John Barry Humphries , AO , CBE ( born 17 February 1934 ) is an Australian comedian , satirist , dadaist , artist , author and character actor . His is probably best known for making up and playing the characters of Dame Edna Everage , a Melbourne housewife and `` gigastar '' , and Sir Les Patterson , who is an really rude `` Australian diplomat '' . John Barry Humphries , AO , CBE ( born 17 February 1934 ) is an Australian comedian , satirist , dadaist , artist , author and character actor perhaps best known for his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage , a Melbourne housewife and `` gigastar '' , and Sir Les Patterson , Australia 's foul-mouthed cultural attachÃ to the Court of St. James 's .