I first saw Hairspray when I was 14. I loved it. Every minute of it. The dance steps, the rock n roll, the hair, the fashion and Divine. Oh my goodness, DIVINE. I was obsessed.
But what about the guy who brought us Divine, the guy with the pencil thin moustache and B’more accent? I sought out every piece of John Waters‘ work I could find, collecting sneaky VHS copies of Female Trouble and Pink Flamingos to watch late at night. His writing too, Shock Value has become a constant reference for me when I want to know more about serial killers and roller coaster accidents.
His films filled with huge, Liz Taylor on acid hair dos, shiny leopard print lycra and cha-cha heels have had on influence that I simply can’t overstate on my own personal style and the way I dance and perform.
In honour of his 67th Birthday, I’d like to say “Happy Birthday, Mr. Waters!” with a selection of some of my favourite John Waters moments. Enjoy!
John Waters Special on Channel 4 1993
Dawn Davenport – Female Trouble