Q&A: John Waters
The part-time San Franciscan is spotlighted at this year's Sonoma International Film Festival
By: Andy Wright
Within minutes of arriving at John Waters' house, I’m wearing cardboard glasses so we can look at a giant book of 3D porn together.
Basically, a dream interview.
Waters, the legendary director of films like “Hairspray” who has famously been called the “Pope of Trash”, lives in a lovely apartment with a view in tony Nob Hill. (“They should have a porno called that,” Waters joked about his neighborhood’s name.)
His living room is like an inside joke, a classy set up peppered with naughty accessories. Lining the walls, all the way to the ceiling, are still more books. Mixed in with enormous art tomes and serious titles are his collections of gay pulp books (“Swallow My Pride”, “Blow Me Hot, Blow Me Cold”) and books with the word “chicken” in the title (“Chain Gang Chicken”). Mementos like a plastic Hannah Montana tchotchke and a framed, autographed photo of a woman spilling out of her dress dot the shelves.
"Blaze Starr. A famous stripper from Baltimore. Google her. She even had an affair with the governor of Louisiana, ” Waters said, by way of explanation of the photo.
There’s art everywhere, too. A gold and black rock-like Vincent Fecteau sculpture sits on a table to my right and a realistic box of Jujyfruit disgorging its candy contents on the table to my left is a sculpture, too.
Waters, who also has homes in Baltimore, New York, and Provincetown, bought his San Francisco apartment from a friend three years ago. He’s thrown his weight behind local film institutions, performing for benefits at the Roxie and the Castro Theatre. This year he is being spotlighted by the Sonoma International Film Festival, where he will also perform his one-man show, “This Filthy World”.
Waters talked about filmmaking, San Francisco, and of course, his forbidden love for Muni. This interview has been edited and condensed.
On Nob Hill: I used to live very close to here when I was young in my car, and it hasn’t changed that much. The Nob Hill Cinema was there, which is a gay porn theater. The marquee says “You Can Touch Our Junk”. I love that it’s still there in the neighborhood where you’d most think they’d give a shit. But it’s been there forever and I always love seeing it.
On the independent film landscape (and Occupy): It’s the worst it’s ever been since I started. As far as getting a movie made, I can’t get a movie made. And I could always get a movie made. And most of the directors I know from my era cannot. I mean, you can make it, if it costs $500,000. And I have done that. But I can’t go backwards and I don’t want to go backwards. It would be faux-revolutionary for me to do that. The same way that I joke about—I’m for Occupy. If I was young, I’d be down there, I’d be getting laid, having fun; I was doing the same thing when I went to riots. But it would be too hypocritical! I’m not the 1%, but I don’t hate the 1%, they back movies and buy art! That 1%-- they read! So I don’t hate the rich. I think they should be made fun of, and I think a certain kind of rich people we need, because if you have capitalism, you need them to spend money. But there’s bad rich people, too. There’s bad poor people.
On mainstream movies: Studios have always made movies that appeal to the widest audience, because it’s a business. They’re trying to make money. The problem is that the ones that were trying to make art could sometimes make money doing it. That’s harder, I think, because it’s over. You don’t have time for word of mouth anymore. It comes out Friday and after the first matinee they can predict (correctly, and that’s scary) the weekend grosses and by Monday they’ve already pulled the advertising. You don’t have until the next weekend to say, “It was good, you should go see it.” Now something plays six weeks and that’s a long run. Even big movies play three weeks, and they make a fortune, but then it’s over because the next ones waiting. But I’m not complaining; that’s where the business is right now. You should always have many backup plans.
On the latest odd thing fans do: I get older, my audience gets younger. A new thing that’s happened this year, while I’m reading at book signings is that they come up to me, a boy and a girl, and the boy falls to his knees and asks the girl to marry him. This is new this year, this is a new trend. I’m not sure I quite get why, but I’m flattered. I think it’s nice. And the girls never say no. That would really be mortifying. I think they’re all serious. They look serious to me.
On Justin Bieber’s documentary: It shows that when he was like 10 years old, he was a childchild prodigy. He was in the kitchen playing pots and pans and singing Aretha Franklin’s “Respect”. It was great. And it showed how he started doing this thing with girls flipping out, but it would be ten of them. In swim clubs. And how he built his business, he has good people around him, he doesn’t have jerks.
Would he put Justin in a movie?: I would love to. You know, he drew on my mustache and everything. I did the Graham Norton show with him and he said to me on the show, “Your ‘stache is the jam.” And then later he drew it on and went out in front of the paparazzi and everyone. I would love to have Justin, but I think he’s a little beyond my financial means.
On TV and why he doesn’t watch it: Because I like to read and you can’t do both. I like “The Wire”. I think there is good TV, but I don’t watch it. And I’m not being a snob or anything. But I like to read—I can’t stand it, that noise. People who come in to their house and turn on the TV is something that is so astounding to me. I mean, I turn it off. There’s better TV than independent movies now, a lot, but I still don’t watch it because I like to read every night and you can’t do both.
On how the most horrific thing he ever saw was on Muni: I get on a bus everyday and it’s like drama. A little adventure every day. But I did see the most repellent thing I’ve ever seen. It would even be too much for a John Waters movie. I was on a bus and a lesbian couple, one was quite butch, the other was younger and with a child, and the older one was popping the other girls whiteheads the entire way of the bus ride! I mean, full-tilt popping her pimples! For about two miles. I finally moved seats. I almost said something, but this girl would have punched me in the mouth.
But he still loves it: It’s the only time I’ve ever said anything controversial. I’ve said I want one of the Manson family released, and no one said anything. I say I like Muni, it’s like “Has he lost his mind? What’s the matter with him?”
On being spotted on the bus: The other day I got on the bus and a guy saw me and he started looking at me and I caught his eye and he started typing, so I said, “Writing a little spy report?” and he said “I didn’t take your picture!” and I said, “I know, but you’re writing something.” And he said, “Well…yeah.” I don’t mind! It doesn’t bother me. The only thing people do that they don’t realize is that they act like you’re deaf or something. Like “THAT’S JOHN WATERS!” Like you're not standing there and you can’t hear them. I’m not like Topper the Ghost! I’m sitting right there!
But maybe they’re just shy?: I’m on the bus! It’s not very stand-offish to be on the bus.
On Critical Mass: I like them. I think they’re cute. They all have good legs. And B.O. That’s a problem. Even though, if I was driving a car and they stopped up the bridge, I would be pissed off if they stopped the bridge and I couldn’t get across. But I secretly like them. Not even secretly. As a group they look great. And it is good for your health and correct. But I get why they hate cars and why cars hate them. I’m curious if you can be part of that group and can your girlfriend or boyfriend like cars? Is that a mixed marriage?