John Waters on Dreamland, Divine, and being a "filth elder" 

About 10 years ago, I was taking an American Airlines flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles. I spotted JW immediately while in the waiting area but restrained myself from approaching him; I didn't want to freak him out or perhaps call unwanted attention to him among the other people who were in the room. But boarding the plane, I saw he had an aisle seat in the First Class section and I just couldn't walk by him without making a brief comment about how I much I admired him and his work (I quoted a Kathleen Turner line from "Serial Mom"). He chuckled and it really made my day!

He was a close friend of a judge I clerked for in Baltimore and gave the eulogy at her funeral, surrounded by her collection of skulls. It was amazing. The judge was a remarkable woman, and Waters did her justice.

I saw Pink Flamingo aged 15 and it changed my life. I'm now approaching 60 and would recommend the film to anyone struggling with their identity.

John Waters is a cinematic genius. His films are masterpieces, especially the early ones from the 70s and early 80s. I miss Divine, Miss Edie, Cookie Mueller, David Lochary, and all the other Dreamlanders that have passed so much.

John Waters is fantastic.

My first John Waters film was PINK FLAMINGOS at the Flick in Larimer Square in Denver. I think it was 1975. Everyone in the audience of around fifty laughed so hard and clapped and bounced to the music...and Divine! Wow, what a memory. I'm a fan for life, and have all of his films on DVD in my permanent library to enjoy over and over. Thank you, John, for bending my brain in a delightful way. And you're still going strong at 77! Again, WOW!

John Waters is a legend. I first saw Female Trouble on Xmas evening on IFC at the age of 12, and i was forever changed. God bless John Waters, there's no one like him.

The G.O.A.T.

I adore this human!

John Waters is my favorite cinema exhibitionist!

So smart, so gracious. John Waters is a national treasure. ❤

I met John Waters at a gallery in Atlanta many years ago when the whole gallery was devoted to his paintings and drawings. Approachable and delightful.

I still drink my tears 😢🫙

So great that TCM recognizes all categories of movies, even the less popular ones. LOVED THIS!!

Thank You, TCM

What a wonderful interview of one of my favorite directors. My first John Waters film was Pink Flamingos at the old TLA Cinema on South Street in Philadelphia. They showed a 16mm print every Saturday night for a long time. Since then I’ve seen all of his films. Yes I’m a fan. I’ll be going to see this exhibition.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ thank you for this amazing interview!!!!!!!! I’m a Maryland gal not quite 60 and I connect to John water’s movies so much! He is the leaky roof in a pristine, perfect home! I just adore his approach to film making, creativity and people… he seems so humble and experienced and what feels like an all around great human!!!!! ❤❤❤ his work will continue the wheel of outsider filmmaking and he’s given us all so much to think about! Thank you Mr waters! You are magic! 🪄

He's such a cool guy. This was great fun. I've seen several of his movies. I love the older campy ones as well as Hairspray and Cry Baby. 😸

I had the pleasure of meeting John during one of his touring shows and had my picture taken with him afterwards. It's a shame we can't post pictures here, I'd gladly share it with everyone.

Divine should have been nominated for an Oscar for ‘Hairspray’.

A Dirty Shame changed my life for the better. Liberating!

Visited the Museum last week... SUCH a gorgeous place... And John Waters' exhibit is WONDERFUL! Thanks, TCM for the interview!

IFC Center here in NY did a revival screening of Polyester a few years ago (before covid) which even had the scratch and sniff cards. John Waters introduced the screening, he is both hilarious and one of the most charming people you'd ever meet. It was a great night. So happy to see him getting this show for all the years of awesome movies.

Just a fantastic interview. Could have listened to John for another hour…or three.

Many thanks to Ms. Stewart and Mr. Waters! 🎬

I worship him! He is a comedic genius.

Absolute legend 💪🏻🏆 kind regards from New Zealand 🇳🇿🫶🏻

“The Pope of Trash”. 💜

Odorama worked so well in Polyester. By the end of the movie your nose had collected all these awful smells, and then the final smell was Lemon Pledge, which was totally realistic because it was artificial to begin with. Genius.

John Waters is a true class act. So glad to see him getting honors like this.

nice interview, thanks!

John Waters is a national treasure

I would see him at a bar near the UM art school in Bmore. Somewhere around 1986. He was already famous.

