‘Priceless present’: Barry Humphries in his personal phrases

A SELECTION OF BARRY HUMPHRIES QUOTES

ON HUMOUR

“I used to be born with a priceless present, the flexibility to snigger on the misfortunes of others.”

“I can snigger at myself, I feel it is one of many valuable issues Dame Nature gave me … I feel if you cannot snigger at your self you could be lacking the joke of the century.”

“I like anybody who could make me and an viewers snigger.”

ON POLITICAL CORRECTNESS

“Les Patterson can say issues which might be fully incorrect, and it is a aid to specific views which we privately maintain, however dare not publicly ventilate – in any other case we might be historical past … our careers could be over.”

“Within the early 60s, I felt Edna had run out of steam. However no, she proved indestructible – and a really helpful mouthpiece. She will be able to say issues, as an illustration, about political correctness that I could not probably specific.”

“I really like making an viewers gasp. I do not crave the sound of applause. I crave the sound of sharply indrawn breath. That is a superb sound.”

ON AUSTRALIA

“To dwell in Australia completely is reasonably like going to a celebration and dancing all evening with one’s mom.”

“You should not choose Australia by the Australians.” (as Dame Edna)

ON POLITICS

“I’ve little or no curiosity in politics – however my characters have insights which might have benefited the nation in the event that they’d taken extra discover of them.”

ON SOBRIETY

“For some individuals like me, it is off the menu. It simply does not work. I’ve it in the home for different individuals. I may provide you with an absinthe if you’d like one. I introduced upon myself some horrible occasions.”

ON GHOSTS

“I am very petrified of ghosts. I imagine in them and I am very cautious of them. I do not prefer to sleep in haunted locations and Australia’s very spooky. Ghosts are there.”

ON REACHING HIS 80s

“It’s a good innings and I do not know what I attribute it to. However I do not do train and I feel that is the reply.”

ON HEALTH

“I come from a household who’ve quite a lot of prudishness about sickness. If somebody was very unwell we might say he hasn’t been very nicely these days, which implies dying.”

Australian Related Press