Steve Vizard says the comedy world will ‘never see’ another performer like Barry Humphries again

Steve Vizard has paid tribute to his friend Barry Humphries after the legendary comedian’s death at age 89. 

Appearing on The Sunday Project, the Full Frontal star said that there will never be another performer like Humphries. 

‘To answer your question, will we ever see anyone like him again? Seven decades of provoking and needling and skewing and puncturing pomposity? No, we won’t,’ the 67-year-old said. 

‘Barry was a one-off. He started, as we all know, in the 1940s, the 1950s. He invented Edna Everage and this huge number of characters,’ he went on. 

‘And they were all sharp, they were all relevant to the time. Then he kept going. The ’60s, the ’70s. 

‘He modified [his characters] Sir Les Patterson, Barry McKenzie. Edna moved into a damehood. So he went for seven decades’. 

Steve Vizard (pictured) has paid tribute to his friend Barry Humphries after the legendary comedian’s death at age 89. Appearing on The Sunday Project, the Full Frontal star said that there will never be another performer like Humphries

‘To answer your question, will we ever see anyone like him again? Seven decades of provoking and needling and skewing and puncturing pomposity? No, we won’t,’ the 67-year-old said. ‘Barry was a one-off’ Humphries is pictured 

Steve classified Humphries as an ‘artist’ who always intended to provoke audiences and critique Australian culture.

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‘He saw his role as a Dadaist artist, an artist who kind of wants to provoke, create mayhem, become a trickster. Create chaos. He saw that as his role from the outset,’ Steve explained. 

Humphries, who died at 89 on Saturday from complications following hip surgery, kept an eclectic circle of friends from Peter Cook, Salvador Dali and The Beatles.

Steve classified Humphries as an ‘artist’ who always intended to provoke audiences and critique Australian culture

The comedian passed away at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital surrounded by his immediate family, including his wife of 30 years Lizzie Spender.

For weeks the comic had brushed aside concerns about the seriousness of his condition, but on Saturday before midday a spokesperson confirmed he had died.

Humphries tripped on a rug while reaching for a book in February and underwent surgery at St Vincent’s where he was readmitted this week.

​’​He was completely himself until the very end, never losing his brilliant mind, his unique wit and generosity of spirit,’ his family said in a statement.​

Dame Edna Everage remains Humphries’ most identifiable invention, who became internationally recognisable over the decades.

The beloved character began life as a Melbourne housewife in the 1950s and was known for lilac permed hair, outlandish cat-eye glasses and garish gowns.

Dame Edna Everage remains Humphries’ most identifiable invention, who became internationally recognisable over the decades