Barry Humphries: Melbourne comedy festival says tribute is in works after criticism

Organisers exploring ‘a fitting tribute’ after friends say performer was hurt by decision to rename festival award after comments he made about trans people

• Get our weekend culture and lifestyle email

The Melbourne international comedy festival has denied “cancelling” the late Barry Humphries and says it will plan a “fitting tribute” to the internationally lauded satirist and comedian who was instrumental in setting up the festival almost four decades ago.

Humphries died in Sydney on Saturday, at the age of 89. The man behind Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson has been widely remembered as a comic genius, while some have been critical of comments he made about transgender people, including that gender-affirmation surgery was “self-mutilation” and being transgender “a fashion”.

Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning