Barry Award no more: Humphries dumped from MICF award after ‘transphobic’ comments
Barry Humphries’s controversial comments on transgender people were a major factor in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s decision to dump his name from its awards. It comes as comedians were split by the divisive move. VOTE IN OUR POLL
Comedy Festival
Don't miss out on the headlines from Comedy Festival . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Barry Humphries’s comments on transgender people were a major factor in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s decision to dump his name from its awards.
The Barry, which honoured the festival’s best show, will be renamed the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award.
PANAHI: HOW COMEDY HAS LOST ITS WAY IN THIS PC AGE
WHY WE SHOULD KEEP BARRY AWARD NAME
Festival director Susan Provan said his references to transgenderism as “a fashion” and reassignment surgery as “self-mutilation” had loomed large in the reasons for the removal of the famed comedian’s name from the “Barry Award”.
“I think those comments were hurtful and inappropriate. It doesn’t represent all of his humour but I don’t know what he was driving at,” Ms Provan said.
She said the decision, which prompted a Twitter storm, had been brewing for the past year.
A third of the award’s recipients have been women, so it was appropriate to remove gender from its name, she said.
She accepted Humphries, 85, and his alter ego Dame Edna Everage were among the world’s most famous Australians, but “he doesn’t necessarily represent the breadth of what we’re doing”.
“There’s absolutely no doubt he has promoted Australian comedy internationally and has been a trailblazer and iconoclast,” Ms Provan said.
“He has put Australian comedy on the map many years before anyone else was, but comedy … is much larger than Barry and what it was when he paved the way … The festival has grown, the environment has changed, and it’s appropriate we recognise that our important awards couldn’t be named after one man.”
Best known worldwide for his popular drag character Dame Edna Everage, Humphries in 2016 described gender reassignment surgery as “self-mutilation”.
At the time, he also criticised Caitlyn Jenner as a “publicity-seeking ratbag for wanting to “steal the limelight” from the other famous women in her family.
And last July, the Spectator quoted him referring to transgenderism as “a fashion — how many different kinds of lavatory can you have? And it’s pretty evil when it’s preached to children by crazy teachers.”
After his comments were published, former Barry Award winners Hannah Gadsby and Zoe Coombs-Marr said Barry’s name should be dumped from the MICF’s top award.
The nominees for the 2019 Melbourne International Comedy Festival awards have been announced. Other categories include best newcomer, people’s choice, and director’s choice awards.
The Golden Gibbo, named after the late Australian comedian Lynda Gibson, will be awarded to the best independent show striving for art over commerce.
Award winners will be announced on April 20.
COMICS DIVIDED OVER DECISION
Comedians are split on the move to dump the Barry Award, with veteran comic Greg Fleet said he was against the change.
“I don’t think the name of the Barry Award should be changed,” he said.
“I don’t think what he said was right and I don’t think he was trying to be provocative, I honestly believe that’s what he thinks. It’s not a very now thing to say but he’s not very now.”
“Humphries has been doing pretty much the same thing since the ’70s. Think of the UK comedians, Benny Hill was out of control but he’s revered as an icon now. Barry Humphries has probably had more impact here and internationally than anybody else.”
Iconic comic Jimeoin panned the award’s new moniker and praised Humphries’ comedy.
“The new name The Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award is a mouthful. I think it should be called Not The Barry Award.
“Or The I Couldn’t Give a F--- Award. Every year it attracts some controversy, that way it becomes bigger and bigger.
“I did one TV show with him, The Panel (Channel 10). He was a lovely man, as far as his career’s concerned, he’s a fantastic comedian.’
Kiwi comedian Tony Martin also had a go at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award.
“Humphries’ comments do seem rather ‘problematic’ — to use a phrase he would surely find ridiculous … But assuming they were shocking enough to erase his many years of innovation and genius, surely we can do better than the ungainly mouthful of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Award,” he said.
Transgender comedian Cassie Workman is hot favourite to take out the award formerly known as the Barry, and said she welcomed the change.
“The whole world is in a state of transition and I believe that we are moving toward a more loving, and inclusive society,” she said.
“As we strive to achieve this, much like in transition itself, we leave behind the ideas and sentiments and affects that no longer serve us.”
Drag queen performer Dolly Diamond also agreed with the festival’s bold move.
“It was time … when you’re becoming far more known as a transphobic than a comedian, you’ve got to go.
MORE COMEDY FESTIVAL NEWS AND REVIEWS
“I’ve definitely modelled Dolly Diamond on (Dame) Edna to a degree and the way he pioneered the genre will never change. I haven’t lost all respect for the man, I just don’t agree with his views.”
Comedian Thomas Jaspers also praised the decision, calling it “wonderful news”.
“Once people like Hannah Gadsby and Zoe Coombs Marr criticised Barry Humphries for his hateful comments, more people started talking about changing the name,” he said.
“This isn’t some misguided joke, changing the name isn’t trying to stifle what people can say in comedy, this has come about after a direct targeted attack from Barry Humphries at an already marginalised community.”
Hannah Gadsby commented on Humphries’ namesake award when she won it in 2017, saying: “I don’t agree with a lot of the things Barry Humphries has said recently. It is not something I will walk past. With full respect, I would like to accept this award just for me.”
Comedian’s ‘disturbing’ response to Holocaust joke
A stand-up comedian who joked about the mass murder of millions of Jews during the Holocaust has doubled down on his Melbourne comedy festival gag, writing a shocking response to a Jewish audience member who had taken offence.
Comics laugh it up at comedy festival awards
A young Melbourne comic and a dry UK comedian are among the big winners at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Awards, which were tinged with controversy this year.