Dame Edna Actor Barry Humphries Calls Caitlyn Jenner 'A Mutilated Man'
Though Broadway audiences were first introduced to Australian actor Barry Humphries as the macabre Mr. Sowerberry in OLIVER!, his returns to Gotham have been in starring vehicles as his internationally known creation, Dame Edna Everage, the garishly-dressed hostess sporting lilac-colored hair and over-ornamented cat eye glasses, who greets her fans with a loving "Hello, Possums!" and often tosses gladiolas into the audience.
As Dame Edna, much of Humphries' comedy comes from lightheartedly outlandish remarks, but in an interview with The Telegraph, the cross-dressing clown was speaking as himself when answering a question about fellow Australian Germaine Greer, who publicly claims that trans women such as Caitlyn Jenner are really men "who believe that they are women and have themselves castrated."
"I agree with Germaine! You're a mutilated man, that's all," he says. "Self-mutilation, what's all this carry on? Caitlyn Jenner - what a publicity-seeking ratbag. It's all given the stamp - not of respectability, but authenticity or something. If you criticize anything you're racist or sexist or homophobic."
Back in June of 2015, when Jenner appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair, Humphries posted this tweet on the Twitter account of his character. Though it could be interpreted as a show of support, given the nature of Dame Edna it might also be interpreted as a joke playing off a misunderstanding by the fictional character.
GORGEOUS glamourpuss on this magazine cover. She must be an Australian!! ???? pic.twitter.com/WZ98qWSpVU
- Dame Edna Everage (@DameEdnaEverage) June 2, 2015
Click here for the full interview.
Photo: Walter McBride / Retna Ltd.
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