Thank you, John Waters! Thank you, DIVINE.

very excited to hear that his first fiction novel is going to be turned into a film "Liarmouth".!! Was afraid that "A Dirty Shame" might be his last film work. Even though he always makes the very best of whatever budget he ends up with he's just one of those talents i keep hoping some benevolent billionaires will just give him all he needs to make anything he wants.

The first John Waters movie I ever saw was "Polyester" in a theater in Baltimore now long gone. I even got an Odorama card, but I gave it away.

I would love to see an exhibition of only “Desperate Living” stuff and clothing from the movie!

This is delightful. ❤❤❤

your book Shock Treatment got me through a difficult time in my life when I should have really had shock treatments, seriously

What an insightful and excellent interview.

love these interviews keep em coming !

Love John waters!

I only barely knew of Ricki Lake from her talk show, and seeing her many years later in Hairspray was a revelation. What a lovable character, and actress.

The ‘Uncle’ we all have & love

What a joy!

Jackaline You are sitting in Museum Row in Hancock Park. There is The big gun LACMA, the page Museum that is the satelite of The Natural History Museum in Exposition park. Also there is the Automobile Museum and Folk Art Museum. The area is rich with Museums. LACMA is the big gun in the neighborhood.

he's such a treasure ❤

I had that Bop magazine @ 12:23 🥰 I miss being a teen...

Love him so much.

I love John Waters and his films.

I love this man.

Love him!

I adore this man.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN.....!!!!!!!

The Diane Linkletter Story changed my life.

Love him

Love his work with Pink Floyd

i love john waters!!!

Divine and John are the best aunt and uncle to the strange kids

I love him.

No Closed Captions? 🙃 Great interview tho! ❤

Hey John, wonder if you got your copies of the Village Voice at Sherman's Bookstore at Mulberry & Park?

When John waters dies im going to save a vial of the tears I cry and never drink them.

Still have an original ODORAMA card, I keep it next to my VHS copy of polyester. John Waters is the most subversive filmmaker of all time, the best!

Love you John you big weirdo❤❤

I loved the Buddy Deane Show but even back then I wondered why they had to have a special day just of the black kids and didn't just let everyone dance together all the time.

i really wanna meet him

That guy is a national treasure.

Can you please are Woodstock the movie on Turner Classic Movies one more time 0:42

An American treasure

When is that exhibit over?

My buddy Greg Gorman is best friends with him

Hes gonna be in Helluva Boss!!! Who? Probably beining the mew character, Ronaldo

Lol...I love all these "I met him when..." comments. Well, I met him in Marfa, Texas, at a bonfire for local ranchers hosted by the Chinati Foundation. Go figure.😆

Polyester. It stinks! No, literally.

No more Feel-Bad Romance (Liarmouth) anymore, please.

He looks like his wearing make up to look older, you know what I mean? It's like he's a young man in an old man costume.

Somewhere between Polyester and Hairspray, John lost his edge. I never liked Hairspray and musicals are nauseating. Serial Mom was okay. Imagine if Divine had played Kathleen Turner's part. It would have been way better.

John you made Polyester after Desperate Living, Hairspray came a decade after Desperate Living, not “right after” it. Such a shame when an auteur gets too old to remember the timeline of his own filmography.🤦‍♀️

And the irony is people like George Wallace didn't destroy Baltimore, John's fellow liberals did.

Garbage

I remember taking mescaline and going with my best friend to see a midnight movie in the mid 1970s in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was Pink Flamingos. I was an impressionable 19 or 20 year old who had recently read a review in Penthouse magazine. It was an epiphany. A complete entertainment! There was something in it for every perversion! At first I thought it might have been the acid I had taken, but no, what I saw on the screen actually happened. I never had the chance to see the movie again in Cincinnati. When I returned to the theater less than a month later it had been turned into a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. I suspected this was because of the efforts of then City Attorney Simon Leis, who became famously known as the prosecutor who was a pain in the ass for Hustler Magazine publisher Larry Flynt. Returning to Cincinnati after 45 years living in San Francisco and Seattle, (where I've attended several personal appearances by Mr. Waters over the years), apparently nothing much has changed here. Perhaps seeing Pink Flamingos in that time and place was a 'Divine' accident, indeed! 🦩🦩😘😂🎥🎬🏳️‍🌈❤.

God this woman is HUMORLESS

This interviewer is terrible, typical phony, narcissistic interrupter due to self entitlement, poor John.

John Water is a national treaure