Friday, February 21, 2014

The Pope of Trash Visits Lawrence

Kelly with John Waters 
taken at the Eldridge Hotel

Lawrence was on Waters alert yesterday as fans tweeted sightings of him in local stores.  The "Pope of Trash" was in town to give a talk at The Lawrence Arts Center.  The Pope did not disappoint the enthusiastic crowd at the AC as he lectured about gay status, growing up in Baltimore, his love of books, and his movie making. 

John Waters has a zest in what others find repulsive. 
Famous quotes:

We need to make books cool again. If you go home with somebody and they don’t have books, don’t fuck them.” 

“To me, bad taste is what entertainment is all about. If someone vomits while watching one of my films, it’s like getting a standing ovation. But one must remember that there is such a thing as good bad taste and bad bad taste.”

“If someone is racist and really cute, could you still have sex with him? I have to admit the answer is yes. I have. You just change the subject or shout, ‘La la la la la la la,’ covering your ears when he speaks nonsense. If all else fails, stick something in his mouth to shut him up."

According to the documentary film and book Midnight Madness, Waters' filth epic Pink Flamingos is considered one of the six ground breaking independent films in the midnight movie circuit in the 1970's and 1980's.  Many of the midnight movies pushed the boundaries between bad taste and social taboos.  For those fringe movie goers, attending a midnight movie was a badge of honor not only to stay awake, but to stretch intellectually and explore social sensibilities. Sadly, the end of the midnight movie era came with home movie rental. 

John Waters still has movie plans, but his latest projects include a book about hitchhiking across the Untied States and an international art installation.  



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