Friday, August 8, 2008

Barry Humphries is a c*nt.

I believe the bid is against you, sir


The Age continues its slobbering adoration of a man who was last faintly amusing in 1971.

Its European correspondent, Paola Totaro*, reports on Barry Humphries' delivery of the Arthur Boyd lecture at the Australian High Commission in London.

WARNING.

Readers with a queasy disposition may want to avert their eyes as the following Age article contains shameless brown-nosing, sucking up and purple prose.

Ms Totaro writes

Barry Humphries, razor-sharp and resplendent, has delivered an arch, long-distance rebuke to Prime Minister Kevin Rudd over his role in the artistic fracas over photographer Bill Henson's images.

My first question would be – what role, dickhead?

As I recall, Kruddy was asked what he thought of Bill Henson's photos of a young girl on display in a Sydney gallery. He said he didn’t like it. End of “role”.

Why any journo in their right mind would think this was a story is beyond me.

Mr Humphries draws on all his fabled wit to reply.

But asked afterwards by The Age for his thoughts on the state of artistic debate in Australia and the Henson controversy, Humphries raised an eyebrow and delivered a characteristically acidic broadside: "Oh yes, yes, I followed it. What did I think? It reminded me that the Prime Minister is from Queensland," he said.

"Oh yes, that is on the record … I might add it also made me glad I'm Church of England."


What a cunt. What a mean-spirited, reactionary cunt.

Kruddy is from Queensland and therefore must be a moron. What a knee-slapper Baz.

I can’t wait to see what gems he’ll produce if Julia Gillard becomes PM.

*Paola Totaro, during her stint as the Age’s European correspondent, has produced nothing memorable, interesting or well written. I’m sure a glowing career awaits for her at Fairfax.

19 comments:

Leilani said...

But on the plus side your mate Clam Barstool appears to have been shafted.

Humphries is stuck in the 70's if he thinks Queensland jokes can still fly.

Anonymous said...

The irony here is that globally Australia is the Brisbane of the world. So suck it up, Bazza and other Melburnian cultural snobs, because you're just another crass yob as far as the rest of the world is concerned.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

Humphries is stuck in the 70's if he thinks Queensland jokes can still fly.

Quite so, leilani.

But why the blue hell does Paola Totaro think this sort of dated nonsense is "arch" and "witty"?

Clam Barstool

Damn, I wish I'd thought of that.

wari lasi said...

I’m sure a glowing career awaits for her at Fairfax

? Ramon

I may have commented in the past that I don't mind Barry Humphries. But he's not allowed to rubbish queenslanders, my kids (well 66% of them) are queenslanders now.

And that Henson rubbish we've been over before. SG will no doubt go to bat for him again. I actually discussed it with my daughter (the one who's 16 today, "Happy Birthday to her") and it kind of spooked her.

Barry's old now and has lost the plot.

squib said...

Hmmm Maybe not so much Henson but I did think Rudd's response to Papapetrou's photo was a bit noah's ark, saying he thought it was 'disgusting' and he couldn't stand this stuff

Give me Crean anyday

Mr E said...

I admire Barrys determination and courage. Put yourself in this shoes, you get up in the morning, look in the mirror and see an irrelevant old man. Then you go to work, look in the mirror, and see an irrelevant old woman. Tough way to live.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

My point, wari, was that Fairfax these days delights in appointing dull-witted, mediocre hacks like Ms Totaro.

And bloggers. Many, many bloggers.

Mr E Discharge- hats off to you, sir.

Loose Shunter said...

As much as I find Humphries, B. a pompous ass who typifies all that was (and remains) cringeworthy about the eastern suburbs of Melbourne at least the Australian's European correspondent could report the substance as well as the froth of Humphries' speech.

LS

Loose Shunter said...

Unlike that timeserving Totaro, P.

LS

Perseus said...

" man who was last faintly amusing in 1971"

I went and saw him live in about 2005. I laughed many times.

Sandy Stone just has to say something like, "...and so I put some Vicks Vapo-Rub on and went to bed," for me to start cacking.

Ramon Insertnamehere said...

We'll have to disagree about that one, Perseus.

LS - Ms Totaro is an intensely annoying writer who has taken the Fairfax house style of "make sure every second par is about yourself and what you think" deeply to heart.

Melba said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
shitbmxrider said...

He makes a fair point of 'Queensland is shit', however.

Louche said...

who will I come in to bat for Wari?

Generally I don't think Barry Humphries is very funny, but I don't think he is a cunt for making a joke about Queensland. Just... unfunny.

Paola Totaro used to be urban affairs reporter or something for the Herald. I guess she stuck it out long enough to get a nice correspondent job. Bitch!

Cranky Frank said...

Kruddy is from Queensland and therefore must be a moron. What a knee-slapper Baz.

Many generalisations have a basis in fact.

wari lasi said...

Sorry louche(?), formerly known as SG. I've been in transit, dragging myself back up here after freezing for a week in Brisbane.

I meant you going to bat for Henson. But I believe we've had that debate before.

And I think Humphries used to be funny, but it's time he hung up the gloves, or gladioli.

Boogey, and Puss (you live in Brisbane don't you?), despite it being incredibly cold in the mornings, I actually got sunburnt at the regatta at Kawana on Saturday. (And Stuartholme kicked arse by the way, the first 8 won by miles and my girl in the 2nd 8 just got pipped by Snaidans)

As a Sydney born and bred boy, I'm definitely now a converted Queenslander.

Anonymous said...

Sunburn, or windburn, Wari?

wari lasi said...

Definitely sunburn boogey. I know the difference!

homesick said...

Humphries is as old as his "Queensland is crap" soundbites. It was the best he could come up with when put on the spot. His humourous time has past as does with all comedians... they have a comic shelf life so why then should Humphries be immune to this?

Mr E, with regards to your avatar I have seen this very sign on a side gate of a home in Bangalow NSW.... must be the same one.