Comedian: ‘F--- you Dame Edna’

The man behind Dame Edna Everage, Barry Humphries, has banned the use of the F-word at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Source: Supplied

ADELAIDE comedians have given Barry Humphries' idea to ban the F-word the middle finger.

The Australian comic, known worldwide for his character Dame Edna Everage, has banned performers from dropping the F-bomb at the next Adelaide Cabaret Festival.

"I have found, without wanting to sound prudish, that too many young comedians — many of great brilliance — still resort to the F-word to get a laugh," Humphries, who is the incoming director of the event, told the Adelaide Advertiser .

"So there's only one rule: I'm banning it. It will be a good discipline for them — and it might be a relief to members of the public. Festival is the only F-word we're using next year.''

Comedy legend Barry Humphries is the director of next year's Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Picture: Mike Burton Source: News Corp Australia

But Adelaide stand-up John Brooks has slammed the idea.

"I think it's a bit rich because (Humphries) is the master of some of the filthiest innuendos ever to pass the lips of someone on the stage or screen," he said.

Brooks said he respected Humphries' comedy but found it hard to take him seriously as a bastion of morality, all of a sudden.

"I love him, and can see that he's put a cat among the pigeons, but he can f--- off," he said.

John Brooks shows fellow comic Jason Chong who's boss. Source: News Limited

Brooks believes that swearing is no longer a taboo.

"I don't think swearing has the import that it used to. Australia isn't what it used to be — swearing is now just punctuation in a sentence," he said.

He admits to swearing a lot in his "R-rated" show, but said his audience is more likely to be offended by the provocative ideas he shares than the language.

Brooks said Humphries' comments missed the point with what was really wrong with Aussie comedy.

"We should be more worried about the fact that comedy in Australia is either utterly banal or, on the other hand, like Chris Lilley, which is borderline horribly racist," Brooks said in reference to the comedian who created the controversial characters of Jonah and Ja'mie.

Craig Egan is the promoter Adelaide Comedy. Source: News Limited

Adelaide Comedy promoter Craig Egan was also unimpressed with Humphries' idea.

"My thought is the moment you try to put a restriction on an artist, you are kind of limiting them," he said.

He said sometimes inexperienced and nervous comedians could use swearing as a crutch, but that was no reason to stamp out swearing altogether.

"I think for stand-up comedy, you have to speak in the people's language and people swear," said Egan, who is a former stand-up.

"I've seen great artists use swearing to brilliant effect. I've seen poetry with swear words. Why take away one of their greatest weapons?

"It comes down to what's funny."

Keeping it clean … Comedy icon Jerry Seinfeld. Picture: AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast Source: AP

While local comics have dismissed Humphries' comments, it appears that stand-up legend Jerry Seinfeld sides with Humphries on this point.

He told The Guardian in January that keeping his act cuss-free was part of the athletic challenge of comedy, in that it denied him easy laughs.

"A person who can defend themselves with a gun is just not very interesting. But a person who defends themselves through aikido or tai chi? Very interesting," the famously squeaky-clean comedian said.

Seinfeld also dismissed lesser talents who relied on swearing in Shortlist magazine .

"Most of the time, when you hear the dirty words sprinkled in, it's someone who's lost and scared and uses swearing to save their tail. It's a style thing for me. It's not a question of not wanting to be offensive. I don't find swearing offensive — it's just my approach," he said.

So what would Egan's roster of comedians say if he were to suddenly impose a swearing ban?

"They'd say, 'F--- you'," he laughed.

Humphries' Adelaide Cabaret Festival program will be presented from June 5 to 20, next year.

Do you think the F-word should be banned? Comment below or join the conversation on Twitter @newscomauHQ

Another of Barry Humphries' characters, Sir Les Patterson. Source: Supplied

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