Clive James interview 1987 3/4 Peter Cook, Barry Humphries
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- Barry Humphries recalls Edna's unsuccessful beginnings in London, and how Peter Cook hired him to perform at The Establishment and asked him to write the Barry McKenzie comic strip for Private Eye magazine.
The reaction in Australia to his characters, slang, and 'Fat for Britain' depots also get a mention.
(In part 2/4 Clive James gives quite a long introduction to Humphries, with archive photographs.)
Without doubt, Australia's greatest comedian and statesman has died. We owe him so much. Much loved and a natural genius, there will never be another like him. God rest his soul.
To actually see Peter Cook so continuously attentive and clearly somewhat spellbound by another performer is testament to the unique brilliance of Barry Humphries.
yes indeed. He seemed to love not having to fill the air.
He tired of people, became bored very quickly with them. Hence the alcohol problem. You can see that Barry has got him transfixed here and he doesn't have to be anything but part of the audience, clearly enjoying it. Wonderful.
Humphries is the Aussie equivalent of Peter Cook really....no other Australian comedian comes close.
That’s a very good point. Cook was in the presence of an equal so he couldn’t even attempt to trample over Humphries.
Beautifully put and 100% correct.
Barry Humphries, Peter Cook and Clive James. A stage full of some of my favourite people. And yes, let's not forget Clive James!!
My mum and sad saw Dame Edna at Wrest Point Casino in Hobart a number of years ago when i was a kid. My father who isn't one to me easily amused came home after the show. His face was red, he said his stomach was aching, and he said he almost wet himself. It was all from laughing so hard it hurt... RIP Mr Humphries...
I love seeing how delighted Peter Cook is by Barry.
It's wonderful to watch.
3 legends, including Clive.
Brilliant mind, comedy genius.
Looks like Peter Cook has actual admiration and respect for him... and that says a lot!
Australia should be very proud of Barry, he is so smart and well spoken, well read and the way he plays with the language is so clever.
Agreed. So much more to him than (the brilliant) Dame Edna. More recently, I loved him as the Goblin King in The Hobbit!
Ppl
He's Australian Royalty. If anyone was ever having a go at him it was the boring people that probably attend church not the average Aussie the thinks he's bloody hilarious
He upset the alphabet people and various perpetually offended types who took his name off an award at the Melbourne comedy festival. The man is a genius and a living treasure imho.
Barry Humphries is incredibly funny, charming and intelligent, but so was Clive James. He mastered both ends of the spectrum: high and low brow, but never made any of his viewers feel alienated. He clearly had so much respect for Barry Humphries and Peter Cook without being ingratiating, probably because he was on the same level and his personality put them at ease. Two great Australians with a great Briton.
RIP Barry Humphries (February 17, 1934 - April 22, 2023), aged 89
RIP Peter Cook (November 7, 1937 - January 9, 1995), aged 57
RIP Clive James (October 7, 1939 - November 24, 2019), aged 80
You will be remembered as legends.
Wonderfully eloquent. The silence of Peter Cook says much.
he is in awe of Barry and hes such a gentleman to let Barry speak. .
Can't compete with this genius
Barry is a genius, such a talent.
Barry Humphries is an amazing actor who doesn't get the credit he deserves, he should be in so many more movies, I can think of so many good roles the man could play both humorous and serious, Dame Edna is such a well played character that people forget that she is a character, that is the magic of Barry Humphries
Barry/Edna is such an intelligent person. I'm from he USA so some of his sayings I have no clue what he's talking about yet he will always make me laugh. His conviction, timing, deliverance, and pure genius brain makes him one of the best performers in the history of performers. He's underrated. For a man to become Edna in the time period he did it in and not give a damn what people say is something I admire so much. Truly a comedic genius.
Chunder.
To spew.
Vomit
Chunder down under...!!!
USA fried Cyprus 😂
What a brilliant raconteur Barry is.
