(This program was originally broadcast on October 5, 2018)
Tom's guest for the hour is John Waters. He’s a filmmaker, actor, and writer -- not necessarily in that order. Early in his career, Waters established himself as an enfant terrible who was affectionately dubbed the "King of Sleaze." His filmography spans 40 years and 16 films, some of which are cult classics, while others, like Hairspray, are revered as popular icons.
John Waters is also the author of eight books, including Role Models, a collection of essays of people who have shaped his life in important ways; Carsick, his journal of a hitchhiking trip from Baltimore to San Francisco; and Make Trouble, adopted from a speech he delivered at the Rhode Island School of Design.
What is perhaps less well known by the general public is that John Waters is also a prolific and insightful visual artist. On Sunday, theBaltimore Museum of Art will open a major retrospective of John’s work, in a show that includes 160 examples of art that show Waters to be a trenchant observer and analyst of popular culture. The show is called Indecent Exposure. John and BMA curator Kristen Hileman will have a public conversation about the exhibition on the first of November. And on Friday night, Nov. 9, the BMA will screen18 hours of John Waters movies. There will be prizes for folks who complete the entire Waters film marathon.
Baltimore is also one of the stops on the John Waters Christmas tour this season. You can catch “A John Waters Christmas” at the Baltimore Soundstage on Dec. 19.
We livestreamed this conversation. To see the video, click here.
