AUSTRALIAN transgender entertainer Carlotta has taken aim at Barry Humphries over his controversial comments about Caitlyn Jenner.

The 72-year-old transgender icon labelled Humphries, the man behind Dame Edna, “a stupid old man” after he described Jenner as “a mutilated man” and said he agreed with Germaine Greer’s comments that transgender women “aren’t real women”.

“I got very cranky,” an angered Carlotta said on Studio 10 yesterday morning.

“I can’t believe he came out with this statement. He doesn’t really understand transgenders — he’s a female impersonator,” she added. “That is what Dame Edna is.

“He’s just a stupid old man coming out saying things like that,” the veteran showgirl added. “Us transgenders, we went through hell. We didn’t wake up one morning and say ‘this is it’. I mean, for god’s sake look at me! A footballer’s not going to hire me for his team. I just had things wrong, my chromosomes were different — I was born that way. I used to say to my mother, did you eat so many fairy cakes when you were pregnant with me, this is the way I turned out.

“I got ridiculed at school, I got bullied, but I did something about it. I went and looked into it. I got it done — I can stand in front of the mirror and go, ‘This is me’. I don’t put a gender on myself, I’m Carlotta, I’ve made a good name for myself in this country and stuff them.”

Carlotta was particularly upset at Humphries’ describing Jenner as a “mutilated man”.

“All I can say is, I never got mutilated. I’ve been totally and beautifully manicured. And unlike Barry, my Tupperware doesn’t leak,” she added,

The veteran entertainer momentarily broke down as she acknowledged that she was really upset by his comments because she had known him “quite well” for many years.

“I am very disappointed because I was with Barry years ago when he was talking about doing Edna.

“For as long as I live, I am not going to let people put transgenders down ... because if they don’t know what they’re talking about, shut your mouth.”

Humphries, 81, is about to embark on Dame Edna’s final farewell tour in the US and Canada.