WOW WOW WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
From a mad keen 73yo Aussie fan.
Saw him live in the late 50's to early 60's & he remains today,the best comedian that i have ever seen on any medium.
I laughed so much & so loudly.that a couple behind my seat,left at half-time interval & didn't return.
This was at a venue in Melbourne,Australia.
Lovely to see the warmth and affection Pete Cook has for Barry. Clive James, as ever, is great here too - wonderful relaxing dynamic for an 'old skool' chat between these 3 greats... 🙏
I remember seeing this in my teens, but I didn't really notice until today the rare as rare sight of Peter Cook sitting, in a kind of quiet rapture, happily taking a back seat to Barry Humphries. Wonderful.
Nx Doyle Barry Humphreys is an eloquent speaker, very articulate. He is sharper than Peter Cook. !
"He is sharper than Peter Cook"
Barry Humphreys is supremely talented, but NO-ONE is anywhere near as sharp as Peter Cook
I'm so proud and happy that the great Peter Cook recognized the genius that is Barry Humphreys RIP
Barry Humphries storey about his mother’s disapproval of her son, that it meant more to her than any acknowledgement of her grandson is not only funny its priceless. I like many will immediately identify with such mothers. I too tried to live up to my mothers expectations only to fail. Yet like Barry its reassuring to have done so.
Barry Humphries' appeal is how he expresses himself and enunciates, even when talking seriously in his normal speaking voice and not playing a character. The manner in which Clive James (RIP) spoke was also always very good. Australians eh?
Barry Humphries is a genius.
Barry Humphries is a legend.
Yes very rare to see him doing the voice without the costume......excellent.
This is a diamond to come across again after all these years thanks for uploading!
Just watched this again - it makes me happy but the world misses Peter Cook
Why is it that there were so many very talented performers like Pete & Dud, Barry Humphries and many others that were masters of their art. Sadly there are no more like them this Century.
Politics.
Comedy can't be about rules you can't put regulations on it and that really upsets the politically correct people who are about putting rules on everything .
Because they were all the produce of Vaudeville.
An eight hundred year tradition.
When Vaudeville died, they put it in a box and called it TV.
The rest is history....!!!
He is the same age as my mother and grew up a block or two away in the same suburb - which I always thought was rather strange. He says things from so long ago and so far away they could only matter to a tiny number of people - with complete accuracy - which ive always found endearing both of Barry Humphries but also of that time and place in suburban Melbourne.
Well said.
Enunciated, I think Barry would say.
I too was born in Melbourne in 1958.
Only yesterday.
Doesn't bear thinking about.
Horrible little place.
Puckle Street Mooney Ponds its only saving grace.
Remembrances of things past.
Or more lately,
In search of lost time.
"There's a lot of Australian dripping at the bottom of the Pacific" - Barry Humphries is fab.
Barry was born several years before both Clive and Peter and has outlived them both..
well, he's trundled off the stage; RIP Barry.
Genius on full display.
Peter Cook used to call a phone in show on LBC (London Broadcasting Corporation) radio, late at night and pretend to be Sven from Swiss Cottage. He was really funny and the radio station knew who he was but never said. They just let him go on and on. Priceless.
Yes, I've heard Sven. Utterly brilliant
Yes I remember this. Great joke
Your channel is a delight. Thank you so much.
This is wonderful - Cook absolutely in awe of Humphries.
Three brilliant men.
it is love at first sight I tell you. simply genius.
Barry Humphries was stratas above the joykill community within Australia.. but he was a product of Australia to the core! R.I.P.
"Enjoying oneself in reverse, as it where" - genuine lol!
Remember Barry as "Envy" in Peter Cook's 1967 "Bedazzled?" Awesome.
Cook, James and now Humphries all gone.
This man is a total legend. RIP Barry Humphries.
Its good to listen to people with true talent .
Rest in peace Barry.
Barry's remark about the differences between British & Australian comedy is so true.
