CORY REYNOLDS | DATE 6/6/2024

Celebratory and transgressive, 'John Waters: Pope of Trash' is a Pride Month Staff Pick

Much more than a gay icon, John Waters is a visionary artist, bibliophile and cinephile, as well as a general national treasure. And yet, as we continue to celebrate Pride Month 2024, we certainly can’t fail to feature John Waters: Pope of Trash. Published to accompany the first museum exhibition dedicated solely to Waters’ films—at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles—it’s a must-have compendium of costumes, props, handwritten scripts, concept drawings, correspondence, promotional gimmicks, production photography and other original materials from all of the underground auteur’s features and shorts. In addition, the book spotlights many of Waters' essential longtime collaborators—including Divine, pictured here playing the unrepentant, degenerate criminal Babs Johnson, defending the title of “filthiest person alive” in the indelible 1972 cult film, Pink Flamingos. Scoping out to the mainstream, curator Jenny He notes that in February 1997, Waters guest starred as a gay novelty store owner in the “Homer’s Phobia” episode of The Simpsons. “His role on the network television show—appearing months before Ellen DeGeneres announced, “Yep, I’m gay,” on the cover of Time magazine and her character came out on Ellen in April 1997—was monumental for queer representation in the mainstream cultural landscape.”