Thread: Vale Barry Humphries

Has anyone else noticed that everyone they have had as part of their background knowledge is dying?

Barry was a major part of Australian and international entertainment for almost the last seventy years - effectively, all my adult life.

He was a significant part of background knowledge, same as, for example, Sir Humphrey.

Although I just tried his name with my grandchildren - "Who?" Straight to their phone - "Oh! he did do a lot, didn't he! But I would not have known of him except as a voice actor in things like Finding Nemo and The Hobbit".

Oddly enough, Dame Edna and Sir Les Patterson died the same day!

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Has anyone else noticed that everyone they have had as part of their background knowledge is dying?

Barry was a major part of Australian and international entertainment for almost the last seventy years - effectively, all my adult life.

He was a significant part of background knowledge, same as, for example, Sir Humphrey.

Although I just tried his name with my grandchildren - "Who?" Straight to their phone - "Oh! he did do a lot, didn't he! But I would not have known of him except as a voice actor in things like Finding Nemo and The Hobbit".

My GP calls it "facing your mortality". Cheerful chap.

Originally Posted by JDNSW

Has anyone else noticed that everyone they have had as part of their background knowledge is dying?

Barry was a major part of Australian and international entertainment for almost the last seventy years - effectively, all my adult life.

He was a significant part of background knowledge, same as, for example, Sir Humphrey.

Although I just tried his name with my grandchildren - "Who?" Straight to their phone - "Oh! he did do a lot, didn't he! But I would not have known of him except as a voice actor in things like Finding Nemo and The Hobbit".

I have noticed, and it has started to concern me seeing Barry and other greats go, as I have already outlived my mother and only have a few years to go to outlive my father, Barry had such a long and stellar career that my parents would've remembered watching him on TV when I was still a child.

Funny how these events make you think about people. Just realised that 4 of my friends are no longer with us all gone before reaching their half century. Maybe I should stop being friends with the rest to protect them

Originally Posted by 3toes

Funny how these events make you think about people. Just realised that 4 of my friends are no longer with us all gone before reaching their half century. Maybe I should stop being friends with the rest to protect them

Who are you? Get off my doorstep!

I passed the news on to my brother, living in Houston. He had not heard of Barry's death, but this morning I have an email from him telling me that the Houston Chronicle has a half page news item on him in Monday's edition.

I've been wracking my brains to think of a single other Australian who has had as much impact, been so interwoven with our lives - for so long - and been as significant as Barry. Really the only other person in his league in that regard is Bradman.

As for comedy: Spike Milligan, Barry Humphries and Peter Cook......then a significant bit of daylight before the roll-call of mortals.