UK in the 1970s with Dame Edna Everage, who later became the host of her own TV chat show in the late 1980s. His other popular characters included the lecherous drunk Sir Les Patterson. Humphries’ family described him as “completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit.” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese paid tribute, calling Humphries a “great wit, satirist, writer, and an absolute one-of-kind.” Humphries’ career spanned decades, with appearances in film, television, and radio, as well as his stand-up comedy shows. Although later in his life he was criticized for his views on gender affirmation surgery and transgender identity, his fans in Australia are mourning the loss of a comedy legend.