‘One of a kind’: Australians pay tribute to ‘icon’ Barry Humphries

Australians have praised Barry Humphries, widely known for his character Dame Edna Everage, as a “one-of-a-kind” entertainer and attractive and intellectual man.

Humphries died Saturday at Sydney’s St. Vincent’s Hospital, according to the Sydney Morning Herald. 89-year-old Humphries.

In the 1970s, Melbourne-born Humphries became famous in Britain playing Australian stereotypes such Dame Edna, nasty drunk ambassador Les Patterson, and senile rambling senior Sandy Stone.

Martin Maunsell, St. Vincent’s Hospital’s chaplain, described Humphries as “charming” and “intelligent” when he met him.

Maunsell called him unique. I doubt Australia will ever see another like him.

Dani Kersh of Coogee, Sydney, called Humphries a “complete ray of sunshine”.

He entertained Australia with laughter and fun. Kersh exclaimed.

Lucy Bloom, another Sydneysider, thought Dame Edna would never finish.

“Dame Edna is a character you expect to live forever,” Bloom said. “I met her in 2015 in San Francisco and will never forget.”

After Humphries’ death, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called him a “great wit, satirist, writer and an absolute one-of-kind”.

Barry Humphries played Dame Edna, Sandy Stone, and others. “But Barry was always that galaxy’s brightest star,” Albanese tweeted.