Edna issues rebuttal
2006-05-04 12:12
Sydney - International housewife superstar Dame Edna Everage issued a tongue-in-cheek rebuttal on Thursday of a claim her alter ego and creator punched a photographer.
Australian actor Barry Humphries, who has played the purple-haired character since the 1950s, hit out at a freelance celebrity photographer outside a plush Sydney cafe on Wednesday. "Handbags fly as Barry lashes out," ran the headline in the Daily Telegraph newspaper.
The actor's publicist, Suzie Howie, confirmed the incident. But Dame Edna, renowned for her extravagant behaviour and questionable fashion sense, made light of the news.
'Desperate for publicity'
"Poor Barry, desperate for publicity as usual," read an e-mail statement issued by Howie in Dame Edna's name. "Who does my manager think he is? Russell Crowe? Kate Moss?"
Dame Edna, known for her oversized rhinestone eyeglasses, said in the statement she did not witness the incident.
"Luckily I wasn't there, but I'm told he didn't deliberately hit the poor photographer but was pushing the camera away and his knuckles accidentally grazed the poor chap's cheeks," said the statement.
Rage-aholic
"I've never pushed a camera away. The papps (paparazzi) can invade my space whenever they like. I adore them, especially this little chap, because I've always had a weakness for ponytails. Call me old fashioned. I'm sending Barry off for counselling. He is a rage-aholic and a tragic attention seeker."
Crowe, the Oscar-winning actor, was given a conditional discharge by a New York court last year after pleading guilty to throwing a phone at a hotel receptionist. Moss, a British supermodel, has had her own run of bad publicity after a newspaper published pictures of her allegedly taking cocaine.
Humphries has found enduring fame in the United States, Britain and Australia on stage and screen through the purple-haired housewife character.
Photographer followed him
According to Howie, he became upset when photographer Malcolm Ladd followed him from Dee Bee's Cafe in Sydney's exclusive Double Bay, where the actor had lunch with musical director Andrew Ross.
New South Wales state police had not received a complaint about the punch, a police spokesperson said on customary condition of anonymity.
Ladd's photographs of Humphries at lunch appeared in Thursday editions of News Corp. newspapers in Australia.
Ladd has declined to comment to media outside News Corp. But he told News Corp. that Humphries punched his face as he attempted to take a close shot outside the restaurant.
"It knocked my glasses off," Ladd was quoted as saying. "It was a good punch - it still hurts."
- AP