Barry looks great in this interview. He vocally does Dame Edna so effortlessly, what a talented fellow. I would've said "talented bloke" instead, but that's Japanese for "broke".
Chinese, you mean: with the Japanese it's the other way around.
Peter Cook was a genius...
Pure genius.
Rest in Peace
This is pure gold.
Sevrin-13 å
Was Peter Cook a 'team player'? Well, as Barry says - Peter thought so and gave me a slot at his club and then asked him to write for Private Eye. Not often that Peter keeps quiet, but he sits back and listens to the 'joy' of Barry. Anyone who makes Peter Cook laugh gets my vote. Barry gave up alcohol early in his career. Peter never did. Who cares? We love both equally
I always remember a line from the Barry McKenzie strip."that shiela bangs like a shithouse door ."
From his autobiography (title escapes me, but well worth reading), here's one of his stories (slightly paraphrased by me) from his early childhood growing up in Melbourne, a very upper-middle class and staid community.
On his street lived an extremely prim and proper family in the traditional mould: stay at home mother, banking executive father doing his daily 9-5, only child little girl, about 5 or 6. Being on her own, she got bored quite easily.
She was allowed to play on the front lawn, but was strongly forbidden to venture beyond those boundaries.
However, one day, something exciting happened. On the vacant plot next door on the other side of the chainlink fence, some builders turned up and started to lay the foundations for a new house.
Of course, the girl was fascinated: so much more interesting than her dollies and other toys. She observed intently everything the guys did going about their duties. They in turn noticed her and idly chatted with her every now and again.
The mother observed all of this, and talked privately with the foreman, who invited the little one over as a 'helper'. Overjoyed!! So for the next days and weeks, instead of a pretty dress, she put on 'work clothes & wellies' and did a few safe and undemanding jobs with the labourers for a couple of hours each day; Mother instructed her not to make a nuisance of herself by asking too many questions and be as quiet as possible and to do as she was told. She was especially in her element at smoko (breaktime), pretending to be Mother and pouring the tea for all the lads, listening intently to their conversations.
Eventually, after a couple of weeks the guys had a whipround, and on their payday presented her with an envelope with a few dollars inside so she wouldn't feel left out.
The little girl was ecstatic, and ran home to her mummy with it and wanted to go and buy some new toys. However, her mother was careful and cautious and told her they would have to open a bank account and save it for a 'rainy day'. (Girl was confused and didn't understand as they were always sunny days in that part of Australia.)
So next day they went into town to visit her father's bank. Of course, the female teller recognised them and said to the little one:
"Wow, so much money! Where did you get it from?"
"I've been working on building a house next door.These are my wages!!"
"Gosh! You're such a big girl now. Was it hard work?"
"Oh, not too bad, thank you for asking."
"Did you learn a lot?"
"Yes, I think one day, when I grow up, I might join that profession."
"And are you going to be doing any more building soon?"
"Well, we will if the fucking bricks ever turn up. And we're going to be demanding more pay from that bloody bastard big boss!!"
Unusual to hear Berry laughing at some of his remembrances
Love the expression Barry Mc Kenzie used that when you're sick you cry Ruth as it sounds like you're shouting Ruth when you vomit.
This is a brilliant interview by the way
I love Barry errr, Edna. This was gold.
THIS is talent. THIS is personality. These were the days. I'm so sad Warhol was right
Barry Humphries 🫶🏻🥰😘
Two brilliantly cleaver and very funny artiests
Very true. Good to see Cook laughing so much as well.
Rip to you Barry. You were one funny fucker!
No comic even gets close to Barry. Genius.
" chundering....enjoying oneself in reverse.." 🤣🤣🤣
3.50 Barry's compliments made Peter blush
Brilliant comics
clive and barry still with us in 2019 at 80 and 85 respectively. peter left us 24 years ago, all three born in the 1930's.
Just heard about the death of the brilliant Clive James. Amazing that he lived until 80 despite some serious long-term health issues - and he was still at the top of his game. This clip is a gem, featuring three men who I greatly admire for their wit and humanity.
The most brilliant comic to ever walk the face of the Earth!!!
Clive is right. I can't go to Oz because they might all be like Les Patterson. I can't go to France because they might all be like Inspector Clouseau. I can't even go to Newcastle in case they're all like Roy Chubby Brown :)
Wonderful
The top three blokes I'd have liked to spend an afternoon in the pub with. When you were allowed to smoke, obviously.
Clive James was hilarious himself
Clive, another great ambassador for Aus. He'll be missed even though he took a bloody long time to shuffle off!
Thank you very much
Look how comfy those chairs are!
Dead right what Barry says about Australia... no one resents success more than the good old Aussie... it's stick with the bunch or be flogged to death down here.
Try it with the irish! No one begrudges like we do 😀
Off the boat, we spent an evening in a Townsville bar (1983). It was an education. Lots of chundering. Culture, to an Australian, is something that grows on cheese.
Marvellous!
This is the first time I've ever seen Barry use Edna's voice.
Small ponds and Islands have tender ego's. I remember when a small town in my neck of the woods complained because a comedian used the stage name the Parry Sound Farmer. He changed his screen name to Charlie Farquharson and did quite well on shows like Ed Sullivan and Hee Haw. The only time I ever heard of Parry Sound on tv again was during a Bobby Orr interview.
God he's a funny guy...I'd love to have him & Jonathan Winters at a dinner party.
Barry Humphries’ high school principal said of him that he was so intelligent that the school had two very different jobs to do: teach Humphries and teach everybody else.
Three great talents assembled here.
I saw Dame Edna interview Martin Sheen once and at the beginning Martin had no idea of Aussie/Brit comedy, within 20 minutes Dame had brought Martin round and he was laughing his head off...
Bamber Gascoigne was the original host of University Challenge in the UK.
Fortunately he didn't care a dime for "political correchtness" that is nothing
else but censorship.I discovered him relatively late on TH-cam .He wasn't known in Germany.He is difficult to translate.I don't grasp everything but like him very much.Thanks to TH-cam
I can follow and enjoy him.
How strange to hear Edna’s voice coming from Barry dressed as Barry :-)
Wow. An extremely rare performance of the Edna voice whilst Barry Humphries is out of character. Freaked me out a little!
Three greats 🌟 🌟 🌟 👏
Peter Cook's having a great time.
Rest well Barry Humphreys. A lifetime well lived with an intellectual middle finger firmly extended from both fists against the establishment.
3 great talents right there, sadly missed
Enjoying in reverse!! Got it.
hes the original borat
A bit like R. Gervais often says about K. Pilkington, it came to mind that Barry Humphries was Peter Cook's gift to the world..!
Are there any eloquent speakers on the telly these days?
Someone said Jon Stewart on American tv was the smartest man she’d met. I would say Barry humphries IS the one and only. It’s such a joy listening to him speak.
Too right! Humphreys is as brilliant as Cook, but in his own unique way. The two of them rank high in the echelons of comedy.
Humphries - genius. Makes me laugh till I'm hoarse.
No longer do we have comedians like Barry Humphries who just by talking naturally is on par with a team of so-called comedy writers spending hours jointly producing a script that people don't even laugh at. And as Zooney1 stated 4 years ago, the proof of Barry doing so, was the attentive and admiring expression of his face watching Barry just answering the question Clive James had asked him.
This is brilliant but why can't we see Peter Cook interviewed by another Clive as various characters including a football manager.?
Read his autobiography 'My Life As Me' and it will confirm much of what you say and improve your vocabulary..full of words I had never heard of before.
WELL,THERE was ''The' 6o'clock swill'
LBC does not stand for, 'London Broadcasting Corporation', but, 'London's Biggest Conversation'.